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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Callaway (APA-35)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Victor - Bravo NYVB

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom. left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 8 January 1945)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - 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 (2)
Individual Awards

Silver Star (S1/c Rollin A. Fritch, USCGR) - Purple Hearts (initially reported as 29 KIA-killed in action, 22 WIA-wounded in action, 8 January 1945 (2 WIA's later died, changing final numbers to 31-KIA and 20-WIA)

USS Callaway (APA-35) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II

Bayfield Class Attack Transport:

Laid down, 10 June 1942, as SS Sea Mink, a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 270) at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA.

Launched, 10 October 1942

Assigned to the Navy as Naval Transport, (AP-80)

Redesigned Attack Transport (APA-35)

Acquired by the Navy and placed in reduced commission, 24 April 1943, LCDR Hans B. Olsen, USNR, (APA Ferry Crew #2), in command

Decommissioned, 28 May 1943, at her conversion yard

Commissioned USS Callaway (APA-35), 11 September 1943, CAPT. Donald C. McNeil, USCG, in command

During WWII USS Callaway was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Eleven (flagship), COMO. D. W. Loomis USN (18)
TransDiv Thirty-Three, CAPT. S. M. Haight USN (18) and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944	Leyte operation Leyte landings, 22 October 1944
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June 1944	Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings, 8 January 1945
Western Caroline Islands operations Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands - Angaur, 17 September 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, February 1945

Following World War II USS Callaway was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 7 September to 1 October 1945

Decommissioned, 10 May 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1946

USS Callaway earned six battle stars for World War II service

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 12 September 1946, at the Hudson River National Defense Reserve Fleet for disposal

Merchant Service

Transferred without cost to American President Lines, 23 October 1948, at Mobile, AL., renamed SS President Harrison

Renamed SS President Fillmore in March 1966

Sold to Waterman Steamship Co., 19 July 1968, renamed SS Hurricane

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 30 March 1974, to Dah Yung Steel Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

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

41 Officers

537 Enlisted

Flag Accommodation

43 Officers

108 Enlisted

Troop Accommodation

91 Officers

1,574 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
USS Callaway (APA-35)
	29k	*USS Callaway* (APA-35)** at anchor, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 32/16D.	Russ Padden and Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	117k		Russ Padden and Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	154k	*USS Callaway* (APA-35)** at anchor, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 32/16D.	Brian Miller
	105k	*USS Callaway* (APA-35) off the New York Navy Yard, 18 September 1943. Callaway*is loading supplies from a civilian barge. Also alongside is the tug handling the barge and two Coast Guard motor boats. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-51448*, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
100303509	1069k	A Japanese dive bomber attacks *USS Callaway* (APA-35), 8 January 1945, off the coast of Luzon. The ship suffered a direct bomb hit immediately forward of the stack. Nearly 50 of the Coast Guard crew were casualties. Callaway continued on to unload troops on the Luzon beachhead, patched her wounds, and soon was made ready for new action against the Japanese. Luzon was the Callaway*'s sixth amphibious invasion operation. US National Archives identifier 205585681, Local Identifier 26-G-4105*, US Coast Guard Photo # 26-G-4105.	David Upton
100303510	371k	Farewell to shipmate killed when a Japanese bomb stuck *USS Callaway* (APA-35) during an air attack off Luzon, 8 January 1945. A Coast Guardsman rests in the folds of the American flag, awaiting burial at sea. A shipmate kneels and bows his head in grief. Others stand in silence. There is no greater loss than that of a comrade-in-arms. Callaway** went on to participate in the invasion of Luzon. US National Archives identifier 205585699, Local Identifier 26-G-3925, US Coast Guard Photo # 26-G-3925.	David Upton
100303511	465k	The bodies of *USS Callaway* (APA-35) sailors who lost their files in the Japanese bomb attack, 8 January 1945, are shrouded in canvas as they await burial at aea. They were killed when Callaway** was hit in her superstructure during a Japanese bomber attack off Luzon on 8 January 1945. US National Archives identifier 205585696, Local Identifier 26-G-3920, US Coast Guard Photo # 26-G-3920.	David Upton
Merchant Service USA Waterman SS. Corp.
	111k	Ex-Callaway (APA-35) in merchant service as the Waterman Steamship Corp. vessel SS Hurricane working cargo at Bremerhaven, Germany in March 1972.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	74k	SS Hurricane working cargo at Bremerhaven, Germany in March 1972.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	57k	SS Hurricane working cargo at Bremerhaven, Germany in March 1972.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus

USS Callaway (APA-35)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
	LCDR, Olsen, Hans Bernard, USNR	1 May 1943 - 28 May 1943 (APA Ferry Crew #2)
	Decommissioned	28 May 1943 - 11 September 1943
01	CAPT. McNeil, Donald Carrol, USCG	11 September 1943 - 16 June 1945
02	CDR. Betzmer, Henry James, USCG	16 June 1945 - 10 May 1946


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
Navy Yard New York Bayfield Class APA Conversion Model

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 7 May 2021

FRITCH, ROLLIN ARNOLD Citation: "The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Rollin Arnold Fritch (00534391), Seaman First Class, U.S. Coast Guard (Reserve), for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a member of gun crew serving on board the U.S.S. CALLAWAY (APA-35) in action against the Japanese in Pacific waters on 8 January 1945. Manning his station aggressively when the vessel was attacked by a Japanese suicide plane, Seaman First Class Fritch unhesitatingly relinquished all chance of escape as the plane plunged toward the target and remaining steadfastly at his gun, continued to direct his fire with unrelenting fury upon the enemy until carried away with his weapon by the terrific impact. With indomitable fighting spirit and unyielding devotion to duty in the valiant defense of his ship Seaman First Class Fritch gallantly gave his life for his country.? Authority: U.S. Coast Guard Book of Valor and Supplements Home of Record: Pawnee City, Nebraska