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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Lost to enemy aircraft attack off Okinawa, 25 May 1945
21 of her crew were lost with the ship and remain on eternal duty

USS Bates (APD-47)
ex
 USS Bates (DE-68) (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Alpha - Quebec
 NGAQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - Iwo Jima, 25 May 1945) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Personnel Awards

(21 KIA -Okinawa, 25 May 1945)
Buckley Class Destroyer Escort - Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 29 March 1943, as Bates (DE-68), a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort at Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham MA.
  • Launched, 6 June 1943
  • Commissioned USS Bates (DE-68), 12 September 1943, LCDR. Eugene H. Maher USNR, in command
  • Converted to a Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport by Marine Basin Co., Brooklyn N.Y.
  • Redesignated (APD-47), 31 July 1944
  • During World War II USS Bates was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, TransDiv One Hundred Four, CAPT. R. D. Williams USN (24) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 12 June 1944 Okinawa Gunto operations
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 16 February to 25 May 1945

  • Lost to enemy action 25 May 1945, sunk by Japanese kamikaze aircraft off Okinawa
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 June 1945
  • USS Bates (APD-47) earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, hulk donated to the government of the Ryukyu Islands, 1 July 1957
    APD Specifications:
    Displacement 1,400 t.(lt), 2,130 t.(fl)
    Length 306' ovl.
    Beam 37'
    Draft 12' 7" (limiting)
    Speed 23.6 kts. (trial)
    Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 12
    Enlisted 192
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 12
    Enlisted 150
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Boats 4 LCVP landing craft
    Troop Accoutrements
    six 1/4 ton trucks
    two 1 ton trucks
    four ammunition carts
    four pack howitzers
    Storage
    Ammunition 6,000 cu. ft.
    General Cargo 3,500 cu. ft.
    Gasoline 1,000 cu. ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40 mm AA gun mounts
    six single 20 mm AA gun mounts
    two depth charge tracks
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 2,216 Bbls
    Diesel 93 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Combustion Engineering "D" Express boilers, 435psi 750°
    two General Electric turbines, (turbo-electric drive)
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 300Kw 450V A.C.
    two 40Kw 120V D.C.
    two propellers, 12,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Bates 1084k USS Bates (APD-47) off New York Navy Yard, 28 October 1944.
    New York Navy Yard, Photo No.27829    		 Yu Chu
    Bates 51k USS Bates (APD-47) burning off Ie Shima, Ryukyu Islands, after a suicide attack by three Japanese planes, 25 May 1945.
    Photo from the collection of Admiral Harry W. Hill, USN. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo #NH 66450.    		 Hyperwar US Navy
    in World War II
    USS Bates (APD-47)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Maher, Eugene Hugh, USN (USNA 1932)12 September 1943 - 5 May 1944DE-68
    02LCDR. Wilmerding Jr., Henry Albert, USNR5 May 1944 - 25 May 1945DE-68 / APD-47
    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
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back to the Destroyer Escort (DE) Photo Index
    		Back To The USS Bates (DE-68) Main Page Back To the Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The High-speed Transport Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 23 August 2019