Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Suffolk (AKA-69)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Golf - Sierra
NHGS

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
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Tolland Class Attack Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 2 September 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-AJ3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 141), at North Carolina Shipbuilding Co. Wilmington, N.C.

Launched, 14 September 1944

Temporally Commissioned USS Suffolk (AKA-69), 23 October 1944, at Wilmington, N.C., CDR. Elmer C. Almsman, USNR, in command for transit to her fitting out yard at Charleston Navy Yard

Placed in full commission, 14 November 1944, at Charleston Navy Yard, LCDR E. C. Clusman, USNR in command

During World War II USS Suffolk was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Seventeen, COMO. T.B. Brittan USN (20);
TransDiv Fifty-One, CAPT. J. L. Allen USNR and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 25 March to 30 April 1945

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

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
7 to 10 November 1945	30 October to 4 November 1945

Decommissioned, 27 June 1946, at Norfolk, VA.

Returned to the Maritime Commission for lay up, 28 June 1946, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1946

USS Suffolk earned one battle star for World War II

Merchant History

Reconversion contract awarded to Todd Shipbuilding Corp. in January 1947, towed from James River Reserve Fleet by Moran Towing & Transport Co., arrived at Hoboken, N.J., 28 January 1947

Sold, 25 August 1947, to South Atlantic Lines, 25 August 1947, renamed SS Southport

Sold, 13 April 1961, to United States Lines, renamed SS American Retailer

Returned, 3 July 1963, to MARAD Exchange Program

Acquired, 3 July 1963, by Alcoa Steamship Co., renamed SS Alcoa Master

Sold, 16 October 1969, to Columbian Steamship Co., renamed SS Columbia Star

Resold, 10 October 1970, to the Netherlands, reflagged Netherlands, renamed SS Antillian Star

Final Disposition, scrapped in 1971 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Specifications:
Displacement 8,635 t.(lt) 13,910 t.(fl), 14,160 (lim)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 26' 4"
Speed 16.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 62

Enlisted 333

Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts

Boats

fourteen LCVPs

eight LCMs

Cargo Capacity 5,275DWT

non-refrigerated 380,000 Cu ft.

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 10,425 Bbls

Diesel 805 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric geared turbine

two Foster and Wheeler header-type boilers, 450psi 750°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gear

three Ship's Service Generators 300Kw, 120V/240V D.C.

single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Suffolk (AKA-69)
80-G-294265	583k	*USS Suffolk* (AKA-69) off Norfolk, VA., 11 December 1944, less than two months after her 23 October commissioning. Suffolk** is wearing Measure 32/13f camouflage scheme. The colors are dull black, ocean gray and light gray. US National Archives, Photo No. 80-G-294265, and 80-G-294264 US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives	Mike Green
80-G-294264	583k		Mike Green
	113k	*USS Suffolk* (AKA-69)** undergoing a shipyard availability at Bethlehem Steel Ship Yard, San Francisco, 6 January 1945. Cropped from US National Archives photo # 19-N-91523 US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine
19-N-91523	262k	The newly commissioned *USS Admiral W. L. Capps* (AP-121) undergoing a shipyard availability at Bethlehem Steel Ship Yard, San Francisco, 6 January 1945. Across the pier from Admiral W. L. Capps is USS Suffolk (AKA-69) and beyond Suffolk** is an unidentified Attack Transport (APA). US National Archives photo #'s 19-N-91523 and 19-N-91524 US Navy Bureau of Ships photos now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine
19-N-91524	242k		Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine
	60k	*USS Suffolk* (AKA-69)** getting underway at Astoria, OR. date unknown.	Terry Sanders
Merchant Service South Atlantic Steamship Co. United States Lines Alcoa Steamship Co.
	68k	Ex-*USS Suffolk* (AKA-69)** in merchant service as The South Atlantic Steamship company's SS Southport moored pierside at Antwerp, Belgium, circa late-1950s, Note she is in United States Lines colors.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
100216912	273k	SS Southport moored pierside in the Port of Bremen, Germany, circa 1954.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	156k	SS Southport moored pierside in the Port of Bremen, Germany, July 1960. Photo by ©H. Brockmoeller.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	125k	The South Atlantic Steamship company's SS Southport under way, date and location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	66k	The South Atlantic Steamship company's SS Southport under way, date and location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	637k	Newspaper photo of ex-*USS Suffolk* (AKA-69)** in merchant service as the United States Lines SS American Retailer making her way down the Weser River in Bremen-Blumenthal, Germany in thick fog during winter 1962.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
100206913	109k	United States Lines SS American Retailer underway in the Engiish Channel off the Dover Cliffs, circa early-1960s. ©Skyfotos	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	152k	SS American Retailer under way on the Weser River, Germany en route to Bremen, October 1962.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	98k	Ex-*USS Suffolk* (AKA-69)** in Merchant service as the Alcoa Steamship Co.'s SS Alcoa Master moored pierside, Bremerhaven, Germany, July 1967.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus

USS Suffolk (AKA-69)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Almsman, Elmer C., USNR	23 October 1944 - ?
02	LCDR. Clusman, E.C., USNR	14 November 1944 - December 1945
03	Hutchins, T. B.	December 1945 - ?

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Suffolk (AKA-69) War Diary / History and Action Reports November 1944 to November 1945
MARAD Vessel History Database

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index

Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 25 August 2023