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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Begor (LPR-127)
ex
 USS Begor (APD-127) (1945 - 1969)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Echo - Alpha
 NUEA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (5)
Fourth Row - Philippine Liberation Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort / Crosley Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 6 March 1944, as Begor (DE-711), a Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort, at Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City MI.
  • Launched, 25 May 1944
  • Redesignated a Crosley Class High-speed Transport while under construction
  • Commissioned USS Begor (APD-127), 14 March 1945. LCDR. Benjamin T. Brooks, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Begor was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater TransDiv One Hundred Six, CAPT. F. W. Schmidt, USN (20)
  • Following World War II USS Begor 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 30 September 194524 July 1947 to 5 March 1948
     14 June to 19 July 1949
     5 August to 27 September 1949
     6 November to 2 December 1949

  • USS Begor was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.1.3 (Technical Group - Drone Boat Unit) for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • During the Korean War USS Begor participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Aggression
    13 to 24 December 1950     		Third Korean Winter
    15 December 1952
    13 February 1953
    28 February to 1 March 1953
    6 March 1953
    12 to 31 March 1953
    13 to 16 April 1953
    First UN Counter Offensive
    1 March to 7 April 1951     		Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    7 to 17 May 1953
    12 July 1953
    27 July 1953
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    27 April to 9 May 1951
    28 May to 14 June 1951
    25 June to 11 July 1951     		 

  • Decommissioned, 13 May 1959
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 20 November 1961
  • Decommissioned, 13 July 1962
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Designation changed, 1 January 1969 to Amphibious Transport, Small (LPR-127)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 May 1975
  • USS Begor earned five battle stars for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 6 December 1976, for $60,000, to National Metal & Steel Corp., Terminal Island, CA.
    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
    Begor 31k
    Namesake

