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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Elder (AN-20)
ex
USS Elder (YN-15) (1942 - 1944)
Elder (YN-15) (1941 - 1942)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Mike - Victor NBMV

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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Philippine Liberation Medal - Philippine Independence Medal

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During World War II USS Elder was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Campaign and Dates
Gilbert Islands operation, 18 November to 8 December 1943

Final Disposition, fate unknown

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Specifications:
Displacement 700 t.(fl) 805 t.(lim)
Length 162' 2""
Beam 30' 6"
Draft 11' 8" (lim)
Speed 12.5 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 4

Enlisted 44

Armament

one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount

two .50 cal machine guns

one y-gun.

Largest Boom Capacity 12 t.

Propulsion

one Enterprise DSG-6 Diesel-electric engine

Single Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear

two Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ships Service Generators

Single propeller, 800shp

Fuel Capacity - Diesel 620 Bbls

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Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Source
091802007	97k	In 1950 USS Elder (AN-20) was ordered to the western Pacific, but on 11 March 1950 when a week out of Pearl Harbor, a serious fire broke out in the engine room. With all headway lost and no water pressure, Elder appeared doomed. But sound training and Navy "know-how," combined with determined courage in the ship's intrepid damage control parties, subdued the raging flames. Her engines damaged beyond repair, the stricken net tender drifted helplessly for a week before assistance in the form of USS Comstock (LSD-19) and USS Piedmont (AD-17) arrived on 18 March. The next day Elder was taken in tow by USS Deliver (ARS-23) and began the long slow haul to Pearl Harbor. In this photo Twenty-six members of the USS Elder crew await rescue by the approaching USS Comstock (LSD-19) from which this photograph was taken. Following the engine room explosion and resultant fires, the men abandoned ship on 11 March in a 16-foot skiff and two life rafts, shown empty here. The other three rafts were dropped by search planes which spotted the group a few hours before their rescue on 17 March AP Wirephoto via Navy radio from Honolulu		Michael Mohl
	80k	USS Elder (AN-20) (off in the distance) as seen from either USS Chinquapin (AN-17) or USS Papaya (AN-49), overhauls a net lain earlier. Note the LCM (center) towing a net section to the net line.		Robert Hurst
	59k	USS Elder (AN-20) returns to Pearl Harbor from the Far East after eleven months laying and repairing harbor defense nets. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1952 issue.		Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	95k	USS Elder (AN-20) moored pierside at Harbor Defense Unit, Port Townsend, WA., circa 1955-1956.		Leroy Jones USS Teaberry (AN-34)
	62k	USS Elder (AN-20) at anchor, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1959 issue.		Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	65k	USS Elder (AN-20) working nets, date and location unknown.		Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	211k	General Quarters Exercise Aboard USS Elder (AN-20), circa 1953-54, location unknown. Photo by Jackewing licensed by Creative Commons Attribute Share and Share alike, 4.0 International		Robert Hurst

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USS Elder (YN-15 / AN-20)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Commanding Officers
01	LT. Martin, Thomas Donald Evan, USNR (Officer in Charge)	12 November 1941 - 15 December 1942
02	LT/LCDR. Morse, Donald Howard, USNR	15 December 1942 - August 1944
03	LT/LCDR. Wiman, Fred Stanley, USNR	August 1944 - February 1945
04	LT. Latimer, Ovid Owen, USNR	February 1945 - November 1945
05	LT. Patterson, Joseph Charles, USNR	January 1946 - May 1946
06	LT. Moberly, Charlie Scarcy, USN	May 1946 - February 1947
07	LTjg/LT. Walters, John Henry, USN	February 1947 - April 1948
08	LT. Hodge, Ralph Rosebourough, USN	May 1948 - November 1948
09	LTjg Adams, William Frank, USN	Nov 1948 - 1950
10	LT/LCDR. Wallerstedt, Stig Edward, USN	1950 - January 1952
11	LT. Allen, Thomas Elmer, USN	January 1952 - 1953
12	LT. Burd, Elvie Robert,USN	1953 - 8 May 1957
13	LTjg/LT. Wright, William Wesley, USN	8 May 1957 - 1 December 1958
14	ENS. Francis Jr., Edward K., USNR (acting)	1 December 1958 - 1 January 1959
15	LT. Wright, William Wesley, USN	1 January 1959 - 26 October 1959
16	LT. Belechak, Stephen Clair USN	26 October 1959 - 18 December 1959

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Net Tender Stories

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 13 December 2024