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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

DD-137 / AG-20 / APD-15 Kilty


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




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation - World War I Victory Medal (with Transport Clasp) - China Service Medal
Third Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet Clasp) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (10)
Fourth Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia Clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal
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 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 Western New Guinea operation
    Treasury - Bougainville operation Leyte operation
    Bismarck Archipelago operation Luzon operation
    Hollandia operation Manila Bay - Bicol operation
    Eastern New Guinea operation Okinawa Gunto operation

  • Reverted to Destroyer (DD-137), 20 July 1945
  • Decommissioned, 2 November 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 16 November 1945
  • Final Disposition. sold for scrapping, 26 August 1946 to National Metals and Steel Corp, Terminal Island CA.
  • Kilty received ten battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,060 t.
    Length 314' 5"
    Beam 31' 8"
    Draft 8' 6"
    Speed 36 kts.
    Complement 100
    Boats 4 LCP(L) landing craft
    Armament
    three single 4"/50 gun mounts
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    five single 20mm AA gun mounts
    one depth charge track
    four depth charge projectors
    Propulsion geared turbines, two propellers, 24,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Kilty 55k Kilty (APD-15) moored, date and place unknown Leo Paul Owens
    Kilty 66k Kilty (APD-15) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1944 issue    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    View the Kilty (APD-15)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    American APD Corporation
    Four Stack APD Veterans

    Contact: CWO3 Curt Clark Secretary/Treasurer
    Address: 3384 Grim Ave., San Diego, CA 92104
    Phone: 619-282-0971
    E-mail: apdsec@cox.net
    Reunion Schedule
    2008 Reno, Nevada. Site and date to be determined
    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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 21 December 2007