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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Seminole (LKA-104)
ex
 USS Seminole (AKA-104) (1945 - 1969)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Charlie - India
 NECI
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons






Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (18 May 1967) - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Thailand) - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Fourth Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (6) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (8) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - United Nation Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Tolland Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 7 November 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-AJ3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1703), at North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, N.C.
  • Launched, 28 December 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission, 6 February 1945
  • Placed in partial commission as USS Seminole (AKA-104), 6 February 1945, LT. Guyon, Elmer Edward USNR (Aux. Vessel Ferry Crew # 1) in command
  • Decommissioned, 8 February 1945, at Charleston Navy Yard for conversion to naval service
  • Re-commissioned USS Seminole (AKA-104), 8 March 1945, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C., CDR. James H. Budd, USNR, in command.
  • During World War II USS Seminole was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II and during the Korean War USS Seminole was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    25 September to 1 October 19457 December 1945 to 4 February 1946
    24 to 31 October 19459 to 17 April 1951

  • During the Korean War USS Seminole (AKA-104) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    6 to 12 September 1950
    18 September to 2 November 1950    		 First UN Counter Offensive
    25 January to 22 February 1951
    Communist China Aggression
    3 November 1950 to 24 January 1951    		 Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    15 December 1952
    13 to 15 April 1953
    Inchon Landing
    13 to 17 September 1950    		 Korea Summer-Fall 1953
    23 to 25 April 1953
    8 to 17 May 1953
    11 to 22 June 1953
    16 to 27 July 1953

  • During the Vietnam War USS Seminole (AKA-104) participated in the following campaigns:

    Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Advisory Campaign
    14 to 19 July 1962
    29 July to 9 August 1962     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    7 to 12 September 1968
    30 to 31 October 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    20 to 30 March 1966    		 Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    1 to 16 November 1968
    24 November to 8 December 1968
    28 December to 8 February 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    23 to 25 October 1966
    1 to 8 March 1967
    18 to 19 April 1967
    21 to 31 May 1967    		 Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    10 to 11 January 1970
    28 to 30 January 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 12 June 1967
    27 June to 26 July 1967    		 Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    20 to 23 May 1970

  • Redesignated Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA-104), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned, 13 December 1970, at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, San Diego, CA,
  • Custody returned to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, 20 May 1971
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1976
  • USS Seminole earned six battle stars 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 (non-transportation use) scrapping by MARAD, 16 November 1977, to American Ship Dismantlers, Inc.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,635 t.(lt) 14,160 t.(lim)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 35
    Enlisted 387
    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 5,275 DWT
    non-refrigerated 380,000 Cu ft
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 10,425 bbls
    Diesel 805 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine drive
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gear
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Seminole 349k USS Seminole (AKA-104) moored outboard of USS Kermit Roosevelt (ARG-16), date and location unknown.
    Photo by Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret.    		 Scott Nelson for his Grandfather Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret. USS Atlas
    Seminole 161k Stern view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) getting underway, date and location unknown.
    Photo by Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret.    		 Scott Nelson for his Grandfather Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret. USS Atlas
    Seminole 167k USS Seminole (AKA-104) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    Photo by Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret.    		 Scott Nelson for his Grandfather Ronald Roy SMC USN Ret. USS Atlas
    Seminole 77k USS Seminole (AKA-104) underway, date and location unknown. .
    Seminole 83k USS Seminole (AKA-104) underway, circa 1946-1950 John Valasek in honor of his father
    Edmund G Valasek EN1 USN
    crew member circa 1946-50
    Seminole 134k USS Seminole (AKA-104) broadside view underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy Photograph # USN 1044363    		 Henry A Wristen

    USS Seminole (AKA-194) at San Francisco Naval Shipyard (Hunters Point), 15 March 1952 and 8 February 1954. These series of photos shows antenna arrangement.
    Photos from the US National Archives
    Seminole Seminole Seminole Seminole Seminole
    Seminole Seminole Seminole Seminole

