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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN Ret. - Popular Patch

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS White Plains (AFS-4)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Oscar - Lima - India NOLI

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (6) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Iran/Indian Ocean)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Op Frequent Wind, Op Sharpe Edge, Liberia) - Vietnam Service Medal (5)
Fourth Row - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Humanitarian Services Medal (Typhoon Pamela, Boat People, Rescue of M/V Lica crew) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Mars Class Combat Stores Ship:

Laid down, 2 October 1965, at National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, CA.

Launched, 27 July 1966

Commissioned, USS White Plains (AFS-4), 23 November 1968, CAPT. Thomas B. Brenner USN, in command

During the Vietnam War USS White Plains participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 23 September to 7 October 1969 30 to 31 October 1969	Consolidation II 11 to 17 December 1971 20 to 21 December 1971 1 to 7 January 1972 30 January to 5 February 1972 7 to 9 February 1972 14 to 15 February 1972 23 February to 4 March 1972 9 to 12 March 1972 21 to 29 March 1972
Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 1 to 13 November 1969 24 December 1969 to 28 February 1970	Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign 30 to 31 March 1972 12 to 20 April 1972 30 April to 11 May 1972 20 to 29 May 1972 8 to 17 June 1972 19 to 28 January 1973 4 to 12 February 1973 19 to 23 February 1973 24 to 28 March 1973
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 30 July to 12 August 1970 29 August to 9 September 1970 15 to 17 September 1970 24 September to 6 October 1970 22 October to 3 November 1970 15 to 25 November 1970

Decommissioned, 17 April 1995

Laid up in at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, HI.

Struck from the Naval Register, 24 August 1995

USS White Plains earned five campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Final Disposition, disposed as a target, Disposition, sunk during RIMPAC 2002. 8 July 2002, Location: 022° 55' 00.9" North, 160° 10' 00.3" West, Depth: 2570 fathoms

Specifications:
Displacement 9,200 t.(lt) 17,500 t.(fl)
Length 581'
Beam 79'
Draft 27' (max.)
Speed 20 kts.

Complement 485

Aircraft two UH-46 Sea Knight helicopters

Armament

(As Built)
four twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

(Upgraded)

two twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

two Close In Weapons Systems (CIWS)

