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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
ex
 USS Harry Lee (AP-17) (1940 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Mike - Whiskey
 NIMW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (6) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Harry Lee Class Attack Transport:
  • Built in 1931 by New York Shipbuilding Corp, Camden, N.J. as SS Exochorda for the American Export Line
  • Acquired by the Navy, 30 October 1940
  • Renamed Harry Lee, and converted for naval service as a Transport at Tietjen and Lang Dry Dock Co., Hoboken, N.J.
  • Commissioned USS Harry Lee (AP-17), 27 December 1940, CAPT. Robert P. Hinrichs USN in command
  • During World War II USS Harry Lee was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Sicilian occupation
    Scoglitti, 10 to 12 July 1943     		Gilbert Islands operation
    Tarawa, 20 to 21 November 1943
      Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 5 February 1944
      Hollandia operation, 23 April 1944
      Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 to 25 July 1944
      Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 10 January 1945
      Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 3 February to 6 March 1945

  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater USS Harry Lee came under the command of
    TransRon Eleven, COMO. D. W. Loomis USN (18);
     TransDiv Thirty-One
  • Reclassified an Attack Transport (APA-10), 1 February 1943
  • Following World War II USS Harry Lee was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 12 to 18 October 1945
  • Decommissioned, 9 May 1946, at New York City
  • Laid up. 12 September 1946, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River Group, Terrytown, N.Y.,
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 20 September 1946
  • USS Harry Lee earned seven battle stars for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold to Turkey, 16 September 1947, for $320,000, removed the same day, renamed SS Tarsus
  • Final Disposition, destroyed by fire, 14 December 1960, in a three ship collision in the Bosphorus Strait
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,989 t.(lt.) 14,520 t.(lim)
    Length 475' 4"
    Beam 61' 6"
    Draft 26' 4" (lim)
    Speed 15 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 37
    Enlisted 416
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 42
    Enlisted 917
    Armament
    AP-17 - two single 6" gun mounts, one forward, one aft, two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    APA-10 - four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts, two twin 40mm AA gun mounts,
    Cargo Capacity 175,000 cu.ft.
    Fuel Capacity
    Navy Standard Fuel Oil 11,475 bbls.
    Diesel 475 bbls.
    Propulsion
    one New York Ship Building Co., Parsons design steam turbine
    four Babcock & Wilcox header type boilers 350psi 620°
    one Falk main reduction gear
    three turbo drive ships service generators, 1-320kW 120V D.C, 1-150kW 120V. D.C, 1-200kW 120V D.C.
    single shaft 7,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Harry Lee (AP-17)
    Harry Lee 157k
    Namesake

    Harry Lee was born in Washington, D.C., 4 June 1872 and was appointed second lieutenant in the Marine Corps for the war with Spain 2 August 1898. He served at the Havana Naval Station during the war and in various ships of the Navy and Marine Corps stations following it. Joining the 6th Regiment in 1917, Lee commanded It at Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, and the Argonne Forest and marched with the Army to the Rhine. After the war he commanded the Marine Brigade in Santo Domingo, sent in 1921 to pacify the country and establish constitutional government. For 3 years he served as military governor of the country. Later General Lee commanded Marine Barracks, Parris Island, and while in command of the Marine base at Quantico, Va., died 1 March 1933. For World War I service Major General Lee was awarded the Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the French Legion of Honor, and other decorations.
    Digital ID: npcc 24108 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    Harry Lee 53k Harry Lee (AP-17) at Tietjen and Lang Dry Dock Co., Hoboken, NJ, circa October-December 1940, undergoing conversion for Naval service. USS Harry Lee Web Site
    Courtesy Vincent L. Saldutti
    Harry Lee 82k USS Harry Lee (AP-17) off Puerto Rico during fleet landing exercises, 3 February 1941. She has three sets of light Navy davits on each side to handle her landing craft. An Omaha (CL-4) class cruiser is just beyond her bow.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 80-G-466191, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Heywood 91k From left to right USS William P. Biddle (AP-15), USS Heywood (AP-12), and USS Harry Lee (AP-17) underway in convoy to Iceland, circa 7 September 1941.
    US Navy photo # NH 47005, from the collection of US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Harry Lee 38k Harry Lee (AP-17) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "US Amphibious Ships and Craft," by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
    Harry Lee
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-45645    		 86k USS Harry Lee (APA-10) near New York Navy Yard, 14 May 1943, probably after receiving modifications to her armament. Her 5"/51 gun on the extreme stern has been removed and the new after twin 40mm gun mount is clearly visible above and behind the two forward 3"/50 guns.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-45645 and US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-45644, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Harry Lee
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-45643    		 83k
    Harry Lee 72k Starboard side view of USS Harry Lee (APA-10) camouflage Measure 32 Design 4T.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft" by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Harry Lee 51k USS Harry Lee (APA-10) underway, date and location unknown USS Harry Lee Biography of an Attack Transport
    Dr Steve Waszak
    Harry Lee 56k USS Harry Lee (APA-10) at Todd Shipyard, Brooklyn NY. circa. 1946 USS Harry Lee Biography of an Attack Transport
    Dr Steve Waszak
    Harry Lee 50k Oil painting of USS Harry Lee (APA-10) underway, date unknown. USS Harry Lee Web Site
    Courtesy Vincent L. Saldutti
    Painting by Jim Vannest
    Harry Lee 71k USS Harry Lee (APA-10) under way while a part of the Guam amphibious invasion force, July 1944. Photo taken from USS Ringgold (DD-500), Dwight Spayth collection. John Chiquoine
    USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Hinrichs, Robert Paul, USN (USNA 1911)27 December 1940 - 1 December 1941AP-17
    02*CAPT. Whitfield, James Walter, USN (USNA 1918) :RADM1 December 1941 - 24 October 1942AP-17
    03CAPT. Loomis, Donald Wood, USN (USNA 1918)24 October 1942 - 2 April 1943AP-17 . APA-10
    04CDR. Pomeroy, Joseph George, USNR2 April 1943 - 12 February 1945APA-10
    05CAPT. Agnew, Dwight Merle, USN (USNA 1926) :RADM12 February 1945 - 10 January 1946APA-10
    06CAPT. Shipee, Burlson Dwight, USNR10 January 1946 - 9 May 1946APA-10
    *Captain Whitfield was CO, USS Harry Lee AP-17, later APA-10. As the ship prepared to participate in Operation Torch (North African Landings) she suffered a major engineering casualty on 22 October 1942. Captain Whitfield, his officers, boat crews and landing craft transferred to the newly commissioned Calvert and participated in the operation.
    Courtesy CAPT. Tom Glickman USN Ret. / Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Harry Lee (APA-10)
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Transport (AP) Photo Index Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 2 June 2017