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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Lost to enemy action, 17 November 1943

USS McKean (APD-5)
ex
 USS McKean (DD-90) (1920 - 1940)
 USS McKean (Destroyer #90) (1919 - 1920)


1921 International Radio Call Sign:
Nan - Easy - Mike - Tare
 NEMT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Navy Unit Commendation - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal
Individual Awards

LT. Ralph L. Ramey Silver Star and Legion of Merit
Daniel Tarr Coxswain USCG Silver Star, 9 August 1942 - Tulagi
William Sparling, Coxswain USCG Silver Star, 9 August 1942 - Tulagi
Harold Miller BM2/c USCG Silver Star, 9 August 1942 - Tulagi
Glen Harris Coxswain USCG) Silver Star 9 August 1942 - Tulagi
Purple Heart (17 November 1943, 64 crew KIA, 52 embarked troops KIA)
Wickes Class Destroyer:
  • Laid down, 12 February 1918, at Union Iron Works, San Francisco, CA.
  • Launched, 4 July 1918
  • Commissioned USS McKean (Destroyer #90), 20 February 1919, LCDR. Raleigh C. Williams in command
  • Designated (DD-90), 17 July 1920
  • Decommissioned, 19 June 1922, at Philadelphia, PA.
  • Converted to a High-speed Transport
  • Recommissioned USS McKean (APD-5), 11 December 1940, at Norfolk, VA., LCDR. Thomas Burrows in command
  • During WWII USS McKean (APD-5) was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater Commander South Pacific Force and South Pacific Area:
    TransDiv Twelve, CDR. Hugh W. Hadley, USN (22) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Guadalcanal - Tulagi landings, to 9 August 1942 New Georgia Group operation
    New Georgia - Rendova - Vanguau occupation, 30 June and 4 to 5 July 1943
    Vella LaVella occupation, 11 and 31 August 1943
    Capture and Defense of Guadalcanal, 5 September 1942 Treasury - Bougainville operation
    Treasury Island landing, 27 October 1943
    Choiseul Island diversion, 28 October 1943
    Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 6, 11 and 17 November 1943

  • Final Disposition, lost to enemy action in the Solomon Islands, sunk by Japanese aircraft off Bougainville, 17 November 1943
  • USS McKean was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation and four battle stars for World War II service.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,154 t. 1,600 t.(fl)
    Length 314' 5"
    Beam 30' 6"
    Draft 9' 10"
    Speed 35.2 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 8
    Enlisted 98
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 3
    Enlisted 144
    Boats 4 LCP(L) landing craft
    Armament
    three single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    five single 20mm AA gun mounts
    one depth charge rack
    four depth charge projectors
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 2,380 Bbls
    Diesel 55 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Union Curtis design geared turbines
    two Yarrow boilers, 250psi Sat.
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    two turbo-drive 60Kw, 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 27,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    McKean 119k USS McKean (APD-5) photographed circa early 1942.
    US Navy photo # NH 97782 from the collections of the uS Naval History and Heritage Command .    		 uS Naval History and Heritage Command
    McKean
    100400505
    80-G-18011    		 117k USS McKean (APD-5) moored to a buoy in 1942, location unknown.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-18011, 80-G-18010 and 80-G-18014 US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Arch vies.         		Rick Davis
    McKean
    100400508
    80-G-18010    		 111k
    McKean
    100400509
    80-G-18014    		 68k
    McKean
    100400502    		 169k USS McKean (APD-5) as seen from USS San Francisco (CA-38) on 7 August 1942, the first day of landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi. McKean was part of the Tulagi landing group.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-391483 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Caption - Robert Hurst
    Photo - Rick Davis
    McKean
    100400507    		 94k USS McKean (APD-5) underway, 2 March 1943
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-276813 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Rick Davis
    McKean 132k USS McKean (APD-5) (Aft plan view) moored outboard of USS Stringham (APD 6) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 23 April 1943
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 3015-43, 4/23/43.    		 Darryl Baker
    McKean 171k USS McKean (APD-5) (Forward plan view) moored outboard of USS Stringham (APD 6) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 23 April 1943
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 3016-43, 4/23/43.    		 Darryl Baker
    McKean 1747k USS McKean (APD-5) Newspaper articles Ron Reeves
    USS McKean (DD-90 / APD-5)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Burrowes, Thomas, USN (USNA 1925) :RADM11 December 1940 - 9 November 1941APD-5
    02LCDR. Sweeney, John Driscoll, USN (USNA 1926)9 November 1941 - 4 January 1943APD-5
    03LT. Ramey, Ralph Lester, USN (USNA 1935)4 January 1943 - 17 November 1943 APD-5
    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
    The First McKean DD-90
    "The Green Dragons" Four-stack APD destroyer-transports in World War Two
    The Long Blue Line: Tulagi’s coxswains—the Service’s 1st Silver Star recipients
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Destroyer (DD) Index Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The High-speed Transport Photo (APD) Index Back To The USS McKean (DD-90) Page
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    . Last Updated 1 January 2021