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

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Florikan (ASR-9)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Foxtrot - Quebec
 NUFQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (4)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (3) - Korean Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal ()
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Chanticleer Class Submarine Rescue Ship:
  • Laid down, 30 September 1941, at Moore Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co., Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 14 January 1942
  • Commissioned USS Florikan (ASR-9), 5 April 1943, LT. Niel K. Banks, USNR, in command
  • During World War II Florikan was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of operations
  • During the Korean War II Florikan was deployed to the Korean War Zone during the following periods: 19 September to 9 October 1951, 17 October 1951 to 19 January 1952, 18 May to 10 August 1953 and 5 to 26 September 1953
  • During the Vietnam War USS Florikan participated in the following campaign:

    Vietnam War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Tet69/Counteroffensive
    25 to 26 March 1959 and 5 April 1969
  • Decommissioned, 2 August 1991
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 3 September 1991
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration , 28 July 2001, for disposal
  • Laid up in the National Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 28 November 2006, to Naval Weapons Station Concord, CA. for SINKEX preparation
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,780 t.(lt) 2,045 t.(fl)
    Length 251' 4"
    Beam 42'
    Draft 16'
    Speed 14.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 6
    Enlisted 96
    Largest Boom Capacity 20 t.
    Armament
    two single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    eight 20mm AA gun mounts
    four depth charge tracks
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 1,785 Bbls
    Propulsion
    Diesel-electric drive
    four Alco 539 Diesel main engines driving four General Electric generators and three General Motors 3-268A auxiliary services engines
    single Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
    single propeller, 3,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By
    /Source
    Florikan 55k USS Florikan (ASR-9) underway, location unknown, circa 1943. Robert Hurst
    Florikan 61k USS Florikan (ASR-9) underway, location unknown, circa 1943.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    Florikan 29k USS Florikan (ASR-9) overhead view underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Florikan 126k USS Florikan (ASR-9) under way near the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, circa early 1950s. Note the McCann rescue chamber in its normal position on deck aft and the new buoy installation amidships.
    US. Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # KN-7592, courtesy Shipscribe.com.     		Mike Green
    Florikan 187k USS Florikan (ASR-9) under way, 8 August 1957, location unknown.
    US History and Heritage Command photo # NH 83862, courtesy of D.M. McPherson, 1975    		 Robert Hurst
    Florikan 24k USS Florikan (ASR-9) underway, departing San Diego, date unknown. Submitted by Craig Rothhammer to NAFTS
    (National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors)
    Florikan 117k USS Florikan (ASR-9) moored pierside, San Diego, CA., 1967
    US Navy photo.    		 Scott Koen
    Florikan 118k USS Florikan (ASR-9) underway in 1968, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Florikan 105k Aerial 3/4 Port Bow View of USS Florikan (ASR-9), 20 May 1969, while operating off the coast of Oahu, HI.
    Fleet Air Photo Lab. NAS Barbers Point, HI. # VBP-00602-5-69 by PH2 R. F. Kinsey.         		Robert M. CierI
    Florikan 395k USS Florikan (ASR-9) underway, location unknown, circa 1970.
    US Navy photo NPC 1143694.    		 Scott Koen
    Florikan 41k USS Florikan (ASR-9) transiting Columbia River enroute to Portland, OR., 1979 Submitted by John Ackerman to NAFTS
    (National Association
    of Fleet Tug Sailors)
    Florikan 468k USS Florikan (ASR-9) underway on the Columbia River in Oregon, 1 May 1982.
    Defense Visual Information Center photo # DN-SC-82-05687 by Bergman PHotographic Services.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Florikan 63k USS Florikan (ASR-9), moored at Pearl Harbor, August 1987, Photo by Robert M. CierI
    USS Florikan (ASR-9)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Banks, Niel K., USNR5 April 1943 - 11 October 1943
    02CDR. Sharp Jr., George Arthur USN (29) :RADM11 October 1943 - 2 April 1944
    03LTjg. Hima, Desiderous (Dennis), USNR2 April 1944 - 9 November 1945
    04LT. Giliam Jr., Fred USN (45)9 November 1945 - 27 September 1947
    05LT. Crocker, George Francis John27 September 1947 - 10 October 1949
    06CDR. Shutt, Richard George10 October 1949 - 11 August 1951
    07LCDR. Rait, John Crocker USN (40)11 August 1951 - 10 April 1952
    08LT. Brockett, Earl Elisha10 April 1952 - 7 November 1953
    09LCDR. Smith, Forrest E.7 November 1953 - 3 October 1955
    10LCDR. Kilcoyne, Francis Joseph3 October 1955 - 3 October 1957
    11LCDR. Ploof, Kenneth3 October 1957 - 19 March 1960
    12LCDR. Hedgepeth, Charles Harley19 March 1960 - 31 August 1961
    13LCDR. Hogan, Francis William31 August 1961 - 27 November 1961
    14LT. Maher, John Henry27 November 1961 - 15 March 1963
    15LCDR. Smitter, Clarence Harold15 March 1963 - 14 October 1964
    16LCDR. Bergman, Walter Robert14 October 1964 - 18 July 1966
    17LCDR. Leonard, William Joseph18 July 1966 - 14 June 1968
    18LCDR. Disney, Donald Gilbert14 June 1968 - 27 August 1970
    19LCDR. Wagner, Fred Don27 August 1970 - 10 August 1972
    20LCDR. Witten, Robert Lee 10 August 1972 - 10 August 1974
    21LCDR. Drake, Albert Wayne10 August 1974 - 2 October 1976
    22CDR. Hamilton, Jack Edward USN (62)2 October 1976 - 16 February 1979
    23CDR. Brady, Timothy Sterling16 February 1979 - July 1981
    24CDR. Silver, Lawrence Michael USN (64)July 1981 - 1983
    25CDR. Tyler, Robert Jeffrey, USN1983 - 1983
    26CDR. Norris Jr., Donald Owen1983 - 30 December 1984
    27CDR. Wellman, William Henry USN30 December 1984 - 29 February 1988
    28CDR. Knueppel, Wolfgang Werner29 February 1988 - 29 January 1991
    29LCDR. Waters, Michael K.29 January 1991 - 2 August 1991
    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
    National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 May 2016