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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Bull (APD-78)
ex
 USS Bull (DE-693) (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Victor - Quebec
 NTVQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, Iwo Jima, 24 Feb. to 5 Mar. 1945) - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Europe, Africa, Middle East Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)

USS Bull (APD-78) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Lu Shan (PF-36)
Buckley Class Destroyer Escort - Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down as, Bull (DE-693), a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort, at Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City MI.
  • Launched, 25 March 1943
  • Commissioned USS Bull (DE-693), 12 August 1943, LT. Duane W. Farnham, USNR, in command
  • Converted to a High-speed Transport at Todd Shipyards, Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Redesignated (APD-78), 31 July 1944
  • During World War II USS Bull was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, as flagship for TransDiv One Hundred Four, CAPT. R. D. Williams USN (24) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 4 to 18 January 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 8 May 1945
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 16 February to 6 March 1945     		 

  • Following World War II USS Bull was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    10 to 20 December 194510 to 20 December 1945
     10 to 16 April 1946

  • Decommissioned, 5 June 1947
  • Laid up in Reserve in the San Pedro Sub Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Towed to San Diego Reserve Fleet in the 1960s when San Pedro Group was disestablished
  • Struck form the Naval Register, 16 June 1966
  • USS Bull earned three battle stars for her World War II service
  • Transferred to the Republic of China, 12 July 1966 and renamed ROCS Lu Shan (PF-36)
  • Final Disposition, struck by the Taiwanese Navy in May 1995 and broken up for scrap
    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
    USS Bull (APD-78)
    Bull 60k USS Bull (APD-78) overhead view while underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    Bull 32k USS Bull (APD-78) at Lingayen Gulf, circa 4 to 18 January 1945. Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    Bull 47k USS Bull (APD-78) at anchor, date and location unknown. Linda Patton
    Bull 52k USS Bull (APD-78) at anchor, date and location unknown. Linda Patton
    ROCS Lu Shan (PF 36)
    Bull 64k Ex-Bull (APD-78) in the Republic of China service as ROCS Lu Shan (PF-36) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Bull 78k ROCS Lu Shan (PF-36) underway at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1974.
    Photos by Karsten Petersen    		 Robert Hurst
    Bull 90k ROCS Lu Shan (PF-36) underway at Keelung, Taiwan in 1974.
    Photos by Karsten Petersen    		 Robert Hurst
    Bull 75k
    USS Bull (APD-78)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Farnham, Duane Wesley, USNR (USNA 1930)12 August 1943 - 12 December 1943DE-693
    02LT. McLaughlin, John Barry, USNR12 December 1943 - 9 February 1944DE-693
    03LT. Ferguson Jr., Egbert Rowan, USNR9 February 1944 - 21 March 1945DE-693 / APD-78
    04LCDR. Berner, Merritt, USNR21 March 1945 - 15 August 1945APD-78
    05LT. Rauch Jr., Francis Bowman, USNR15 August 1945 - 29 January 1946APD-78
    06LCDR. Weyll, Charles Edward, USNR29 January 1946 - 5 August 1946APD-78
    07LT. Zajac, Edward John, USN5 August 1946 - 5 June 1947APD-78
    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 Bull DE-693 Main Page Back To the Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The High-speed Transport (APD) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 17 September 2021