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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Norman Nelson

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Graffias (AF-29)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Uniform - Papa NWUP
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Imperfect (Q)uebec - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (8) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits, Quemoy-Matsu, Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (7)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Hyades Class Stores Ship:

Laid down in 1943 as SS Topa Topa, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-E1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1610) at Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw, AL.

Launched, date unknown

Acquired by the US Navy, 19 February 1944

Fitted out as a Stores Ship at Bethlehem Steel Co., Baltimore MD.

Commissioned USS Graffias (AF-29), 28 October 1944 at Baltimore, MD., LCDR. Bernard P. Caraher in command

USS Graffias (AF-29) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during and after World War II

Following World War II USS Graffias performed occupation duty in the Far East which included China service for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal

China Service Medal (extended)


7 September to 14 October 1945	9 to 14 December 1945
28 November to 8 December 1945	29 April to 5 May 1946
20 to 28 April 1946	11 to 16 January 1947
6 to 10 January 1947	13 to 26 April 1947
18 to 22 January 1947	27 July to 7 August 1947
27 April to 3 May 1947	19 April to 1 May 1948
25 to 26 July 1947	16 to 21 November 1953
	30 August to 1 September 1954
	5 to 10 February 1955

During the Korean War USS Graffias (AF-29) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
Communist China Spring Offensive 27 September to 1 October 1950 10 to 14 October 1950 27 October to 1 November 1950	UN Summer-Fall Offensive 5 to 6 August 19 23 to 27 August 1951 30 September to 1 October 1951 3 to 6 November 1951 22 to 24 November 1951
Communist China Aggression 21 November to 4 December 1950	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 24 to 25 July 1952 3 to 4 August 1952 11 to 13 August 1952 25 t0 26 August 1952 7 to 8 September 1952 5 to 6 October 1952 17 to 19 October 1952 1 to 3 November 1952 15 to 19 November 1952
First UN Counter Offensive 3 to 17 March 19 3 to 14 April 1951 19 April 1951	Third Korean Winter 1 to 4 December 1952 28 to 29 December 1952 8 to 11 January 1953 17 to 20 January 1953 1 to 3 February 1953
Communist China Spring Offensive 18 to 25 May 1951 7 to 10 June 1951 22 to 27 June 1951	Korea Summer-Fall 1952 18 to 20 July 1953

During the Vietnam War USS Graffias (AF-29) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 5 to 10 May 1961 4 to 5 February 1962 1 to 24 August 1962 1 February to 10 April 1966	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 22 September to 5 October 1967 13 to 30 October 1967 12 to 26 November -1967
Vietnam Defense 4 to 14 November 1965 23 to 29 November 1965 13 to 16 December 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 5 to 21 August 1968 26 August to 5 September 1968 3 to 14 October 1968 25 October to 1 November 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 12 to 23 June 1966	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 to 4 November 1968 9 to 18 November 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 2 to 6 July 1966 21 to 29 July 1966 6 to 23 January -1967 1 to 11 February 1967 16 to 24 February 1967	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 28 June to 1 July 1969 4 to 13 July 1969 2 to 8 August 1969

Decommissioned, 15 October 1969, at NAS Alameda, CA.

Laid up, 20 May 1970, in the National Defense Reserve, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Permanent title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 15 May 1974

Struck from the Naval Register, May 1974

USS Graffias earned eight battle stars for Korean War service. the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 March 1974, to Dongkuk Steel Co., of America, delivered, 14 May 1974

Specifications:
Displacement 7,700 t.(lt) 15,300 t.(fl)
Length 468' 8"
Beam 63'
Draft 28' (limiting)
Speed 15.5 kts (trial)

Complement

Officers 22

Enlisted 230

Cargo Capacity 5,950 DWT

non-refrigerated 171,275 Cu ft.

refrigerated 183,555 Cu ft.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

Fuel Capacity NSFO 9,300 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric steam turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boiler, 450psi, 750°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gears

