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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Berrien (APA-62)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Papa - India
 NKPI
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 (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Gilliam Class Attack Transport
  • Laid down, 23 February 1944 as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BD1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1855) at Consolidated Steel Corp, Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 20 May 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission 7 October 1944
  • Commissioned USS Berrien (APA-62), 8 October 1944, LCDR. John M. Gallagher, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Berrien was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Fifteen, COMO. W. S. Popham USN (14);
     TransDiv Forty-Three and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operations
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 16 February to 4 March 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operations
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 15 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS Berrien was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    4 t o12 October 19453 to 10 February 1946
    11 to 21 February 1946 
  • Decommissioned, 17 May 1946, at Pearl Harbor, T.H.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1947
  • USS Berrien earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Towed to San Francisco and returned to the Maritime Commission, 12 August 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 17 May 1966, to Zidell Explorations, Portland, OR. for $83,817.00 (PD-X-726 dated 22 April 1955). Withdrawn from the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, 11 July 1966, and delivered to Zidell Explorations
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,247 t.(lt), 7,080 t.(fl)
    Length 426'
    Beam 58'
    Draft 16'
    Speed 16.9 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 27
    Enlisted 293
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 47
    Enlisted 802
    Largest Boom Capacity 15 t.
    Cargo Capacity 600 DWT
    non-refrigerated 85,000 cu. ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,695 Bbls
    Diesel 375 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse steam turbines
    two Babcock & Wilcox D-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ships Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 250Kw, 450V A.C.
    one turbo-drive 150Kw, 450V A.C.
    two turbo-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two propellers, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Berrien 105k USS Berrien (APA-62) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Berrien 224k USS Berrien (APA-62) at anchor, circa 1944, location unknown.
    Photo by Emerson Barstow    		 Robert Hurst
    Berrien
    100306203    		 114k USS Berrien (APA-62) at anchor, circa 1945, location unknown.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 78546, Courtesy of James Russell    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Berrien (APA-62)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Gallagher, John Murray USNR8 October 1944 - 5 January 1945
    02LCDR. Hughes, George N. USNR (O-in-C)5 January 1945 - 10 January 1945
    03LCDR. Gallagher, John Murray USNR10 January 1945 - 17 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Attack Transport Photo (APA) Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 30 June 2023