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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Silverbell (AN-51)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Foxtrot - Xray
 NYFX
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 - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)

USS Silver (AN-51) was transferred to the Republic of China
Ailanthus Class Net Laying Ship:
  • Laid down, as Yard Net Tender Silverbell (YN-70), 7 November 1942, at Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Co., Stockton, CA.
  • Launched, 19 June 1943
  • Redesignated Net Laying Ship (AN-51), 20 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS Silverbell (AN-51), 16 February 1944, LT. Harold N. Berg USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Silverbell was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 10 October to 29 November 1944

  • Following World War II Silverbell maintained and removed nets in the Philippines until November 1945
  • USS Silverbell was assigned to China service from 28 December 1946 to 10 January 1947
  • Decommissioned, 9 January 1947, at Shanghai, China and transferred to Republic of China Maritime Customs Service
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 January 1947
  • USS Silverbell earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,460 t.(fl)
    Length 194' 6"
    Beam 37'
    Draft 13' 6"
    Speed 12.1 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 4
    Enlisted 52
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Largest Boom Capacity 12 t.
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 760 Bbls
    Ship's Service Generators
    two Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    Propulsion
    two Busch-Sulzer BS-539 Diesel-electric engines
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Silverbell 76k USS Silverbell (AN-51) underway, date and location unknown. Courtesy Charles Fitch
    Silverbell 92k USS Silverbell (AN-51) secured to another ship prior to beginning net laying operations at Manus, Admiralty Island, during June and July 1944. Glen Paulson RM/2c USS Anaqua
    Silverbell 42k USS Silverbell (AN-51) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    USS Silverbell (AN-51)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Berg, Harold Norman USNR16 February 1944 - 21 September 1945
    02LT. Butler Jr., Mark Charles USNR21 September 1945 - 12 March 1946
    03LTjg. Mac Kenzie, Gordon Clyde USN12 March 1946 - 9 January 1947
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Net Tender Stories
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Yard Net Tender (YN) Photo Index Back To Net Laying Ship (AN) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 September 2016