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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Crownblock (YO-48)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Romeo - Oscar
NBRO
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 Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal


Bullwheel Class Fuel Oil Barge (Self-propelled):
  • Built by Basalt Rock Co., Inc., Napa, CA (YN 22)
  • Laid down, 27 June 1941
  • Launched, 14 February 1942
  • Commissioned USS Crownblock (YO-48), 28 August 1942, LT. Albert G. Popkin, USNR, in command
  • Sailed from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, 11-23 September 1942
  • Assigned to 14th Naval District, operated out of Pearl Harbor supplying outlying islands, September 1942 - July 1945
  • Departed Pearl Harbor for Eniwetok, 13 July 1945
  • Served at Eniwetok, 26 July - 08 September 1945
  • Sailed Eniwetok for Tokyo Bay, 08-19 September 1945
  • Departed Japan, 09 April 1947
  • Arrived Norfolk, 23 March 1948
  • Decommissioned and placed out of service, in reserve, at Naval Station Norfolk, VA, 14 September 1948
  • Reassigned to Naval Station Reykjavik, Iceland,in support of NORAD stations in around Iceland, 1959-1960
  • Towed to Naval Station Norfolk, VA and placed out of service, July 1960
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 01 March 1977
  • Final Disposition, disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 01 July 1977
    Specifications:
    Displacement 950 tons (lt) 1,731 tons (fl)
    Length 235'
    Beam 37'
    Draft 15' (max)
    Speed 10.6 knots
    Cargo Capacity 10,000 barrels
    Complement 4 officers, 30 enlisted
    Armament two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion
    two DSG-6 Enterprise Diesel engines driving electric motors
    two shafts, 835shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    Crownblock
    141204810
    53k USS Crownblock (YO-48) immediately after launching, 14 February 1942. Photo from The Log, March 1942. Dave Wright
    Crownblock
    141204801
    46k USS Crownblock (YO-48) at anchor, date and location unknown. Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204802
    41k USS Crownblock (YO-48) at anchor, date and location unknown. Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204809
    70k USS Crownblock (YO-48) view looking aft from the foc'sle toward the bridge while underway, date and location unknown. Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204803
    90k Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock (YO-48) Golden Dragon Certificate. Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204804
    59k USS Crownblock (YO-48) "Bridge Monkey". Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204805
    48k USS Crownblock (YO-48) crew members displaying a shark that they caught. Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204806
    81k USS Crownblock (YO-48) crew members displaying a shark that they caught. Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204807
    47k USS Crownblock (YO-48) crew members displaying a tuna that they caught. Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    Crownblock
    141204808
    349k USS Crownblock (YO-48) crew "Nookey" ration card. Must have been a WWII thing. I don't think it would go over too big these days.) Michael J. Loudis for his father Michael H. Loudis USS Crownblock
    YO-145
    141214501
    524k From left to right; USS Mississippi (AG-128), the never completed Kentucky (BB-66), YO-145, and Crownblock (YO-48) moored in reserve at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA., 24 October 1956. David Buell

    USS Crownblock (YO-48)
    DANFS entry located at the Naval History & Heritage Command website
    Commanding Officers
    01LT Albert George Popkin, D-V(S) USNR 128 August 1942 - 04 November 1943
    02LT Barton Lee Fisher, D-V(G) USNR04 November 1943 - 12 January 1945
    03LT Howard S. Young, Jr., D-V(S) USNR12 January 1945 - 06 March 1945
    03LT(jg) Ralston Sterling Jackson, D-V(G) USNR06 March 1945 - 01 June 1945
    04LT John P. Turner, Jr., DE USNR01 June 1945 - ????
    05LT(jg) William W. Carlisle USNR(early 1946)
    06CHBOSN John K. Horn USN(July 1946) - (January 1947)
    07CHBOSN August C. Hammer, Jr. USN(May 1947)
    1. Promoted to Lt. Commander, spring 1943.

    Courtesy Dave Wright

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo and is maintained by David L. Wright
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    Last Updated 09 December 2022