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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Grimes (APA-172)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Tango - Whiskey
NDTW

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Haskell Class Attack Transport:

Laid down in 1944 as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 138) at Oregon Shipbuilding Group, Portland, OR.

Launched in 1944

Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and commissioned USS Grimes (APA-172), 23 November 1944, CAPT. James M. Smith USN in command

During World War II USS Grimes was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Twenty, COMO. H. W. Grap USN (15);
TransDiv Sixty, (flagship) CAPT. A. T. Moen USN (18) and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 6 to 16 March 1945

Following World War II USS Grimes was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
2 to 27 September 1945
18 to 21 October 1945
10 to 12 December 1945
10 to 21 May 1946
7 t o15 June 1946

Decommissioned, 26 February 1947, at Norfolk VA.

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, at Norfolk, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register. 1 October 1958

USS Grimes earned one battle star for World War II service

Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 15 October 1958, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C.

Changed berth, 30 October 1964, to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 21 August 1974, to Union Minerals and Alloys, New York, $280,160, removed 11 November 1974

Specifications:
Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
Length 455'
Beam 62'
Speed 17.7 kts (trial)
Complement

Officers 56

Enlisted 480

Troop Accommodations

Officers 80

Enlisted 1,440

Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.

Cargo Capacity, 2,900 DWT

non-refrigerated 150,000 cu. ft.

Boats

two LCMs

one open LCPL

one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)

two LCPRs

eighteen LCVPs

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual-purpose gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

one quad 40mm AA gun mount

10 single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 7,780 Bbls

Diesel 970 Bbls

Propulsion

one Westinghouse geared turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465psi 750°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears

three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 8,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	206k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** underway in harbor, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Jim Kurrasch Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
	906k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Alan Bruce Woods for his father Allen Douglas Woods S2/c USS Grimes
100317201	43k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** underway, date and location unknown.	Ben Netzley for his brother Raymond Earl Netzley USS Grimes and Todd Backer for his grandfather Lester Hammitt USS Grimes
100317239	177k	Personnel aboard *USS Grimes* (APA-172)** being briefed by an officer, date and location unknown	Todd Baker for his grandfather Lester Hammitt USS Grimes
	116k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** personnel inspection, date and location unknown. (On the back of this photo Mr. Ray Netzley wrote "some of Mugs shipmates."	Ben Netzley for his brother Raymond Earl Netzley USS Grimes
100317226	158k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** crew members Jack, Bill (William Evans) & Carl at Iwo Jima, circa March 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317206	300k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** Commanding Officer CAPT. James M. Smith, USN talking to his crew, 9 August 1945	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317205	373k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** Twenty MM Clipping crew at General Quarters Station: Howard W. Donnelly Buster Browning, P.E McVay, Noble Wm, Smith Cox, J.E. Smith Cox, E.F. Stevens, William Evans, 10 August 1945	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317207	153k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** Mount 45 gun crew, 28 August 1945	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317208	201k	Lowering one of *USS Grimes* (APA-172)** LCMs into the water, 30 August 1945, location unknown.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317242	45k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172) conducting either an underway replenishment of highline transfer, or both with USS Heermann (DD-532)**, date and location unknown.	Todd Baker for his grandfather Lester Hammitt USS Grimes
100317243	69k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** conducting an underway replenishment with an unidentified Fleet Tanker, date and location unknown.	Todd Baker for his grandfather Lester Hammitt USS Grimes
100317209	153k	Lowering *USS Grimes* (APA-172)**'s LCVP 18, into the water, 30 August 1945, location unknown	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317210	204k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** refueling one of her escorting destroyers in August 1945 while underway in the Pacific Ocean.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317211	244k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** transferring personnel and mail to and from her escorting destroyers via high line, August 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes and Todd Baker for his grandfather Lester Hammitt
100317212	242k
100317213	247k
100317240	56k
100317241	66k
100317214	220k	Some of *USS Grimes* (APA-172)**'s 1st Div sailors hold up a signed Japanese flag, August 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317215	175k	A group of *USS Grimes* (APA-172)**'s sailors gather for a photo on Mount 45, August 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317232	97k	Looking aft from *USS Grimes* (APA-172)** signal bridge, August 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317230	71k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** Commanding Officer CAPT. James M. Smith, USN conferring with BRIG. GEN. Clemens, USMC in August 1945	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317229	110k	LCDR Z. Kusuado, Japanese Imperial Navy was transfered by breeches buoy from *USS Stockton* (DD-646) to USS Grimes (APA-172), off Oshima Island, 27 August 1945, to pilot USS Grimes (APA-172)** and the American flotilla safely through heavily mined Sagami Bay as the the flotilla moved towards Tokyo.	>Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317233	71k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** at anchor probably in Sagami Bay, Japan 28 August 1945, waiting to put her Marines ashore.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317234	69k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** LCVP-20 taking hydrographic soundings to determine best part of beach to land her Marines and their equipment, 30 August 1945	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317235	69k	The flag beach party going ashore in the first wave from *USS Grimes* (APA-172)**, 30 August 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317216	253k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)**'s Beach Party sailors holding a Japanese Imperial Navy flag belonging to LTjg. J.G. Parker, Beach master, 3 September 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317217	227k	Some of *USS Grimes* (APA-172)**'s Chief Petty Officers with Japanese Imperial Navy flag belonging to LTjg. J.G. Parker, Beach master, 4 September 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317236	63k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** boarding troops while moored pierside at Tinian, Marianas Islands in September 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317218	292k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** Captain's Inspection at Saipan, 15 September 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317219	278k
100317220	308k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** moored pierside at Saipan, 15 September 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317221	332k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** new commanding officer, Captain Frank W. Parsons USN, inspections the ship's company upon assuming command, 9 October 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317222	343k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** new Captain Frank W. Parsons, USN talks to his crew after taking command, 9 October 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317223	407k
100317224	228k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** "Smoker at Sea", October 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317225	202k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** "Smoker at Sea", October 1945.
100317238	106k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** "Smoker at Sea", date unknown	Todd Baker his grandfather Lester Hammitt 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317237	70k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** aft 5" gun crew practicing while enroute to Iwo Jima in December 1945.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes
100317228	284k	*USS Grimes* (APA-172)** crew member Bill Evans at Pearl Harbor, 13 March 1946.	Craig E. Evans for his father William Evans S1/c, 1945-1946 USS Grimes

USS Grimes (APA-172)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Smith, James McDonald, USN (USNA 1925)	23 November 1944 - 9 October 1945
02	CAPT. Parsons, Frank Waterman, USN (USNA 1923)	9 October 1945 - 26 February 1947


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 Database
Action Report - Landing of Occupation Forces, Nagasaki Japan, September 1945

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 21 January 2021