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

Decal at left contributed by Wolfgang Hechler, Patches center and right contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Bayfield (APA-33)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Uniform - Quebec
NYUQ

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 - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (5) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits, Quemoy-Matsu, Cuba, Vietnam)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (3)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

USS Bayfield (APA-33) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II

Bayfield Class Transport:

Laid down, 14 November 1942, as SS Sea Bass a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 275) at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA.

Assigned to the Navy as Naval Transport (AP-78)

Redesignated Attack Transport (APA-33), 1 February 1943

Launched, 15 February 1943

Acquired by the Navy, 30 June 1943, placed in reduced commission and renamed Bayfield, CDR. Elias M. Doar Jr., USNR (APA Ferry Crew # 3) in command

Decommissioned, 29 July 1943, Atlantic Basic Iron Works, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Placed in full commission, 20 November 1943 as USS Bayfield (APA-33), CAPT. Lyndon Spencer, USCG, in command

During World War II USS Bayfield (APA-33) was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters and participated in the following campaigns:

Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns	Asiatic-Pacific CampaignsCampaign and Dates
Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 1 March 1945
Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 7 April 1945

While serving in the the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II USS Bayfield was assigned to:
TransRon Fifteen, (flagship) CAPT. W. S. Popham USN (14);
TransDiv Forty-Three

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

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
20 to 30 September 1945	21 July 1947 to 2 March 1948
19 to 23 November 1945	29 November 1948 to 30 March 1949
16 to 21 January 1946

USS Bayfield (APA-33) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.3.1 Transportation Group (Transportation Division (TRANSDIV 31) for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946

During the Korean War USS Bayfield (APA-33) participated the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War
North Korean Aggression, 21 September to 2 November 1950	Second Korean Winter, 19 to 23 April 1952
Communist China Aggression, 3 to 29 December 1950	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952, 17 to 18 October 1952
First UN Counter Offensive, 26 February to 7 March 1951

During the Vietnam War USS Bayfield (APA-33) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 30 May to 12 June 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase II 2 to 16 February 1967 28 February to 10 March 1967 19 April 1967 25 April to 29 May 1967
Vietnam Defense 4 to 9 July 1965 18 to 28 August 1965 31 August to 10 September 1965 22 to 26 October 1965

Decommissioned, 28 June 1968, at Long Beach, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1968

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 September 1969, to Levin Metals, San Pedro, CA.

USS Bayfield earned four battle stars for World War II service, five battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with two campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement 8,100 t.(lt), 16,100 t.(fl)
Length 492'
Beam 69' 6"
Draft 23' 3" (lim)
Speed 18.4 kts (trial)

Complement

51 Officers

524 Enlisted

Flag Accommodation

43 Officers

108 Enlisted

Troop Accommodation

80 Officers

1,146 Enlisted

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity 4,700 DWT

non-refrigerated 200,000 Cu. ft.

Boats

12 LCVP

4 LCM (Mk-6)

3 LCP(L) (MK-IV)

Armament

two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, one fore and one aft

two quad 1.1" gun mounts, aft port and starboard, replaced by two single 40mm AA gun mounts

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 8,510 Bbls

Diesel 750 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric geared turbine

two Combustion Engineering D-type boilers, 465psi 765°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gears

three turbo-drive 250Kw 240V D.C.

