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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Cavalier (APA-37)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Charlie - Yankee
NKCY

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (5)
Fifth Row - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (4) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Sixth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (1 killed 22 wounded in action, 9 January 1945, 50 wounded in action 30 January 1945)

USS Cavalier (APA-37) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II

Bayfield Class Attack Transport:

Laid down, 10 December 1942, as a Maritime Commission type (C-3-S-A2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 276), at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA.

Assigned to the Navy as Transport (AP-82)

Reclassified Attack Transport (APA-37), 1 February 1943

Launched, 15 March 1943

Placed in reduced Commission, 19 July 1943, for transit to her conversion yard at Hoboken, N.J., CDR. Roger E. Perry, USN (24) (Ferry Crew #1), in command

Decommissioned, 4 August 1943, at Hoboken and fitted out as an Attack Transport at Bethlehem Steel Co.

Recommissioned USS Cavalier (APA-37), 15 January 1944, CAPT. Raymond T. McElligott, USCG, in command

During World War II USS Cavalier was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Fourteen (flagship), COMO. D.L. Ryan USN (16);
TransDiv Forty and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 16 June to 28 July 1944	Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 10 January 1945
Tinian capture and occupation 24 to 28 July 1944	Manila Bay - Bicol operation Zambles-Subic Bay, 29 January 1945
Leyte operation Leyte landings, Dulag, 20 and 18 November 1944

Following World War II USS Cavalier was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
19 April to 25 June 1950	23 May 1946 to 7 April 1947
	30 April to 14 December 1948
	28 December 1951 to 22 January 1952

During the Korean War USS Cavalier participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
North Korean Aggression 18 to 22 July 1950 3 to 12 September 1950 8 to 31 October 1950	UN Summer-Fall Offensive 5 August 1951
Inchon Landing 13 to 17 September 1950	Second Korean Winter 1 to 7 December 1951 3 to 4 February 1952

During the Vietnam War USS Cavalier participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 05 August to 30 SEptember 1964 7 to 15 October 1964 28 October to 9 November 1964	Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III 19 to 21 and 25 to 29 January 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 27 March to 1 April 1966 10 to 30 June 1966	Tet Counteroffensive 30 January to 5 February 1968 4 to 5 March 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II 1 July to 6 August 1966	Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV 1 to 10 May 1968

Decommissioned, 1 October 1968, at San Diego, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1968

USS Cavalier earned five battle stars for World War II service, four battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 September 1969, at Naval Station San Diego to Levin Metals Corp. in a four ship deal for $417,107 (PD-X-841 dated 21 August 1969)

Specifications:
Displacement 8,100 t.(lt), 16,100 t.(fl)
Length 492' 6"
Beam 69' 6"
Draft 26' 6"
Speed 18.4 kts (lim)

Complement

Officers 51

Enlisted 472

Flag Accommodation

Officers 43

Enlisted 108

Troop Accommodation

Officers 76

Enlisted 1,489

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity 4,700DWT

non-refrigerated 200,000 Cu ft.

Boats

twelve LCVPs

four LCMs (Mk-6)

three LCP(L)s (MK-IV)

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts, one fore and one aft

two quad 1.1" gun mounts, aft port and starboard, replaced by two single 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 8,510 Bbls

Diesel 750 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric geared turbine

two Combustion Engineering D-type boilers, 465psi 765°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gears

