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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

DD-251 / AVD-8 / APD-34 Belknap


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Juliet - Romeo
 NQJR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Presidential Unit Citation
Second Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Destroyer clasp) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippine Liberation Medal
Clemson Class Destroyer:
  • Laid Down, 31 July 1918, at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 14 January 1919
  • Commissioned USS Belknap (Destroyer No. 251), 28 April 1919, LCDR. S. Gassee in command
  • Designated (DD-251), 17 July 1920
  • Decommissioned, 28 June 1922, at Philadelphia Navy Yard. Philadelphia, PA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Converted Seaplane Tender (Destroyer) (AVD-8)
  • Recommissioned, 2 August 1940
  • Converted to a High-speed Transport redesignated (APD-34), 22 June 1944
  • During World War II Belknap was first assigned to the European Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Task Group 21.12 Leyte operation
    . Luzon operation

  • Decommissioned, 4 August 1945 at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 30 November 1945
  • Belknap received the Presidential Unit Citation and three battle stars for her World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement; 1,215 t.
    Length; 314' 4"
    Beam; 31' 8"
    Draft; 9' 10"
    Speed; 33.3 kts.
    Complement; 130
    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, 26,500shp, two propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Belknap (AVD-8)
    Belknap 151k Belknap (AVD-8) underway, date and location unknown Paul Rebold
    USS Belknap (APD-34)
    Belknap 112k Belknap (APD-34) underway, date and location unknown Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Belknap 54k Belknap (APD-34) underway, date and location unknown. CWO3 Curt Clark, USN Ret.
    Secretary/Treasurer American APD Corporation
    View the Belknap (APD-34)
    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 USS Belknap (DD-251) Page Back To The Seaplane Tender, Destroyer (AVD) 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 11 January 2008