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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6)
ex
 USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1) (1955 - 1957)
 USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90) (1944 - 1955)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Yankee - Tango
 NKYT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 3-Quemoy-Matsu, 2-Vietnam)
Thetis Bay Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter):
  • Laid down, 23 December 1943, as a Casablanca Class Escort Aircraft Carrier under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1127) at Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, WA.
  • Launched, 16 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90), 21 April 1944, CAPT. Donald E. Wilcox US Navy, in command
  • During World War II USS Thetis Bay was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Third Fleet operations against Japan
    10 to 18 July 1945
    25 July to 15 August 1945
  • Decommissioned in January 1947
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet Tacoma, WA. Group
  • Withdrawn from Reserve Fleet for conversion to an Assault Helicopter Carrier
  • Designated Assault Helicopter Carrier (CVHA-1), 1 July 1955
  • Converted at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point
  • Recommissioned USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1), 1 September 1955, CAPT. Thomas W. South US Navy, in command
  • Redesignated Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH-6), 28 May 1957
  • Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register 31 March 1964
  • USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90) earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in December 1964 to Peck Iron and Metal Co., Portsmouth, VA.
    LPH Specifications:
    Displacement 7,800 t.(lt), 11,000 t.(fl)
    Length 512' 3"
    Beam 65' 2"
    Draft 22'6" (max)
    Speed 19.3 kts
    Complement 900
    Troop Accommodations 938
    Armament four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion two Skiner, Uniflow VTE Reciprocating engines, four 285 psi boilers, 1 shaft; 9,000 SHP
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1)
    Thetis Bay 149k USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1) Commissioning Ceremony Program Robert M. Cieri
    Thetis Bay 80k USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1) underway, circa 1955-56.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, December 1959 issue    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    CVHA-1 Thetis Bay 11k

    USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1) off Luzon, Philippine Islands,February. 1958, during vertical envelopment exercises with Marine Corps Test Unit 1

    		Charles Zarek
    Sgt. USMC 1956-1958
    7th Comm BTN, 1st MAR DIV
    CVHA-1 Thetis Bay 5k
    CVHA-1 Thetis Bay 10k
    CVHA-1 Thetis Bay 13k
    USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6)
    Thetis Bay 26k USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 .
    Thetis Bay 118k USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 .
    Thetis Bay 84k USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6) underway, sometime between May 1959 (when she was redesignated (LPH-6) and December 1961 when she was redeployed to the Atlantic Fleet and arrived at Norfolk), She has aboard Marine Squadron HMRL-163, ("YP" tail code) a Pacific Fleet squadron which became HMM-163 in February 1962.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Thetis Bay 91k USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6) moored pierside at Naval Station, San Diego, CA., May 1960. Photo taken from USS Kearsarge (CVS-33). Photo by Gary R Schreffler
    Thetis Bay 320k USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6) arriving in Hamburg, Germany in spring of 1963. Vessel was carrying special aircraft that was needed to accompany President John F. Kennedy during his legendary visit to Germany in June, 1963. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    View the US Thetis Bay (LPH-6 / CVHA-1 / CVE-90)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Commanding Officers
    CAPT. South II, Thomas Winfield, ;RADM20 July 1956 - 19 April 1957
    CAPT. Compton, James Richard,19 April 1957 - 29 May 1958
    CAPT. Gillette Jr., Norman Campbell, :RADM29 May 1958 - 25 March 1959
    CAPT. Gibson, Charles Edward,25 March 1959 - 25 April 1960
    CAPT. Houck, Herbert Norman25 April 1960 - 17 February 1961
    CAPT. Curtis Jr., Walter L. :VADM 17 February 1961 - 18 February 1962
    CAPT. Epes Jr., Horace Hardaway, ;RADM 18 February 1961 - 30 March 1963
    CAPT. Hanley Jr., Michael Joseph,30 March 1963 - 20 February 1964
    CAPT. Dumas, Glenn Irven.20 February 1964 - 31 March 1964
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To Thetis Bay (CVE-90) Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 17 April 2009