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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Torchwood (AN-55)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Hotel - Oscar
 NCHO

USS Torchwood (AN-55) was transferred to the Republic of China
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)
Ailanthus Class Net Laying Ship:
  • Laid down, 2 June 1943, as Torchwood (YN-74) at Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Co., Stockton, CA.
  • Redesignated a Net Laying Ship (AN-55), 20 January 1944
  • Launch, 19 February 1944
  • Commissioned USS Torchwood (AN-55), 12 May 1944, at San Francisco, CA., LT. Elwood E. Miller USNR in command
  • USS Torchwood was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II
  • Following World War II USS Torchwood was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    6 to 26 October 19466 to 26 October 1946

  • Decommissioned, 26 October 1946, at Shanghai, China and turned over to to the US State Department, Foreign Liquidation Commission
  • Transferred to the Chinese Maritime Customs Service
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 23 April 1947
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    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
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    USS Torchwood (AN-55)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Miller, Elwood Ernest, USNR12 May 1944 - November 1944
    02LT. Lamb, Joseph Nathan, USNRNovember 1944 - 10 December 1945
    03ENS. Kauffman, Harold Louis, USNR10 December 1945 - March 1946
    04LTjg. Self, Robert Louis, USNMarch 1946 - 26 October 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 23 September 2016