single propeller, 8,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	82k	*Namesake* Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield was truly a remarkable man. For almost forty years, Admiral Bayfield worked as a Royal Navy Surveyor in Canada. In the 1800s, Canadian charts were still developed under the direction of the British Admiralty. Bayfield's contribution to Canadian hydrography included approximately 114 charts out of the 215 Admiralty Charts which were issued of Canadian waters. The total attributed to Bayfield is some 53% of the charts produced until 1867! He started working on hydrographic surveys at the age of 11. He first saw Canada in 1810 at the age of 15. He began his hydrographic surveying career in 1816. By 1822, at the age of 27, Bayfield had completed the first hydrographic survey of Lake Huron. The next year he continued his work on Lake Superior, which at that time was unknown to everyone except the native Indians. Admiral Bayfield is also known as the hydrographer who started charting the St. Lawrence River in 1827 and continued for many years. In his opinion, "there were no other parts of the world in which more boat accidents occurred." By it's name the city of Bayfield honors Admiral Henry Bayfield who prepared charts of Chequamegon Bay area from 1823-1825. Bayfield had it's start in 1856 when Henry Rice began the Bayfield Land Company. A county in northwestern Wisconsin. Established on 19 February 1845 as LaPointe County, it was renamed on 12 April 1866 to honor Admiral Henry W. Bayfield, an officer of the Royal Navy who came to Canada during the War of 1812 and, following the return of peace, remained in the New World to survey the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, and the coast of Labrador. Photo courtesy of Bayfield, Wisconsin	Bill Gonyo
	164k	SS Sea Bass (USMC hull 275) bow view, 5 December 1942 on the building ways at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA. Western Pipe and Steel photo by Stroupe.	Tommy Trampp
100303356	459k	Launching of Bayfield (APA-33) at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA., 15 February 1943 Western Pipe and Steel Co. photo	Dale Hargrave
	129k	Bow and stern view of SS Sea Bass, at the outfitting dock, Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA., 2 March 1943 Western Pipe and Steel photos by Stroupe.	Tommy Trampp
	123k		Tommy Trampp
	85k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** off New York Navy Yard, 21 November 1943. The additional command facilities that allowed the ships of this part of her class to serve as Relief AGCs (the two additional deckhouses aft of the stack) were fitted to all of them during their conversion to APAs. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-55818 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	60k	Stern view of *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** off New York Navy Yard, 21 November 1943. US Navy photo # NH 99241 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Robert Hurst
	157	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** flagship for the "Utah" Beach landings, lowers LCVPs for the assault, 6 June 1944. USS LST-346 is partially visible beyond *Bayfield's stern, and USS Nevada* (BB-36)** is in the far right distance. US National Archives photo # 80-G-252377 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	77k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** flagship for the "Utah" Beach landings, loading landing craft on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. US National Archives photo # 80-G-252391 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	US Naval History and Heritage Command
100303359	131k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** in the transport area off Iwo Jima, 20 february 1945. Frames from a short film called "Amphibious Invasion of Iwo Jima, H-Hour Minus One". Dept. of the Navy. National Archives ID 80201, Local ID 428-NPC-15841.	David Upton
100303360	129k
100303361	147k
	58k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at anchor off the invasion beaches at Iwo Jima, circa February 1945. USS LSM-59, with bow doors open, is under way crossing the bow of *Bayfield. At the time of the invasion of Iwo Jima Bayfield* was painted camouflage Measure 32 Design 3D.	John M. Cason for his father Ens. Charles E. Cason, USNR USS LSM-59, 1945.
	114k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at anchor off the Iwo Jima beachhead while taking aboard wounded Marines, circa April 1945. US Coast Guard photo # 215-10	Tommy Trampp
100303362	220k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay, circa July 1945 US Navy photo from Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	238k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** moored pierside at Tsingtao, China, circa July 1947 - March 1948.	Kathleen (Kowalski) Bennett
	69k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at anchor on the Whangpoo River at Shanghai, China in 1947. Photo by Don Swanson HMS Sussex.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	109k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** moored pierside late 1940s - early 1950s, location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	101k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33) at Charleston, S.C., 4 January 1950. Bayfield** is proceeding to Pier D-5 at the Charleston Naval Shipyard to embark troops of the Third Division, from Fort Benning, GA., to participate in Operation "Protrex". US Navy photo # NH 99242 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Bill Gonyo and Robert Hurst
	102k	U.S. Marines boarding *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at Hungnam, for transportation out of North Korea. Note details of the Marines' packs. Man at left is carrying a Russian Mosin-Nagant carbine in addition to his M1. This photograph was released by Commander, Naval Forces Far East, under date of 20 December 1950. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 97060.	Robert Hurst