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

single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
19-N-73555	89k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** in the Chesapeake Bay off Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard, 30 October 1944 after conversion for naval service. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 19-N-73555, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
19-N-73556	134k		Robert Hurst
	89k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** moored probably in Hong Kong harbor while having her hull repainted, date unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	122k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** under way, circa the late 1940s, location unknown. US Navy photo # USN 1044037, from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	108k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** in bound passing through the Golden Gate while entering San Francisco Bay, circa 1947.	David McGee
	88k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29) transfers food supplies to USS Missouri (BB-63)** in the Sea of Japan, 17 December 1950. Each cargo net highlined between the two ships contains twenty boxes of potatoes, holding a total of 2000 pounds. US National Archives photo # 80-G-424637, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	US Naval Historical Center
	71k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** at anchor, date and location unknown. A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US Naval Institute	Norman Nelson
	151k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** under way, at Pearl Harbor, 11 December 1953. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 80-G-1078432, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	1193k	The aircraft carrier *USS Lexington* (CVA-16) and destroyer USS Carpenter (DD-825), left, replenish their supplies from USS Graffias (AF-29)** while underway in far eastern waters. Other destroyers are awaiting their turn in the background. A part of the Seventh Fleet, the ships are operating in the Formosa area, 25 September 1958. US Navy photo # USN 1038075.	National Museum of the US Navy
	67k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** under way off Yokosuka, Japan, 1962. Photo by Gary Callahan ET3 USN USS Haverfield (DER-393)	Harold Newbill
	199k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** and USS Ranger (CVA-61) conducting an underway replenishment, 1959 Westpac. Photo from the *Ranger*'s 1959 Cruise Book (3 January–27 July).	John Slaughter, Webmaster USS Ranger History & Memorial site
	114k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29) at sea, 14 September 1963, just before replenishing USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63)*. Note the "Romeo" signal flag at the dip to port, indicating that replenishment operations are eminent on that side (the one used by carriers). US Navy photo # KN-8837* from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com	Robert Hurst
	65k	*USS Graffias* (AF-29)** under way, date and location unknown.	Robert Hurst
09062916	257k	Overhead view of *USS Graffias* (AF-29) replenishing the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) and the destroyer USS Marshall (DD-676) in November 1963. Coral Sea** with assigned Attack Carrier Air Wing 15(CVW-15), was deployed to the Western Pacific from 3 April to 25 November 1963. Courtesy of U.S. Naval Reserve Center, Tacoma Wharf Port Facility - Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # UA 556.05	Robert Hurst

USS Graffias (AF-29)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Caraher, Bernard Patrick, USNR	28 October 1944 - 19 February 1945
02	CDR. Doolin Jr., Edward Hamilton, USN (USNA 1920)	19 February 1945 - 21 March 1946
03	CDR. Gibson, Scott Kendall, USN (USNA 1932)	21 March 1946 - 10 December 1947
04	CDR. Whitaker, Joe McAdams, USN (USNA 1930)	10 December 1947 - 5 August 1948
05	CDR. Lucas Jr., Federic Colby, USN (USNA 1930)	5 August 1948 - 1949
06	CDR. Reese, John Spencer, USN	1950 - 10 July 1952
07	LCDR. Mabus, Howard William, USN	10 July 1952 - 14 August 1952
08	CDR. Ferguson, Edward Franklin, USN	14 August 1952 - ?
09	CDR. May, James Louis, USN (USNA 1939)	1955 - 3 December 1957
10	CDR. Christiansen, Fran Martin, USN	3 December 1957 - 29 August 1959
11	CAPT. Kearney, Joseph Edward, USNR	8 August 1959 - 17 May 1961
12	CAPT. O'Toole Jr., Robert, USN	17 May 1961 - 15 July 1962
13	CAPT. Dertien, Donald Alfred, USN	15 July 1962 - 6 May 1963
14	CAPT. Hadden Jr., Mayo Addison, USN :RADM	6 May 1963 - 22 May 1964
15	CAPT. Huie, Edward Lee, USNR	22 May 1964 - 25 June 1965
16	CAPT. Bailey Jr., John Sherman, USNR	25 June 1965 - 13 May 1966
17	CAPT. Taylor Jr., Theron Jack, USN	13 May 1966 - 18 August 1967
18	CAPT. Hayward, Thomas (Tom) Bibb, USN (USNA 1948-A) :ADM	18 August 1967 - 20 June 1968
19	CAPT. Clausen, Paul Kenneth USN	20 June 1968 - 15 October 1969


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
USS Graffias (AF-29) web site
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 16 February 2024