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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Bowers (APD-40)
ex
USS Bowers (DE-637) (1944 - 1945)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Papa - Alpha
NHPA

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Philippine Liberation Medal (1)
Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (48-KIA, 59-WIA, 17 April 1945)

USS Bowers (APD-40) was transferred to the Philippines, renamed RPS Rajah Soliman (D-66)

Charles Lawrence High-speed Transport:

Laid down, 28 May 1943, as a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort at Bethlehem Steel Co., San Francisco, CA.

Launched, 31 October 1943

Commissioned USS Bowers (DE-637), 27 January 1944, LCDR. F. W. Hawes in command

During WWII USS Bowers was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Consolidation of Solomon Islands Consolidation of northern Solomons, 15 June and 22 June to 26 October 1944	Leyte operation Leyte landings, 12 October to 14 November 1944
Western New Guinea operations Toem-Walde-Sarmi area operation, 20 to 21 May, 4 to 6, 10 to 13 and 20 June 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 25 March to 24 April 1945

Converted to a Charles Lawrence High-speed Transport at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.

Redesignated (APD-40), 25 June 1945

Decommissioned, 10 February 1947, at Green Cove Springs FL.

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs

Recommissioned, 6 February 1951

USS Bowers (APD-40) was assigned to Occupation service in Europe from 19 May to 20 September 1954

Decommissioned, 18 December 1958

Transferred, on loan, 31 October 1960, to the Republic of the Philippines; renamed RPS Rajah Soliman (D-66)

Sold outright to the Philippines, 21 April 1961

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1961

RPS Rajah Soliman (D-66) was sunk in June 1962

Raised and struck from the Philippine Naval List in December 1964

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in 1966

USS Bowers received four battle stars for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 1,400 t.(lt) 2,130 t.(fl)
Length 306' (ovl)
Beam 37'
Draft 13' 6" (max)
Speed 23.6 kt (trial)
Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
Complement

Officers 15

Enlisted 186
Troop Accommodations

Officers 12

Enlisted 150
Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
Boats 4 LCVP landing craft
Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

three twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eight single 20mm AA gun mounts

one depth charge projector

two depth charge tracks
Fuel Capacities

NSFO 2,216 Bbls

Diesel 93 Bbls
Propulsion

two General Electric turbines, (turbo-electric drive)

two D-type Express boilers, 435psi 750°

Ship's Service Generators

two turbo-drive 300Kw 450V A.C.

two turbo-drive 40Kw 120V D.C.

two propellers, 12,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Bowers (APD-40)
	93k	*USS Bowers* (APD-40) and USS Laning (APD-55)** moored pierside at Norfolk, VA., circa 1951-52. Note the bedding spread across the Bowers railings. Crews aired bedding on a weekly basis.	George Panos, QMS2C USS Earle B. Hall
	1838k	*USS Bowers* (APD-40)** at anchor, circa 1953, location unknown.	Rick Newman for his father-in-law Frederick Lampman FT3 USS Bowers
	37k	*USS Bowers* (APD-40)** at anchor, Golfe Juan, July, 1954. During May to October 1954 Med Cruise.	Bill Fuzak
	35k	*USS Bowers* (APD-40) Officers, Left to Right: LT Carpenter USN, Executive Officer; LTjg Elliot Shapiro, Engineering Officer; LTjg Kahle, CIC Officer; Ens Hosking, Assistant Gunnery Officer; LTjg William G Fuzak Jr., First Lieutenant and Gunnery Officer; LTjg Howe, Damage Control Officer; LTjg John M Harrison, Operations Officer; Ensign Lester Lawtenslager, Supply Officer. Photo was taken at change of command ceremony, July 1955 at Charleston SC. when CDR Clyde C Sapp was relieved. At the time Bowers** was assigned to Charleston as a Naval Reserve Training ship.	Bill Fuzak
	53k	*USS Bowers* (APD-40)** First Class Petty Officers of the Deck and Gunnery Dept, July, 1955, Charleston, SC. Left to right; Gunners Mate First Class Cooke, Fire Control Technician First Class Procopio, and Bosuns Mate First Class Kurtz	Bill Fuzak
	834k	*USS Bowers* (APD-40)** moored pierside at the Navy Pier on the Savannah River near the old Talmadge Memorial Bridge in Savannah, GA, June 1958. Photo by L. R. Case, Jr.	C.E. Case
RPS Rajah Soliman (D-66)
	52k	Ex Bowers (APD-40) in Mississippi ready to become the Philippine ship *RPS Rajah Soliman* (D-66)*. US Navy photo from "All Hands"* magazine September 1961	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	138k	*RPS Rajah Soliman* (D-66)** underway, circa 1962, location unknown. Photo courtesy W. H. Davis.	Robert Hurst
	1165k	*RPS Rajah Soliman* (D-66)** article from "Navy Times", 7 April 1965. US Navy photos.	Ron Reeves