three turbo-drive 250Kw 240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

one propeller 8,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	141k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** at anchor, date and location unknown. She is decked out in camouflage Measure 32 Design 3D. US Navy photo
	111k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
100303723 NA 205586724	206k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** standing off the coast of Saipan in June 1944 while her boats transport troops to the beach near Charon-Kanoa on the principal island of the Marianas. The island was captured by the Americans after fierce Japanese resistance. US National Archives Identifier 205586724, Local Identifier 26-G-2626, US Coast Guard photo # 2625, US National Archives Identifier 205586727, Local Identifier 26-G-2626, US Coast Guard photo # 2626, US National Archives Identifier 205586808, Local Identifier 26-G-2592, US Coast Guard photo # 2592 and US National Archives Identifier 205586773, Local Identifier 26-G-2597, US Coast Guard photo # 2597	David Upton
100303720 NA 205586727	577k
100303721 205586808	370k
100303722 NA 205586773	293k
100201606	598k	*USS Aquarius* (AKA-16), on the right, alongside USS Cavalier (APA-37), prior to 28 March 1945, location unknown. Photo taken from Cavalier** US National Archives Identifier 205584681, Local Identifier 26-G-4086, US Coast Guard photo # 4086	David Upton
	106k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37) making smoke as she follows USS Titania (AKA-13)**, as U.S. Forces prepare to land at Pohang South Korea, 18 July 1950. LIFE Magazine Archives - Carl Mydans Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.	Mike Green
	104		Mike Green
	75k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** anchored off Pahang, South Korea, 18 July 1950 as U.S. Forces prepare to land. In the background LCMs and LCVPs circle the area. LIFE Magazine Archives - Carl Mydans Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.	Mike Green
	91k		Mike Green
100303712	32k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** at anchor in the harbor at Hong Kong, BCC, 15 October 1953.	Nicholas Tiberio
	686k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37) departing Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 25 June 1957. USS Los Angeles (CA 135) is astern of Cavalier** at the finger pier in the shipyard. File name: APA 37 34897-6-57, Navy Photo, 6/25/57	Darryl Baker
	180k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** anchored at Yokosuka, Japan in the summer of 1957.	Photo by John Hughes, submitted by Derick Hartshorn
	88k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** underway off Hong Kong, BCC, 1959	Photo by Russell Cole ex-ET2 USN
	83k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** at anchor in Hong Kong, BCC, harbor, 1959	Photo by Russell Cole ex-ET2 USN
	199k	*USS Ajax* (AR-6) with; USS Cavalier (APA-37), USS Currituck (AV-7) and USS Boyd (DD-544)** alongside at Naval Station Sasebo, Japan, circa 1961-62. US Navy photos from the collection of CDR. R.F. Dresel USN, USS Currituck	Suzanne D. Simpson
	134k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** on maneuvers during a 16-18 December 1963 visit by Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze to the West Coast. Her configuration appears roughly similar to that of Bayfield in 1952, with a signal mast and an additional level on the lower command deckhouse. US Navy photo # KN-8765, courtesy Shipscribe,com	Robert Hurst
	117k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** moored pierside at Naval Station San Diego, 5 February 1966	© Richard Leonhardt
	124k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** underway, off San Diego, date unknown.	© George B Barber, Marine Photo and Publishing Co. San Diego CA. Copies of this photo are available from Marine Photo and Publishing Co. Contributed by Tom Gonzales
	99k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Institute.	Tommy Trampp
	114k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** at anchor, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
100303724	201k	*USS Cavalier* (APA-37)** underway, date and location unknown.	Nicholas Tiberio

For more photos and information about USS Cavalier, see:

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
MARAD Vessel History Data Base
Navy Yard New York Bayfield Class APA Conversion Model

Commanding Officers
	CDR, Perry, Roger Edison, USN (USNA 1924) (Ferry Crew #1)	19 July 1943 - 4 August 1943
	Decommissioned	4 August 1943 - 15 January 1944
01	CAPT. McElligott, Raymond Thomas, USCG :RADM	15 January 1944 - 30 September 1944
02	CAPT. Hall Arthur Graham, USCG :RADM	30 September 1944 - 13 June 1945
03	CDR. Maclean, Clifford Rolston, USCG	13 June 1945 - 2 September 1945
04	CAPT. Guisness, Carl Earl, USCG	2 September 1945 - 16 April 1946
05	CAPT. Earl, Kenneth USN, USN (USNA 1924)	16 April 1946 - 20 June 1947
06	CDR. Johnson, Arthur Robert, USN	20 June 1947 - 22 July 1947
07	CAPT. Clement, Chester Lee, USN (USNA 1924)	22 July 1947 - 29 July 1948
08	CAPT. Armentrout Jr., Erasmus Wilson, USN (USNA 1926)	29 July 1948 - 2 July 1949
09	CAPT. Bowling, Selman Stewart, USN (USNA 1927) :RADM	2 July 1949 - 24 July 1950
10	CAPT. Sweeney, Daniel Joseph. USN (USNA 1926) :RADM	24 July 1950 - 17 Aug. 1951
11	CAPT. Uehling, Gordan Alexander,USN (USNA 1931)	17 August 1951 - 17 August 1952
12	CAPT. Eller, Donald. Temple, USN (USNA 1929) :RADM	17 August 1952 - 24 July 1953
13	CAPT. Post Jr., William.Schuyler, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM	24 July 1953 - 15 July 1954
14	CAPT. Harris, David. Alonzo, USN (USNA 1930)	15 July 1954 - 17 July 1955
15	CAPT. Parker, Frank. Mahlon, USN (USNA 1932)	17 July 1955 - 9 August. 1956
16	CAPT. Strickler, Lyle Eugene, USN (USNA 1934)	9 August 1956 - 14 September 1957
17	CAPT. Hutchinson, George, USN (USNA 1935)	14 September 1957 - October 1958
18	CAPT. Nicholson, Richard Philip, USN (USNA 1937)	October 1958 - 23 January 1960
19	CAPT. Boles, Warren Chandler, USN	23 January 1960 - 27 December 1960
20	CAPT. Cameron, Gerald Leo, USN	27 December 1960 - 7 February 1962
21	CAPT. Easterling, Henry McCloy, USN (USNA 1941)	7 February 1962 - 24 May 1963
22	CAPT. Cochrane, Richard Lull, USN (USNA 1940)	24 May 1963 - 8 May 1964
23	CAPT. Kendrick, David Charles, USN	8 May 1964- 28 May 1965
24	CAPT. Anson, Henry Osgood, USN (USNA 1945)	28 May 1965 - 21 May 1966
25	CAPT. Faulk, Joseph Roy, USN	21 May 1966 - 18 August 1967
26	CAPT. Hussey, Patrick Francis, USN	18 August 1967 - 24 July 1968
27	LCDR. Conti, Francis Allen, USN	24 July 1968 - 1 October 1968


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 30 June 2023