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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Brule (APA-66)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Whiskey - Hotel
NJWH

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Gilliam Class Attack Transport

Laid down, 10 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BD1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1859) at Consolidated Steel Corp, Wilmington, CA.

Launched 30 June 1944

Commissioned USS Brule (APA-66), 31 October 1944, CDR. Edward J. Fluhr in command

During World War II USS Brule was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Sixteen, COMO. J.B. McGovern USN;
TransDiv Forty-Seven, CAPT. C.L. Hutton USN (20)

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

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
8 to 16 September	11 to 15 November 1945
30 September to 11 October 1945
1 to 10 November 1945
25 to 29 June 1946

USS Brule (APA-66) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.6 (Target Vessel Group - Merchant Type Units - Transport Division 91 (TRANSDIV 91) for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946

Decommissioned at Bikini Atoll, 28 August 1946

Final Disposition, sunk as a target off Kwajalein, 11 May 1948

Struck from the Naval Register, 28 May 1948

Specifications:
Displacement 4,247 t.(lt), 7,080 t.(fl)
Length 426'
Beam 58'
Draft 16'
Speed 16.9 kts.

Complement

Officers 27

Enlisted 293

Troop Accommodations

Officers 47

Enlisted 802

Largest Boom Capacity 15 t.

Cargo Capacity 600 DWT

non-refrigerated 85,000 cu. ft.,

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

ten single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 9,695 Bbls

Diesel 375 Bbls

Propulsion

two Westinghouse steam turbines

two Babcock & Wilcox D-type boilers, 450psi 750°
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 250Kw 450V A.C.
one turbo-drive 150Kw 450V A.C.
one turbo-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.

two propellers, 6,000shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
53k	*USS Brule* (APA-66)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Terry Sears
27k	*USS Brule* (APA-66)**, probably Boat Division, date and location unknown.	Terry Sears
216k	Four Gilliam-class attack transports at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Oahu, Hawaii, 27 February 1946, as they are readied for Operation "Crossroads": *USS Appling* (APA-58) lies outboard (top) of sister ships USS Barrow (APA-61), USS Brule (APA-66) and USS Gasconade (APA-85)*. US National Archives photo # 80-G-361735*, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives from the Naval History and Heritage Command	Robert Hurst
254k	View of the wharf area Pearl Harbor Navy Yard from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among ships present are: *USS Barrow* (APA-61), USS Brule (APA-66), USS Gasconade (APA-85), and USS Appling (APA-58)*; USS LST 219, USS LST 285, USS LST 388* and USS LST 52 with *LCT 812* and *LCT 414* embarked; *USS Briscoe* (APA-65) and USS Bladen (APA-63)*. US National Archives photo # 80-G-361747*, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives	US Navy History and Heritage Command
182k	Pearl Harbor Navy Yard amphibious ships alongside the wharf, 27 February 1946. Some are being prepared for target service at Bikini. Ships are (1st group): *USS Briscoe* (APA-65) and USS Bladen (APA-63)** (second group): USS LST 52 with *LCT 812* and *LCT 414* embarked; USS LST 388 and USS LST 285, USS LST 219, third group): *USS Appling* (APA-58), USS Gasconade (APA-85), USS Barrow (APA-61), and USS Brule (APA-66)*. US National Archives photo # 80-G-361731*, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives	US Navy History and Heritage Command
250k	Aerial view of Pearl Harbor Navy Yard looking toward the drydock area from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among the ships present are: seven Sims, McCall, Gridley, and Mahan class destroyers; *USS Barrow* (APA-61), USS Brule (APA-66), USS Gasconade (APA-85), and USS Appling (APA-58)*; USS LST 219, USS LST 285, USS LST 388* and USS LST 52 with *LCT 812* and *LCT 414* embarked; *USS Briscoe* (APA-65) and USS Bladen (APA-63)*. US National Archives photo # 80-G-361740*, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives	US Navy History and Heritage Command
150k	*USS Gasconade* (APA-85) and USS Brule (APA-66) at Pearl Harbor, 27 February 1946, showing guns removed in preparation for target service at Bikini. Photographer is aboard Brule with Gasconade** at left. US National Archives photo # 80-G-361724, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives	US Navy History and Heritage Command

USS Brule (APA-66)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Fluhr, Edward Joseph, USNR	31 October 1944 - 18 December 1944
02	CDR. Beke, Charles, USNR	18 December 1944 - 8 August 1945
03	LCDR. Taylor, Alexander Beavis, USNR	8 August 1945 - 28 August 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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Last Updated 24 March 2017