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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Patch at right contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Suribachi (AE-21)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Xray - Uniform
NZXU
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Big Leaf (V)ictor - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy "E" Ribbon (2)
Second Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (5-Lebanon) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Grenada, Libya)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)


Suribachi Class Ammunition Ship:
  • Laid down, 31 January 1955, at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Inc, Sparrows Point, Baltimore, MD.
  • Launched, 2 November 1955
  • Commissioned, USS Suribachi (AE-21), 17 November 1956, CAPT. Brooks J. Harral USN in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Suribachi participated in the following campaign:

    Vietnam War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Ceasefire
    12 to 15 June 1972
    14 July 1972
    24 July to 4 August 1972
    10 to 22 and 28 to 31 August 1972
    24 to 30 September 1972
    13 to 25 October 1972
    31 October to 10 November 1972
    7 to 21 December 1972
    2 to 12 and 16 to 20 January 1973
    26 January to 8 February 1973

  • Decommissioned, 2 December 1994
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 December 1996
  • USS Suribachi earned one campaign star for Vietnam War service
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 31 March 2000 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 8 June 2009, to International Shipbreaking Ltd. of Brownsville, TX., for $20,001.00, removed, 17 June 2009.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,758 t.(lt) 15,688 t.(fl)
    Length 512'
    Beam 72'
    Draft 28'
    Speed 20 kts.
    Complement 20 officers, 324 enlisted
    Armament four twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsions two boilers, steam turbines, single shaft, 16,000shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    Suribachi 210k
    Namesake
    Mount Suribachi is a 554 ft high mountain at the southwest end of the island Iwo Jima in the northwest Pacific Ocean, under the administration of Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. The mountain's name derives from its shape, resembling a suribachi or "grinding bowl." It is also known as "Mount Pipe" since the sulfur gas and water vapor that rolls in from the summit, alongside the rest of the island, give the appearance of a smoking pipe when viewed from the sea.
    US Navy photo # 010928-N-0271-N009 by PHAN Lee McCaskill, 28 Sep 2001
    Tommy Trampp
    Suribachi 178k Suribachi (AE-21) prior to launching, 2 November 1955, at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Inc, Sparrows Point, Baltimore, MD.
    US National Archives
    Dale Hargrave
    Suribachi 128k Christening of Suribachi (AE-21) by the ship's sponsor, Mrs. Lemuel C. Shepherd, 2 November 1955, at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Inc, Sparrows Point, Baltimore, MD.
    US National Archives
    Dale Hargrave
    Suribachi 139k launching of Suribachi (AE-21) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Inc, Sparrows Point, Baltimore, MD.
    US National Archives
    Dale Hargrave
    Suribachi 154k
    Suribachi 127k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, circa 1957, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 97245, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    CVA-59 Forrestal
    NS0259ena
    1.54M USS Suribachi (AD-21) inbound from sea passing anchored USS Forrestal (CVA-59) with Carrier Air Group (CVG) 8. Probably somewhere in WestLant, late 1959.> Donald Tenney, USS Randolph (CVA-15) via Bob Canchola, USS Oriskany (CVA-34)
    Suribachi 257k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way in the Atlantic Ocean in 1960.
    US Navy photo.
    Mike Smolinski
    Suribachi 160k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way in the Atlantic Ocean, date unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Mike Smolinski
    Suribachi 76k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 18 February 1971 © Richard Leonhardt
    Suribachi 137k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, 9 July 1962. Photo by PH2 Tate USN
    US Navy photo # NH 97246 from the collections of the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    Suribachi 53k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photos.
    Robert Hurst
    Suribachi 103k
    Paiute 200k Post card image of USS Paiute (ATF-159), USS Suribachi (AE-21) and USS English (DD-696) moored at Naval Station Mayport, Fl., circa 1956 to 1970. Mike Brock
    Suribachi 223k USS Suribachi (AE-21) at anchor Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 18 February 1971. ©Richard Leonhardt
    Suribachi 91k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, circa, mid-1980s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 97247 from the collections of the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    Suribachi 103k USS Suribachi (AE-21) during mid-Atlantic, underway replenishment of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), 30 November 1989
    US Navy photo # NH 97248 from the collections of the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    Suribachi 103k USS Suribachi (AE-21) transiting the Suez Canal, August 1990. Photo by PH3 Frank A Marquart
    US Navy photo # NH 97249-KN from the collections of the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    Suribachi 360 USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, circa July 1965, location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Robert Hurst
    Suribachi 55k USS Suribachi (AE-21) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
     
    Suribachi 63k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Suribachi 65k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown.
    ©Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.
    Mike Smolinski
    Suribachi 101k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr
    Suribachi 138k USS Suribachi (AE-21) flight deck accident, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Joe Radigan
    Suribachi 136k Bows on overhead view of USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Suribachi 106k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Suribachi 82k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Suribachi 101k Overhead starboard bow view of USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Suribachi 114k USS Suribachi (AE-21) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Suribachi 83k In reserve from left to right; Ex-USS Suribachi (AE-21), ex-USNS Mississinewa (T-AO-144) and ex-USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194) moored at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, date unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.


    For more photos and information about USS Suribachi, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
  • AE/AOE Sailors Association

  • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Harral, Brooks Jared :RADM17 November 1956 - 21 October 1957
    02CAPT. Pierce, George Ellis 21 October 1957 - 31 August 1958
    03CAPT. Gray Jr., James Seton31 August 1958 - 28 August 1959
    04CAPT. Ware, Robert Macky 28 August 1959 - 17 August 1960
    05CAPT. Elsom, James Harvey17 August 1960 - 19 August 1961
    06CAPT. Moore Jr., Francis T. 19 August 1961 - 17 September 1962
    07CAPT. Green, Robert Robinson17 September 1962 - 9 September 1963
    08CAPT. Cagle, Malcolm Winfield :VADM9 September 1963 - 1 June 1964
    09LCDR. Hargrave, Seth Elbert1 June 1964 - 21 July 1965
    10LCDR. Saubers, Walter Frank21 July 1965 - 26 August 1965
    11CAPT. Harris, David Delmas26 August 1965 - 24 March 1967
    12CAPT. Spell, Billie Calvin 24 March 1967 - 25 April 1968
    13CAPT. Muncie, Maurice Oscar, USN (USNA 1947)25 April 1968 - 19 September 1969
    14CAPT. Morris, Max King, USN (USNA 1948-A) :RADM19 September 1969 - 14 January 1971
    15CAPT. Goldman, Roy Edwin14 January 1971 - 11 September 1972
    16CDR. Grove, Ronald Ray11 September 1972 - 13 May 1974
    17CDR. Brewton, Edward Allen13 May 1974 - 10 September 1976
    18CDR. Lynch Jr., Edward T.10 September 1976 - 30 October 1978
    19CDR. Lynch, Thomas Joseph30 October 1978 - 7 October 1980
    20CAPT. Murphy, Jerome Thomas7 October 1980 - 29 November 1982
    21CDR. Duermeyer, Stephen Paul29 November 1982 - 7 June 1985
    22CDR. Hanratty, William J.7 June 1985 - 22 May 1987
    23CDR. Barrow, Ronnie Lee, USN (USNA 1969)22 May 1987 - 19 July 1989
    24CDR. Peters, Jon Christopher19 July 1989 - 12 July 1991
    25CDR. Deasaro, Louis Peter, USN (USNA 1974)12 July 1991 - 12 March 1993
    26CDR. Kasky, Philip C.12 March 1993 - 2 December 1994
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyho

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

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    Last Updated 9 June 2023