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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Leo (AKA-60)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Hotel - Papa
NHHP

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (5) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Andromeda Class Attack Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 17 March 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 212) at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co, Kearny, N.J.

Launched, 29 July 1944

Acquired by the Navy, 29 August 1944

Commissioned USS Leo (AKA-60), 30 August 1944, CDR. Thomas E. Healey in command

During World War II USS Leo was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater;
TransRon Fifteen, CAPT. W. S. Popham USN (14);
TransDiv Forty-Five, CAPT. A.C. J. Sabalot USN (20) and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 28 February 1945	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 14 April 1945

Following World War II USS Leo was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
13 to 19 September 1945	11 to 17 October 1945
4 April to 1 May 1946	2 to 20 November 1945
7 to 18 September 1946	4 to 25 May 1946
	16 August to 2 September 1946
	5 to 24 February 1949

Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) in 1946

Reassigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949 and redesignated (T-AKA-60)

During the Korean War USS Leo participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
First UN Counteroffensive 10 to 20 March 1951 6 and 10 to 17 April 1951	Second Korean Winter 10 to 15 and 18 to 21 December 1951 29 December 1951 to 4 January 1952 12 to 16 January 1952
Communist China Spring Offensive 28 April to 1 May 1951 20 to 25 May 1951	Third Korean Winter 10 to 19 January 1953
UN Summer-Fall Offensive 25 June to 4 July 1951 26 July to 4 August 1951 23 August to 8 September 1951 16 to 24 September 1951 25 October to 1 November 1951 10 to 21 November 1951

Decommissioned, 11 February 1955, at Long Beach, CA.

Returned to the Maritime Administration, 29 March 1960, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Permanent custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 30 June 1960

Struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1960

USS Leo earned two battle stars for World War II service and five battle stars for Korean War service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 July 1976, to National Metal & Steel Corp., delivered 3 August 1976

Specifications:
Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 14,200 t.(lt)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 26' 4" (lim)
Speed 16.5 kts (trial)

Complement

Officers 48

Enlisted 351

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity 4,900 DWT

Non-refrigerated - 444,000 Cu ft.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts

Boats

8 LCMs

1 LCP(L)

15 LCVPs

Fuel Capacity

NSFO - 10,990 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric steam turbine

two Foster Wheeler D-type boilers, 465psi 765°

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	Contributed By
	83k	*USS Leo* (AKA-60)** launching, 29 July 1944, at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co, Kearny, N.J.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
100206009	740k	Aerial view of *USS Leo* (AKA-60)** underway outside New York harbor, 10 September 1944, by an aircraft assigned to Naval Air Station New York. U.S. Navy BUSHIPS photo # 19-N-71003.	Nicholas Tiberio
100206008	82k	*USS Leo* (AKA-60)** underway during the years immediately after World War II. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH83251. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1975.	US Naval History and Heritage Command
Australian War Memorial, Photo No.304358	57k	*USS Leo* (AKA-60) loading supplies destined for China at Nabu Wharf, Lorengau, Admiralty Islands in July, 1947. The frigate HMAS Condamine (K-698)** is moored across the wharf. Australian War Memorial, Photo No.'s 304358 and 304360	Mike Green
Australian War Memorial, Photo No.304360	49k		Mike Green
	47k	*USS Leo* (AKA-60)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	John Mccauley USN Retired
	837k	*USS Leo* (AKA-60)** moored pierside, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy the DEHM collection.	Ed Zajkowski
100206007	176k	*USS Leo* (AKA-60)** moored pierside circa 1954 on the Willamette River in Portland Oregon while transitioning to the Pacific Reserve Fleet.	Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine

USS Leo (AKA-60)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Healy, Thomas Edward, USNR	30 August 1944 - 1 June 1945
02	LCDR. Mead Jr., Charles Hamden	1 June 1945 - 19 September 1947
03	CAPT. Duryea, Harold E.	19 September 1947 - 21 January 1949
04	CAPT. Lawver, Rowland Clifford	21 January 1949 - 15 December 1950
05	CDR. Nolan Jr., Rathel Linwood, USN (USNA 1931)	15 December 1950 - 11 March 1952
06	LCDR. Malboeuf, Paul David, USNR (acting CO)	11 March 1952 - 21 April 1952
05	CDR. Nolan Jr., Rathel Linwood, USN (USNA 1931)	21 April 1952 - 10 August 1952
06	CAPT. Walker, Robert Power, USN (USNA 1932)	10 August 1952 - ?


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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 2 June 2023