	84k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at anchor, location unknown, 6 February 1952. US Navy photo # NH 99242 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	57k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** moored pierside at Otaru, Japan in 1952.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	166k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at anchor while offloading a jeep into a LCM in 1952. The original picture caption, released by the Public Information Office of Commander Naval Forces, Far East under date of 27 October 1952, reads: "Operation decoy's Preparation ---- A jeep is lowered into an awaiting LCM during pre-operation Decoy exercises. In the Operation UN forces sailed to the beaches of Kojo, North Korea, and brought out enemy troops so that the Naval surface artillery, combined with Marine, Air Force and Navy air units could smash them". US Navy photo # NH 99244 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	Robert Hurst
	94k	During Operation "Passage to Freedom" four crewmen display a welcoming banner for Vietnamese refugees coming on board *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** for passage to Saigon, Indochina, from Haiphong, 3 September 1954. US National Archives photo # 80-G-709239, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Bill Gonyo
	132k	Vietnamese refugees receive food on board *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** while en route to Saigon, Indochina, from Haiphong, 3-7 September 1954. US National Archives photo # 80-G-652318, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Bill Gonyo
	132k	A *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** crewmen rations out water for Vietnamese refugees during their journey to Saigon, Indochina, from Haiphong, 3-7 September 1954. US National Archives photo # 80-G-709244, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Bill Gonyo
	120k	Vietnamese refugee children coax for candy, while en route from Haiphong to Saigon, Indochina, on board *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)*, 3-7 September 1954, during Operation "Passage to Freedom", 1954-1955. US National Archives. Photo # 80-G-646775*, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	93k	A young Vietnamese refugee lends a helping hand to a sailor chipping paint on board *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)*, while enroute from Haiphong to Saigon, Indochina, 7 September 1954. Note aviators' oxygen bottle at left. US National Archives. Photo # 80-G-644528*, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	134k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** docks at Saigon, Indochina, to offload refugees following a trip from Haiphong, 7 September 1954, during Operation "Passage to Freedom". US National Archives. Photo # 80-G-644529, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	120k	Each holding a package of rice and fish, Vietnamese refugees leave *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** at Saigon, Indochina, after a trip from Haiphong, 7 September 1954, during Operation "Passage to Freedom". US National Archives. Photo # 80-G-646776, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	590k	Loading family automobiles aboard *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** during a change of homeport from Pearl Harbor to Long Beach in 1954. US Navy photo.	Rick Connole for his step-father RADM Roy S. Benson USN Ret. CO 1953-54 USS Bayfield
	549k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** officers wives gather in the wardroom for a group photo during passage to Long Beach from Pearl Harbor 1954. US Navy photo.	Rick Connole for his step-father RADM Roy S. Benson USN Ret. CO 1953-54 USS Bayfield
	755k	CAPT Roy S. Benson CO of *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** with his wife Vida and step-son Rick Connole in 1954. US Navy photo.	Rick Connole for his step-father RADM Roy S. Benson USN Ret. CO 1953-54 USS Bayfield
	900k	Newspaper photos of *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)'s families aboard for their homeport change from Pearl Harbor to Long Beach in 1954. The trip also included members of Marine Fight Squadron VMF-235** and their families. US Navy photo.	Rick Connole for his step-father RADM Roy S. Benson USN Ret. CO 1953-54 USS Bayfield
	715k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** under way off San Diego, CA. in 1954.	Rick Connole for his step-father RADM Roy S. Benson USN Ret. CO 1953-54 USS Bayfield
	354k
	716k	CAPT. P.D. Quick relieves CAPT Roy S. Benson of command of *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** 1954. US Navy photo.	Rick Connole for his step-father RADM Roy S. Benson USN Ret. CO 1953-54 USS Bayfield
	30k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** stands by, 26 March 1955, as her boats rescue survivors from a ditched Pan American Airlines plane. At left smoke drifts from a flare set off by one of the rafts. Nineteen of the twenty-three people aboard the Honolulu bound plane were saved. US Coast Guard photos.	Tommy Trampp and Ron Reeves
	57k
	91k
	29	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** under way, date and location unknown.	Ken Laesser
	25k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** looking from the Port Services building Naval Station Long Beach, CA., pier 9. She looks to be outboard of an AO by the stack location aft of the Bayfield.	Ronald W. Lambe RM1, 1962-69 USS The Sullivan's 1962-63, USS Brownson 1966-67
	80k	Relative visit crew members of *USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** before she sailed from Long Beach on 27 April 1964 for an undisclosed location. (AP Wirephoto)	Tommy Trampp
	95k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** in the Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal, 5 December 1962. US Navy photo # NH 99156 by Joyl O. Fox from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Robert Hurst
	69k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33), third ship in line, about 100 miles away from Hawaii, while en route to Oahu with other amphibious ships to participate in exercise "Dull Knife" in July 1963. In the foreground is USS Talladega (APA-208) and next is USS Renville (APA-227)*. US Navy photo # NH 96820* from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Robert Hurst
	549k	*USS Taluga* (AO-62) refueling USS Bayfield (APA-33)** in WestPac, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret)
	57k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** moored pierside at Pearl Harbor in 1968.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
100303358	57k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** underway, outbound to sea from San Diego, CA., date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
	180k	*USS Bayfield* (APA-33)** list of service	Steve Dietrich, USS Roark and USS Virginia, Plank-owner

