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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Dickens (APA-161)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Sierra - Romeo
NDSR

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 (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal

Haskell Class Attack Transport:

Laid down as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull under a Maritime Commission contract at Oregon Shipbuilding Group, Portland OR.

Launched, 8 September 1944

Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and Commissioned USS Dickens (APA-161), 18 October 1944, CAPT. Robert M. Ingram, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Dickens was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Sixteen, COMO J.R. McGovern USN;
TransDiv Forty-Eight CAPT. C. L. Andrews Jr. USN (19) and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Iwo Jima operations Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 25 February 1945	Okinawa Gunto operations Assault an occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 9 to 14 April 15 to 19 May 1945

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

Navy Occupation Service Medal
2 to 8 September 1945
5 to 11 October 1945

Decommissioned, 21 May 1946 at Norfolk, VA. and returned to the Maritime Commission the same day

Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946

USS Dickens earned two battle stars for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 7 May 1974, to Luria Bros & Co., Inc., Delivered 18 June 1974

Specifications:
Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
Length 455'
Beam 62'
Speed 17. kts.(trial)

Complement

Officers 56

Enlisted 490

Troop Accommodations

Officers 80

Enlisted 1,440

Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.

Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWT

non refrigerated 150,000 cu. ft

Boats

two LCMs

one open LCPL

one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)

two LCPRs

eighteen LCVPs

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual-purpose gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

one quad 40mm AA gun mount

ten single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 7,780 Bbls

Diesel 970 Bbls

Propulsion

one Westinghouse geared turbine

two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465psi 750°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears

three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 8,500shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
113k	*USS Dickens* (APA-161)** at anchor, circa early 1946. Note that her guns have been removed. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 83409. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1975.	Capt Jerry Mason, USN
273k	*USS Dickens* (APA-161)** underway in harbor, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Jim Kurrasch Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
11k	*USS Dickens* (APA-161)** pierside, date and location unknown.	Photo by David H. Altizer S1/c USS LST-817 submitted by Maynard A. Altizer

USS Dickens (APA-161)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Ingram, Robert Martin USNR	18 October 1944 - 15 September 1945
02	CDR. Jacobs, Tyrrell Dwight USN (USNA 1927)	15 September 1945 - 21 May 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 9 August 2019