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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Kinzer (APD-91)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Golf - Papa
 NFGP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USS Kinzer (APD-91) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Yu Shan (PF-44)
Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort - Crosley Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 9 September 1943, as Kinzer (DE-232), a Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Launched, 9 December 1943
  • Reclassified a Crosley Class High-speed Transport, 17 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS Kinzer (APD-91), 1 November 1944, LT. Richard C. Young, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Kinzer was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater TransDiv One Hundred Four, CAPT. R. D. Williams USN (24), and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March (pre-invasion) to 30 June 1945

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

    China Service Medal (extended)
    24 October 1945 to 26 April 1946

  • Decommissioned, 18 December 1946, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Francisco Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 April 1965
  • USS Kinzer earned one battle star for service in World War II
  • Sold to Taiwan, 21 April 1965, under terms of the Military Assistance Program, renamed ROCS Yu Shan (PF-44)
  • Pennant number changed to PF-32 and later to 826, then 832
  • Decommissioned, 1 July 1996
  • Last know disposition as of 1998, active in as a Fisheries Patrol Vessel
    APD Specifications:
    Displacement 1,630 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
    12 Officers
    192 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    12 Officers
    150 Enlisted
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Boats four 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 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40 mm gun mounts
    six single 20 mm gun mounts
    two depth charge tracks
    Propulsion
    two Babcox and Wilcox "D" Express type boilers, 435 PSI 750°
    two General Electric turbines, (turbo-electric drive) Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 300Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 40Kw 120V D.C.
    two shafts, shaft horsepower 12,000
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Kinzer (APD-91)
    Kinzer
    100409105
    BS 74402    		 150k Starboard side view of USS Kinzer (APD-91) at Charleston, S.C., 16 November 1944, wearing camouflage MS 31/20l. The vertical colors should be dull black, navy green, ocean green, haze green and brown. Kinzer had been commissioned on 1 November 1944, after being modified from DE to APD while under construction.
    US National Archives, US Navy Bureau of Ships, Photo # BS 74402, courtesy of C. Lee Johnson, usndazzle.com and US National Archives photo # 80-G-59703    		 Mike Green-BS 074402
    Rick Davis - 80-G-59703
    Kinzer
    100409106
    80-G-59703    		 173k
    Kinzer 2k USS Kinzer (APD-91) at anchor, date and location unknown. Jimmie Wilkerson for Junie Olaphant, 1945-46 USS Kinzer
    LCI(L)-632 109k USS Kinzer (APD-91) and USS LCI(M)-632 moored in the ice at Chingwangtao, China, February 1946. Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item" March 2002 issue, courtesy of Robert M. Norris, USS LCI(M) 631). Ardie Hunt
    ROCS Yu Shan ( PF-32)
    Kinzer 46k Ex-USS Kinzer (APD-91) in the Republic of China service as ROCS Yu Shan (PF-32) under way, off Taiwan in 1974. Courtesy, Karsten Petersen, SAILOR - on the blue path of the World web site
    Kinzer 171k ROCS Yu Shan (PF-832) moored pierside at Republic of China Naval Base Su-Ao, circa 1985. Po-Tsang Huang
    Kinzer 219k ROCS Yu Shan (PF-832) crew photo taken on her decommissioning day, 1 July 1996. Po-Tsang Huang
    USS Kinzer (APD-91)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Young, Richard Cody, USNR11 November 1944 - 25 September 1945
    02LCDR. Bell, Arthur Scott,USNR25 September 1945 - 1 January 1946
    03LCDR. Frieden, Ralph Wilford, USNR1 January 1946 - 18 December 1946
    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
    USS Kinzer (APD-91) history eyewitness account by Graham S. Smith, CTRCS USN, Ret.
    USS Kinzer (APD-91) history eyewitness account by Gilbert E. Wyatt SM1/c USN
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 23 October 2020