For more photos and information about USS Bayfield, see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
MARAD Vessel History Database
USS Bayfield Association
Navy Yard New York Bayfield Class APA Conversion Model
1954 Welcome Aboard pamphlet
USNI "Reminiscences of RADM Roy S Benson, Vol II", pages 479 - 502, CO USS Bayfield 1953-54

Commanding Officers
	CDR. Doar Jr., Elias Martin, USNR	30 June 1943 - 29 July 1943
	Decommissioned	29 July 1943 - 20 November 1943
01	CAPT. Spencer, Lyndon, USCG :VADM	20 November 1943 - 5 September 1944
02	CDR. Littlefield, Gordon Athorn, USCG :RADM	5 September 1944 - 27 September 1944
03	CAPT. Richards, Walter Raymond, USCG	27 September 1944 - 8 March 1946
04	CAPT. Landstreet, James Collins, USN (USNA 1924)	8 March 1946 - 3 July 1947
05	CAPT. Cutler, Shirley Youngs, USN (USNA 1924)	3 July 1947 - 22 July 1948
06	CAPT. Crombe Jr., Charles Edward, USN (USNA 1926)	22 July 1948 - 10 July 1949
07	CAPT. Goulett, Wilfred Bradley, USN (USNA 1925)	10 July 1949 - July 1950
08	CAPT. Ferrall, William Edward :RADM	July 1950 - May 1951
09	CDR. Granstrom, Donald Martin, USN	May 1951 - July 1952
10	CAPT. Lidstone, Nicholas Adair :RADM	July 1952 - September 1953
11	CAPT. Benson, Roy Stanley :RADM	September 1953 - July 1954
12	CAPT. Quirk, Philip Decatur	July 1954 - 1955
13	CAPT. Wheland, Karl Raymond, USN (USNA 1931)	1955 - 1956
14	CAPT. Nash, David	1956 - 3 March 1958
15	CAPT. Thompson Jr., William Calhoun, USN (1935)	3 March 1958 - 1959
16	CAPT. Ferrara, Maurice	1959 - 1960
17	CAPT. McCrory, Woodrow Wilson :RADM	1960 - 10 July 1961
18	CAPT. Kaye, John Brayshaw	10 July 1961 - 8 September 1962
19	CAPT. Hitchcock, John Henderson	8 September 1962 - 25 November 1963
20	CAPT. Darby, Lowel Edwin	25 November 1963 - November 1964
21	CAPT. Iarrobino, John Henry, USN	November 1964 - 20 December 1965
22	CAPT. Nash, Norman Clarke, USN (USNA 1942)	20 December 1965 - 18 March 1967
23	CAPT. Even, Glen Mark, USN	18 March 1967 - 21 November 1967
24	LCDR. Reioux, Lewis Edward, USN	21 November 1967 - 5 June 1968
25	LT. Makowski, Walter Frank, USN	5 June 1968 - 28 June 1968


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Auxiliary and Miscellaneous Ship Type Index

Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index

Back To The Transport (AP) Photo Index

Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 14 June 2024