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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Chase (APD-54)
ex
 USS Chase (DE-158) (1944 - 1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Foxtrot - Charlie - Foxtrot
 NFCF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (2) [retroactive - 20 April 1944, 20 May 1945] - American Campaign Medal
as Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) World War II Victory Medal
Buckley Class Destroyer Escort / Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 11 August 1943, as, Chase (DE-158), a Buckley Class Destroyer Escort at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth VA.
  • Launched 24 April 1943
  • Commissioned USS Chase (DE-158), 18 July 1943, LCDR. Victor B. Staadecker, USNR, in command
  • Converted to a Charles Lawrence Class High-speed Transport, redesignated (APD-54), 24 November 1944
  • During World War II USS Chase was assigned initially to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater TransDiv One Hundred-Seven, CAPT. N. E. Miller and participated in the following operation/campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Convoy UGS-38, 20 April 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 30 May to 22 June 1945

  • Decommissioned 15 January 1946 at San Diego CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register 7 February 1946
  • USS Chase earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold 13 November 1946 for scrapping
    APD Specifications:
    Displacement 1,400 t.(lt), 2,130 t.(fl)
    Length 306' ovl.
    Beam 37'
    Draft 12' 7" (limiting)
    Speed 23.6 kts. (trial)
    Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 12
    Enlisted 192
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 12
    Enlisted 150
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Boats 4 LCVP landing craft
    Troop Accoutrements
    six 1/4 ton trucks
    two 1 ton trucks
    four ammunition carts
    four pack howitzers
    Storage
    Ammunition 6,000 cu. ft.
    General Cargo 3,500 cu. ft.
    Gasoline 1,000 cu. ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40 mm AA gun mounts
    six single 20 mm AA gun mounts
    two depth charge tracks
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 2,216 Bbls
    Diesel 93 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Combustion Engineering "D" Express boilers, 435psi 750°
    two General Electric turbines, (turbo-electric drive)
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 300Kw 450V A.C.
    two 40Kw 120V D.C.
    two propellers, 12,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Chase 91k USS Chase (APD-54) moored to a buoy at Kerama Retto sometime after 20 May 1945. Chase fired successfully on a diving kamikaze, but had to maneuver violently to avoid the falling craft. It splashed, a scant 10 yards from the ship, and the explosion of the two bombs it carried ripped Chase 's hull open, flooding the engine and fire rooms. With her steering gear jammed at hard left rudder, Chase drove off another suicide plane. Listing so badly as to be in danger of capsizing, she was kept afloat by the skillful work of her crew and towed into Kerama Retto for repairs Richard Beto
    USS Chase (APD-54)
    Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Staadecker, Victor Barns, USNR 18 July 1943 - 27 December 1943DE-158
    02LCDR. Knapp II, George Orvil., USNR27 December 1943 - 11 October 1945DE-158 / APD-54
    03LT. Keedy Jr., C L., USNR11 October 1945 - 15 January 1946APD-54
    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
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Destroyer Escort (DE) Index Back To The High-speed Transport Photo 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 2017