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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Tatum (APD-81)
ex
 USS Tatum (DE-789) (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Tango - Alpha
 NZTA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row, Combat Action Ribbon (29 May 1945) - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Buckley Class Destroyer Escort - Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 21 April 1943, as Tatum (DE-789), a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort, at Consolidated Steel Corp, Orange TX.
  • Launched, 7 August 1943
  • Commissioned USS Tatum (DE-789), 22 November 1943, LCDR. William C. P. Bellinger USN in command
  • Converted to a Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport at Frontier Base Tompkinsville, N.Y.
  • Redesignated (APD-81), 15 December 1944
  • During World War II USS Tatum was initially assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, TransDiv One Hundred Eight and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of southern France
    15 August to 23 September 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 19 May to 11 June 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 to 25 September 194526 September 1945 to 12 April 1946

  • Decommissioned, 15 November 1946, Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Fleet Reserve Group at Green Cove Springs, FL
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1960
  • USS Tatum earned two battles stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping 8 May 1961, to Southern Scrap Material, New Orleans, LA.
    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
    Tatum 29k USS Tatum (APD-81) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Mike Green
    Tatum 242k USS Tatum (APD-81) at anchor in the Whangpoo River off Shanghai, China, 28 November 1945 Kevin Full for his father Jerome K. Full EM2/c USS Tatum
    USS Tatum (DE-789 / APD-81)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Bellinger Jr., William Cotesworth Pinchney, USN (USNA 1933)22 November 1943 - 21 October 1944DE-789
    02LCDR. Howes, William Charles, USNR21 October 1944 - 1 February 1946DE-789 / APD-81
    03LCDR. Colvin, Almer, Paul, USN (USNA 1939)1 February 1946 - 15 November 1946APD-81
    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 Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tatum (DE-789) Page 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 30 November 2018