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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Kilty (APD-15)
ex
 USS Kilty (AG-20) (1931 - 1943)
 USS Kilty (DD-137) (1920 - 1931)
 USS Kilty (Destroyer No. 137) (1918 - 1920)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Oscar - Tango
 NHOT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Navy Unit Commendation - World War I Victory Medal (with bronze star in lieu of Destroyer clasp)
Third Row - American Defense Service Medal (with bronze star in lieu of Fleet Clasp) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (10)
Fourth Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Wickes Class Destroyer:
  • Laid Down, 15 December 1915, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Launched, 25 April 1918
  • Commissioned USS Kilty (Destroyer No. 137), 17 December 1918, LCDR. Timothy Jerome Keleher in command
  • Designated (DD-137), 17 July 1920
  • Decommissioned, 5 June 1922, at San Diego, CA.
  • Reclassified Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG-20), 5 September 1931
  • Recommissioned, 18 December 1939
  • Converted to a High-speed Transport at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Redesignated (APD-15), 2 February 1943
  • During World War II USS Kilty was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns;

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    New Georgia Group operation
    New Georgia-Rendova-Vangunu occupation, 30 June and 4 to 5 July 1943
    Vella Lavella occupation, 15 August 1943     		Western New Guinea operation
    Biak Island operation, 25 to 27 May 1944
    Cape Sansapor operation, 30 July 1944
    Morotai landings, 15 September 1944
    Treasury - Bougainville operation
    Treasury Island landing, 27 October 1943
    Choiseul Island diversion, 28 October 1943
    Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 5, 11 and 17 November 1943     		Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 5 to 18 November 1944
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26, 28 and 29 December 1943
    Green Island landing, 15 to 19 February 1944     		Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings, 12 to 18 December 1944
    Hollandia operation, 21 April and 1 to 7 May 1944 Manila Bay - Bicol operation
    Nasugbu, 31 January 1945
    Mariveles - Corregidor, 14 to 28 February 1945
    Eastern New Guinea operation
    Saidor occupation, 2 January 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 3 to 7 May 1946

  • While assigned to Commander South Pacific Force and South Pacific Area USS Kilty came under the command of TransDiv Twenty-Two
  • While assigned to Commander Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet USS Kilty came under the command of TransDiv One Hundred, CDR. R. A. Wilhelm USNR
  • Reverted to Destroyer (DD-137), 20 July 1945
  • Decommissioned, 1 November 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 16 November 1945
  • USS Kilty earned ten battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition. sold for scrapping, 26 August 1946 to National Metals and Steel Corp, Terminal Island CA.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,060 t.
    Length 314' 4"
    Beam 30' 6"
    Draft 11' 4"
    Speed 28.7 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 8
    Enlisted 98
    Troop Accommodations Enlisted 144
    Boats 4 LCP(L) landing craft
    Armament
    three single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    five single 20mm AA gun mounts
    one depth charge track
    four depth charge projectors
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 3,025 Bbls
    Diesel 50 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two New York Shipbuilding Parsons-type geared turbines
    two Normand boilers, 250psi Sat°
    single Parsons Main Reduction Gears
    two turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 26,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Kilty 65k Rear Admiral Augustus H. Kilty, born in 1807 at Annapolis, Md., was appointed Midshipman 4 July 1821. He served in Pacific, Asiatic, Mediterranean, and African waters. In February 1832 he took part in Commodore George Reid's operations in defense of American merchantmen at Quallah Batto. During the Civil War, he was conspicuous for his skill and bravery at Island No. 10 and Fort Pillow. He commanded an expedition to White River, Ark.; during this operation he was severely wounded 17 June 1862, causing the loss of his left arm. He was commissioned Rear Admiral 13 July 1870 and died 10 November 1879. Bill Gonyo
    Kilty 55k USS Kilty (APD-15) moored, date and location unknown. Leo Paul Owens
    Kilty 66k USS Kilty (APD-15) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1944 issue    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Kilty 258k USS Kilty (APD-15) underway, off Navy Yard Mare Island, 26 February 1943.
    US Navy photo NH 91128 a Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.    		 Robert Hurst and
    Darryl Baker
    Kilty
    100401504    		 189k During the Bougainville operation USS Kilty (APD-15) (center) and four additional APDs standby as landing craft take men and supplies ashore in Empress Augusta Bay to reinforce the Cape Torokina Beachhead, 6 November 1943.
    US National Archives, Catalog No. 80-G-202480    		 Mike Green
    USS Kilty (DD-137 / AG-20 / APD-15)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    APD-15 Commanding Officers
    01LT. Coolidge, John Warren, USNR12 August 1943 - 25 November 1944
    02LCDR. Mattie, Dominic Lewis, USN (USNA 1929) :RADM25 November 1944 - 11 March 1944
    03LCDR. Benson, Lloyd George, USN (USNA 1936)11 March 1944 - 21 May 1945
    04LT. Wofford, William Charles, USNR21 May 1945 - 1 November 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    "The Green Dragons" Four-stack APD destroyer-transports in World War Two
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The USS Kilty (DD-137) Page Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index Back To The High-speed Transport (APD) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 16 October 2020