four .50 cal. machine guns

Propulsion

one De Laval turbine

three Babcock and Wilcox boilers, 580psi

single propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
09520420	326k	White Plains (AFS-4) fitting out at National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, circa 1967. Note the amphibious transport dock ship *USS Ogden* (LPD-5)** underway in the background. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Identifier 6928653, U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-NN-AFS-4 White Plains-17458.	Robert Hurst
	69k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** underway in 1968, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	261k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) during an underway Vertrep (vertical replenishment) with USS Anchorage (LSD-36)**, circa 1971-72, location unknown.	Photos by Joe O’Loughlin, USS Anchorage, 11/23/70 to 4/6/72; Electronics Material Officer & CIC Officer
	178k
	146k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** during an underway Vertrep (vertical) replenishment with USS Oriskany (CVA-34), circa 1972-73, WestPac.	Photo by Joe Martens, contributed by Bob Canchola
09520423	114k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) replenishes the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14), not visible, and a Knox-class frigate (barely visible behind White Plains). Ticonderoga*, with assigned Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 53* (CVSG-53), was deployed to the Western Pacific from 17 May to 29 July 1972. U.S. Navy photo from the USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) 1972 cruise book	Robert Hurst
	123k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) is in the far distance of this photo of USS Mispillion (AO-105) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Anchorage (LSD-36)**, circa 1973.	Derick Hartshorn, courtesy Del Loewe
	61k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) under way during a VERTREP with USS Mount Vernon (LSD-39)** in the Gulf of Thailand, January 1974. A USS White Plains UH-46 Sea Knight helicopter ascends after unloading supplies on *Mount Vernon*'s helicopter pad.	Photo by M. J. "Doc" Sanchez HM2 (FMF) USN Ret.
	59k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) under way during a VERTREP with USS Mount Vernon (LSD-39)** in the Gulf of Thailand, January 1974.	Photo by M. J. "Doc" Sanchez HM2 (FMF) USN Ret.
	83k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) under way during a VERTREP with USS Mount Vernon (LSD-39)** in the Gulf of Thailand, January 1974.	Photo by M. J. "Doc" Sanchez HM2 (FMF) USN Ret.
	108k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) under way during a VERTREP with USS Mount Vernon (LSD-39)** in the Gulf of Thailand, January 1974.	Photo by M. J. "Doc" Sanchez HM2 (FMF) USN Ret.
	30k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo
09520422	92k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) underway in the Pacific Ocean, 1 May 1974. Photo was taken from the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63)**. Photo by DonTaylor50. Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.	Robert Hurst
09520421	112k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** underway, circa in the late 1970s or early 1980s, after she was fitted with TACAN URN-25 but before the addition of Phalanx CIWS. U.S. Navy photo	Robert Hurst
09520425	79k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** underway at sea, in 1979. A Knox-class frigate is visible in the background. Marion Doss. From USS Midway (CV-41) 1979 Cruise Book	Robert Hurst
	70k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** under way in the Indian Ocean, 15 March 1980. Department of Defense Visual Imaging Center photo	Fred Weiss
09520424	224k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** underway off Guam, 11 April 1984. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # L45-305.06.01 by PH3 Slaughenhaupt	Robert Hurst
NS0241bx	2.37M	Crew members pose for a photo on the bow of *USS Midway(CV-41), 16 December 1987, in the Arabian Sea. The photo was taken during the carrier's deployment to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean, 15 October 1987–12 April 1988. Various aircraft of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 are visible on deck. Ships in the battle group pictured are, left to right the ammunition ship USS Kilauea* (T-AE-26), USS Midway (CVA-41), the combat stores ship USS White Plains (AFS-4), the fleet oiler USNS Mispillion (T-AO-105), and the frigate USS Knox (FF-1052)**. Photo by PH3 William Holck, USN. US Defense Imagery photo VIRIN: DN-ST-88-02563	Bob Canchola, BT, USS Oriskany 1971–73
	114k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** underway, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
09520418	222k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** underway off San Diego, CA., date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
09520419	159k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** underway, date and location unknown.	Nicholas Tiberio
	87k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** under way, date and location unknown.	Tom Langford
	103k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4) under way with a Boeing-Vertol UH-46D Sea Knight of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 3** on the flight deck aft, location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	1276k	Weehawken (YTB-776) foreground and another tug maneuvers *USS White Planes* (AFS-4)** back toward the water after she ran aground at Polaris Point, Apra Harbor, 30 August 1992. USS White Plains dragged her anchor across Apra Harbor and ran aground after heavy winds broke the vessel free from her moorings when Typhoon Omar passed through the area on August 28th. DVIC photo # DN-SN-93-00088 a US Navy photo by PH2 John Gay, USN, now in the collections of the Defense Visual Information Center.	Defense Visual Information Center
	97k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** moored pierside at Naval Station Guam, date unknown. The floating drydock is unidentified.	Tommy Trampp
	33k	*USS White Plains* (AFS-4)** ship's plaque.	Tommy Trampp

For more photos and information about USS White Plains, see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officer s
01	CAPT. Brenner, Thomas Bachelder, USN (USNA 1947)	23 November 1968 - 10 December 1969
02	CAPT. Gormley, Robert Hugh :RADM	10 December 1969 - 28 July 1971
03	CAPT. Barker, Raymond H.	28 July 1971 - 10 October 1972
04	CAPT. Schulte, Richard Joseph	10 October 1972 - 15 August 1973
05	CAPT. Chambers, Leon	15 August 1973 - 13 January 1975
06	CAPT. Arnold, John Elwin, USN	13 January 1975 - 13 January 1977
07	CAPT. Johnson, Philip Edwin	13 January 1977 - 11 May 1978
08	CAPT. Owens, Robert Spencer (Rupe) :RADM	11 May 1978 - 1 September 1979
09	CAPT. Munsey, Malcolm Harvey	1 September 1979 - 1 October 1981
10	CAPT. Kerr, Daryl Lee	1 October 1981 - 1 April 1983
11	CAPT. Carlsen, Kenneth Leroy :RADM	1 April 1983 - 10 August 1984
12	CAPT. Newman, William Edward, USN (USNA 1961) :RADM	10 August 1984 - November 1985
13	LCDR. Whitaker, Charles Edmund, USN (USNA 1970)	November 1985 - 27 December 1985
14	CAPT. McWhinney, John Loren	27 December 1985 - 26 February 1988
15	CAPT. Tracy, Robert Nottingham	26 February 1988 - 31 August 1989
16	CAPT. Patton, Bernard W.	31 August 1989 - 30 August 1991
17	CAPT. Weber, Robin Yank	30 August 1991 - June 1993
18	CAPT. Lang, Thomas C.	June 1993 - 17 April 1995


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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Last Updated 20 October 2023