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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Kleinsmith (APD-134)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Echo - Hotel
 NUEH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal

USS Kleinsmith (APD-134) was transferred to Taiwan and renamed ROCS Tien Shan (APD-315)
Crosley Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 30 August 1944, as (DE-718), a Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort at DeFoe Shipbuilding Bay City, MI.
  • Redesignated a Crosley Class High-speed Transport APD-134 while under construction
  • Launched, 27 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS Kleinsmith (APD-134), 12 June 1945, LCDR. Alden J. Laborde in command
  • Decommissioned, 16 May 1960, at Tsoying Taiwan and transferred to Taiwan the same day, renamed ROCS Tien Shan (APD-315)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 16 May 1960
  • Purchased outright by the Government of Taiwan in 1974
  • Pennant number changes included (615) and (815) while active in the Taiwanese Navy
  • Final Disposition, reported to have been struck by the Taiwanese Navy in early 1998
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,400 t.
    Length 306'
    Beam 37'
    Draft 12' 7" (limiting)
    Speed 23.6 kts. (trial)
    Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
    Complement 12-15 Officers, 189-192 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations 12 Officers, 150 Enlisted
    Boats 4 LCVP landing craft
    Troop Accoutrements
    6 1/4-ton trucks
    2 1-ton trucks
    4 ammunition carts
    4 pack howitzers
    Storage
    Ammunition 6,000 cu. ft.
    General Cargo 3,500 cu. ft.
    Gasoline 1,000 cu. ft.
    Armament
    1 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    3 twin 40 mm gun mounts
    6 single 20 mm gun mounts
    2 depth charge tracks
    Propulsion
    2 Combustion Engineering DR boilers
    2 GE Turbines, (turbo-electric drive)
    2 shafts, Shaft horsepower 12,000
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Kleinsmith (APD-134)
    Kleinsmith 135k USS Kleinsmith (APD-134) underway off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, circa 1948-49.
    US Navy photo    		 Clarence W. Sprague, Jr. in honor of his father LT. Clarence W. Sprague USN, USS Kleinsmith
    Kleinsmith 192k USS Kleinsmith (APD-134) underway in 1957, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 David Buell
    Kleinsmith 38k USS Kleinsmith (APD-134) at anchor, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    ROCS Tien Shan (APD-315)
    Kleinsmith 35k Ex-Kleinsmith (APD-134) in the service of the Republic of China (Taiwan) as ROCS Tien Shan (APD-315) underway, circa 1962, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    View the USS Kleinsmith (APD-134)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Reunion Information
    Contact: Joseph H Hoch
    Address: 84 Hickory Branch Lane, Safety Harbor, FL. 34695
    Phone: (727) 725-9176
    E-Mail: maeruth@verizon.net
    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 Kleinsmith (DE-718) Page Back To The High-speed Transport (APD)Photo Index
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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 2 May 2008 77