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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Snowbell (AN-52)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Alpha - Romeo
 NCAR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Ailanthus Class Net Laying Ship
  • Laid down as Snowbell (YN-71), 3 May 1943, at Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Co., Stockton, CA.
  • Launched, 14 September 1943
  • Redesignated Net Laying Ship (AN-52), 20 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS Snowbell (AN-52), 16 March 1944, LCDR. Robert W. Nordstrom USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Snowbell was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March 1945
  • Damaged beyond economical repair by Typhoon Louise off Okinawa, 9 October 1945
  • Decommissioned, 5 December 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 December 1945
  • Final Disposition, hulk blown up, 14 January 1946
  • USS Snowbell 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
    snowbell 124k USS Snowbell (AN-52) tending nets, date and place unknown. Courtesy Charles Fitch
    snowbell 108k USS Snowbell (AN-52) moored pierside with her main deck loaded with nets and floats, date and place unknown. Courtesy Charles Fitch
    USS Snowbell (AN-52)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Nordstrom, Robert William, USNR16 March 1944 - 29 September 1945
    02LT. Richardson, Leonard George, USNR29 September 1945 - 5 December 1945
    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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 September 2016