    Seminole 300k Forward quarter view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor after a refit at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 11 February 1954, hoisting one LCM and preparing to hoist a second. Numbers painted on her side indicate boat stations for loading.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Seminole 270k Broadside forward of abeam port view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor after a refit at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 11 February 1954, hoisting an LCM.
    US Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Seminole 371k Bow on view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor after a refit at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 11 February 1954, hoisting one LCM and preparing to hoist a second.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    Seminole 283k Aft quarter starboard view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor after a refit at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 11 February 1954.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    Seminole 244k Aft quarter port view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor after a refit at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 11 February 1954.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    Seminole 321k Stern on view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor after a refit at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 11 February 1954.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    Seminole 1657k USS Seminole (AKA-104) underway, 23 March 1955, location unknown.
    US Navy photo #1078532    		 David Buell
    Seminole 905k USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 David Buell
    Seminole 86k USS Seminole (AKA-104) underway departing San Diego, CA., date unknown. Russ Padden
    Seminole 77k Stern view of USS Seminole (AKA-104) moored at San Diego, September 1960. Photo by Lee Noland STGC USN Ret. USS Bausell
    Seminole 159k USS Seminole (AKA-104) under way off the coast of San Diego, CA., 1 February 1967.
    US Naval Photographic Center photo # USN 1121343 by PH3 Duggan.    		 Mike Smolinski
    Seminole 64k USS Seminole (AKA-104) at Subic Bay, summer 1967. Photo by Larry Backus USS Bausell
    Seminole
    100210430    		 147k USS Seminole (AKA-104) at anchor in Hong Kong, BCC having her sides painted by local painters.
    Photo from www.flickr.com by m20wc51    		 John Spivey
    Seminole
    100210429    		 195k USS Seminole (AKA-104) lies in the mud of Budd Inlet near Olympia WA., after running aground, 14 July 1969. The ship was open to the public during the Lakefair celebration and ran aground when departing the area. Attempts to back the ship off the shoal were unsuccessful until she was freed at high tide about 7 hours after running aground.
    UPI Telephoto    		 David Wright


    For more photos and information about USS Seminole, see:
  • USS Seminole AKA-104
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
  • USS Seminole (AKA-104) War Diaries February 1945 to November 1945 and History
    • Commanding Officers
     LT. Guyon, Elmer Edward, USNR (Aux. Vessel Ferry Crew # 1)6 February 1945 - 8 February 1945
     Decommissioned8 February 1945 - 8 March 1945
    01CDR. Budd, James Hodgeson, USNR8 March 1945 - 15 December 1945
    02CDR. Byrd, Marion Moore, USN (USNA 1927)15 December 1945 - 1 March 1947
    04CAPT. Winterhalter, Emile Reeves, USN (USNA 1927)4 October 1947 - 8 November 1948
    05CAPT. Whiting, Charles Jonathan USN (USNA 1926)8 November 1948 - 21 April 1950
    06CAPT. Farrow, Henry USN (USNA 1926)21 April 1950 - 18 October 1951
    07CAPT. Wylie, William Naylor USN (USNA 1930)18 October 1951 - 27 February 1952
    08CAPT. Wolverton, Royal Alan USN (USNA 1930)27 February 1952 - 15 July 1953
    09CAPT. Johnson, Frank Lesher USN (USNA 1930)15 July 1953 - 10 June 1954
    10CAPT. Thomas, Donald Irving USN (USNA 1932)10 June 1954 - August 1955
    11CAPT. Schade, Arnold Frederick USN (USNA 1933) :VADMAugust 1955 - June 1956
    12CAPT. Bullen Jr., Jacob Thompson USN (USNA 1934)June 1956 - 25 July 1957
    13CAPT. Thomson, James Waldle, USN (USNA 1935)25 July 1957 - July 1958
    14CAPT. Allen, Charles Vern USNJuly 1958 - May 1959
    15CAPT. Wadsworth, Victor Flemming USNMay 1959 - 21 May 1960
    16CAPT. Reese Jr., John D. USN (USNA 1937)21 May 1960 - June 1961
    17CAPT. Orser, Lynn Stanley USN (USNA 1940)June 1961 - 13 November 1962
    18CAPT. Clark, Robert William USN (USNA 1939)13 November 1962 - 9 December 1963
    19CAPT. Felter, John Frederic USN9 December 1963 - 9 November 1964
    20CAPT. Dixon, William Chalmers USN9 November 1964 - 27 January 1966
    21CAPT. Riley, John Francis (Big John) USN (USNA 1945)27 January 1966 - 24 April 1967
    22CAPT. Farmer, Roy Elden USN23 April 1967 - 4 May 1968
    23CAPT. Scott, Richard Yates USN (USNA 1945)4 May 1968 - 26 July 1969
    24CAPT. Harris, William Harold (Bill) USN :RADM26 July 1969 - 10 July 1970
    25CAPT. Cort Jr., Walter William USN (USNA 1948-A)10 July 1970 - 13 December 1970
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 20 December 2024