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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Etlah (AN-79)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Delta - Lima
 NDDL
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Indigo (N)ovember
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (2) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

USS Etlah (AN-79) was transferred to the Dominican Republic and renamed Cambiaso (P-207)
Cohoes Class Net Laying Ship:
  • Authorized as (YN-98)
  • Redesignated (AN-79), 20 January 1944
  • Laid down, 30 June 1944, at Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR.
  • Launched 16 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS Etlah (AN-79) 16 April 1945, LT. Harry J. Stemler, Jr., D-V(G), USNR, in command
  • USS Etlah (AN-79) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.7 Target Vessel Group - Salvage Units for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 14 March 1947, at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group
  • Recommissioned, 10 August 1951
  • During the Korean War USS Etlah (AN-79) participated the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Third Korean Winter, 14 February to 30 April 1953 Korea, Summer-Fall 19531 to 4 May 1953
  • Decommissioned, 31 May 1960, at San Diego, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1963
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet
  • Transferred to the Dominican Republic in 1976, renamed, Cambiaso (P-207)
  • Final Disposition, decommissioned by the Dominican Republic in the 1990s, reduced to a hulk in 1994
  • USS Etlah earned two battle stars for Korean War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 785 t.
    Length 168' 6"
    Beam 33' 10"
    Draft 10' 10"
    Speed 12.3 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 4
    Enlisted 42
    Largest Boom Capacity 12 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal gun mount
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 905 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Busch-Sulzer BS-539 Diesel-electric engine
    single Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear
    two 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Etlah 59k USS Etlah (AN-79) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from DANFS US Naval Historical Center
    Etlah 52k USS Etlah (AN-79) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial Stan Svec
    USS Etlah (AN-79)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Stemler Jr., Harry J., USNR16 April 1945 - 2 July 1945
    02LT. Yarbrough, Charles J., USNR2 July 1945 - November 1945
    03LT. Knoblock, Ralph C., USNRNovember 1945 - 31 March 1946
    04ENS. Horner, Samuel, USNR31 March 1946 - 31 July 1946
    05LT. Marsh, Leo Edward, USN31 July 1946 - 14 March 1947
     Decommissioned14 March 1947 - 10 August 1951
    06LT. Alexander, Joseph Kenneth, USN10 August 1951 - 17 October 1952
    07LT. Williamson, Max LaVern., USNR17 October 1952 - 18 December 1952
    08LT. Sullivan, Frank Paul, USNR18 December 1952 - 1 May 1953
    09LTjg. Lambright, Arthur James, USNR01 May 1953 - 12 January 1954
    10LT. Knofla, Earl William, USNR/USN12 January 1954 - 13 January 1957
    11LT. Louchheim Jr., William Sandel, USN13 January 1957 - 20 September 1958
    12LT. Noblit, Charles Larue, USN20 September 1958 - 31 May 1960
    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
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Yard Net Tender (YN) Photo Index Back To Net Laying Ship (AN) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 17 January 2025