    Fay Broughton Begor was born in Moriah, N. Y., 15 October 1916 and received his M. D. from McGill University. Appointed a Lieutenant (junior grade), USNR, in 1942, Dr. Begor was killed in action on board a landing craft in the Pacific 9 September 1943 while assisting injured soldiers and seamen. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Begor
    100412722    		 62k Mrs. F. B. Begor, widow of the ship's namesake, LTjg. Fay Broughton Begor MC USNR, breaks the traditional bottle of champagne across the bow of Begor (APD-127) during the ship's launching ceremony, 25 May 1944, at Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City MI. Dale Hargrave
    Begor 73k Begor (DE-711) launch postal cover, dated 25 May 1944, Bay City, MI. Paul Petosky
    Begor 85k Begor (APD-127) being launched as DE-711, 25 May 1944, at Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City MI.
    Defoe Shipbuilding Co. photo #217.    		 Nick Tiberio
    Begor 331k Plaque presented to USS Begor (APD-127) by McGill University Bill Gonyo
    Begor 243k USS Begor (APD-127) underway, date and location unknown Jim Kurrasch
    Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
    Begor 102k USS Begor (APD-127) commissioning ceremony, 14 March 1945. The Prospective Commanding Officer LCDR. Ben. T. Brooks, USNR, renders honors as he prepares to assume command.
    Photo courtesy of McGill University.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Begor
    100412715    		 231k Series of four photos of USS Begor (APD-127) receiving mail via hi-line from USS William Pattison (APD-104) while underway in convoy, WestPac, 29 May 1945.
    Photos from the collection of James Cannon USS William Pattison.    		 John Chiquoine
    Begor
    100412716    		 249k
    Begor
    100412717    		 243k
    Begor
    100412718    		 269k
    Menhaden 285k Admiral's farewell. Taking command as CinCPac in Jan. 1942, Admiral Nimitz raised his flag on the USS Grayling (SS-209). He relinquishes command (scene above) boarding the USS Menhaden (SS-377) to haul down his flag on 24 November 1945. The USS Dentuda (SS-335) is on the other side of the wharf. The ship at the end of the pier is the USS Begor (APD-127).
    USN photo # USN 31998     		Photo courtesy of George Scheer & Darryl L. Baker via Scott Koen.
    Begor
    100412723    		 252k USS Begor (APD-127) moored pierside probably at Johnson Island while taking part in Operation Crossroads in 1946.
    Photo belonged to LTjg. Wallace F. Branham, USS Begor.    		 Charlie Black son-in-law of LTjg. Wallace F. Branham
    Begor
    100412719    		 229k USS Begor (APD-127) at anchor off the coast of China, April 1948
    LIFE Magazine Archives, Jack Birns Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest    		 Mike Green
    Begor
    100412720    		 254k
    Begor
    100412701    		 412k USS Begor (APD-127) stands offshore at Hungnam, North Korea. 24 December 1950, as demolition charges wreck the port facilities. Begor is waiting to embark the Navy Demolition team members who set off the explosions and were the last to leave the beachhead at the end of the Hungnam evacuation.
    US Navy History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 107583    		 Mike Smolinski
    Begor 120k USS Begor (APD-127) and a motor launch stand by offshore while demolition charges destroy Hungnam port facilities and remaining UN supplies at the conclusion of evacuation operations, 24 December 1950.
    US National Archives photo # 80-K-11769, A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Begor 112k USS Begor (APD-127) and a motor launch stand by in the foreground as Hungnam's port facilities and remaining UN supplies are blown up, at the conclusion of evacuation operations, 24 December 1950.
    US National Archives photo # G-K-11770, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Begor 119k USS Begor (APD-127) and a motor launch stand by in the foreground as smoke rises over Hungnam's port area, as faculties and remaining U.N. supplies are demolished by explosives on the final day of evacuation operations, 24 December 1950.
    US Navy photo # (K-11771) now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    LSM(R)-404 109k USS Begor (APD-127 and USS LSM(R)-404 stand by as UN forces demolish Hungnam's port facilities at the conclusion of the evacuation, 24 December 1950.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-426403, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Begor 144k Overhead view of USS Begor (APD-127) under way, date and location unknown. Note the Amphibious Command patch on the bows by the hull number, the new low bridge structure, extra life rafts carried for the troops, and the heavy derrick and booms aft. In this view the twin 40mm AA gun mount in No.2 position is trained aft and covered and deck stores can be seen on the after deck.
    US Navy photo from "American Destroyer Escorts of World War 2", by Peter Elliott.    		 Robert Hurst
    Begor 285k USS Begor (APD-127) under way, 17 June 1952, location unknown. Tim Rizzuto
    Begor 148k USS Begor (APD-127) under way date unknown probably at San Diego. Mike Smolinski
    Begor 72k Ex-USS Begor (APD-127) moored at Mare Island Navy Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, date unknown. Across the channel is ex-USS Arlington (AGMR-2) moored alongside ex-USS Kearsarge (CV-33). Photo from "Warship Boneyards" by Kit and Carolyn Bonner, (Courtesy L. Cote). Robert Hurst
    USS Begor (APD-127)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Brooks, Benjamin T. USNR14 March 1945 - 20 October 1945
    02LCDR. Harman, John Ashmore, USNR20 October 1945 - May 1946
    03LCDR. Margetts, Richard Kent, USNMay 1946 - June 1947
    04LCDR. Waliszewski, Henry Ludwig, USNJune 1947 - June 1948
    05LCDR. Hays, Lyle Ray, USNJune 1948 - 1949
    06CDR. Walker III, William Anderson, USN (USNA 1940)1949 - March 1951
    07LCDR. Kuntze, Archie Carlyn, USN (USNA 1943)March 1951 - April 1952
    08LCDR. Hamilton Jr., George Benjamin, USN (USNA 1942)April 1952 - April 1954
    09LCDR. Mukhalian, Zaven, USNApril 1954 - 8 April 1956
    10LCDR. Williams, Edward Albert, USN8 April 1956 - March 1957
    11LCDR. Koehler, Philip WaldemarMarch 1957 - 23 August 1958
    12LCDR. Kleber, Francis Thomas, USN (USNA 1945)23 August 1958 - 20 July 1959
     Decommissioned20 July 1959 - 20 November 1961
    13LCDR. Gurney, Sumner, USN20 November 1961 - 13 July 1962
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Navy Cross Citation for Lieutenant, Junior Grade (MC) Fay Broughton Begor, United States Naval Reserve
    Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Inchon to Hungnam APD-125 & APD-127
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
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    Last Updated 7 April 2023