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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

DE-207 / APD-61 Kephart

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - India - Whiskey

USS Kephart (APD-61) was transferred to South Korea, Kyong Puk (PF-82)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)
Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down as a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston S.C.
  • Launched, 6 September 1943
  • Commissioned USS Kephart (DE-207), 7 January 1944, LCDR. I. H. Cammarn in command
  • Converted to a High-speed Transport and redesignated (APD-61), 5 July 1944
  • During World War II Kephart (APD-61) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Transportation Division 103 and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 24 November 1944
    Ormoc Bay landings, 7 December 1944     		Consolidation and capture of southern Philippines
    Palawan Island landings
    Puerto Princesa, 10 March 1945
    Mindanao Island landings;
    Zamboanga, 10 March 1945
    Cotabato, 17 April 1945
    Visayan Island landings;
    Cubu City - Cubu. 26 March 1945
    Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings
    San Jose, 15 December 1944
    Lingayen Gulf landings
    San Fabian, 11 January 1945
    		Borneo operation
    Brunei Bay operation, 10 June 1945
    Balikpapan operation, 1 July 1945
    Manila Bay- Bicol operations
    Grande Island - Subic Bay, 30 January 1945     		.

  • Decommissioned, 21 June 1946
  • Struck from the US Naval Register, 1 May 1967
  • Transferred (leased) to Republic of Korea, 16 May 1967, renamed Kyong Puk (PF-82)
  • Redesignated (APD-85) in 1972
  • Purchased outright by Republic of Korea, 15 November 1974
  • Renumbered (APD-826), 1980
  • Redesignated (DE-826), 1982
  • Struck by the Republic of Korea Navy, 30 April 1985
  • Final Disposition, broken up for scrap Kephart received five battle stars for World War II service.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,400 t.
    Length 306' (oa)
    Beam 36' 10"
    Draft 13' 6" (max)
    Speed 24 kts.
    Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
    Complement 186
    Troop Capacity 162
    Boats four LCVP landing craft
    Armament
    one 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    two depth charge tracks
    Propulsion two GE turbines, (turbo-electric drive), two boilers two shafts, 12,000 shp
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    View the Kephart (APD-61)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    2007 Annual Reunion of the Ormoc Bay Association
    Place: Hampton Inn, Savannah, GA.
    Date: 21 to 25 October 2007
    Contact: Sec'y-Treas., William M. Dallam
    Address: 117 Tuscarora St., Harrisburg, PA. 17104
    E-mail: Annual Reunion of the Ormoc Bay Association
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 16 February 2007