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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Raymon W. Herndon (APD-121)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Charlie - Kilo
 NHCK
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)

USS Raymon W. Herndon (APD-121) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROC Heng Shan
Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort / Crosley Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 12 June 1944, as Raymon W. Herndon (DE-688), a Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort, at Bethlehem Steel Co. Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 15 July 1944
  • Redesignated a High-speed Transport, 17 July 1944
  • Commissioned USS Raymon W. Herndon (APD-121), 1 November 1944, LCDR. Samuel E. Hale, USNR, in command
  • During WWII USS Raymon W. Herndon was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater TransDiv One Hundred Three, CDR. W. S. Parsons, USN and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 19 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Raymon W. Herndon was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    6 to 12 September 194517 December 1945 to 14 April 1946
    24 September to 16 December 1945 

  • Decommissioned, 15 November 1946, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Transferred to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk Group in April 1963
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1966
  • Sold to Taiwan under the Military Assistance Program in October 1966, renamed ROC Heng Shan
  • Final Disposition, struck by the Taiwanese Navy and broken up for scrap, date unknown
  • USS Raymon W. Herndon earned one battle star for World War II service
    APD Specifications:
    Displacement 1,630 t.(lt) 2,130 t.(fl)
    Length 306' ovl.
    Beam 37'
    Draft 12' 7" (limiting)
    Speed 23.6 kts. (trial)
    Range 6,000 nautical miles at 12 kts.
    Complement
    12 Officers
    192 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    12 Officers
    150 Enlisted
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Boats four LCVP landing craft
    Troop Accoutrements
    six 1/4 ton trucks
    two 1 ton trucks
    four ammunition carts
    four pack howitzers
    Storage
    Ammunition 6,000 cu. ft.
    General Cargo 3,500 cu. ft.
    Gasoline 1,000 cu. ft.
    Armament
    one 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40 mm gun mounts
    six single 20 mm gun mounts
    two depth charge tracks
    Propulsion
    two Babcox and Wilcox "D" Express type boilers, 435 PSI 750°
    two General Electric turbines, (turbo-electric drive) Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 300Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 40Kw 120V D.C.
    two shafts, shaft horsepower 12,000
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Raymon W. Herndon 268k Overhead view of USS Raymon W. Herndon (APD-121) under way, 14 April 1944, off the coast of New England. Photo by Naval Air Station Squantum, MA.
    Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 92057. Courtesy of John C. Reilly, Jr.    		 Mike Green
    Raymon W. Herndon
    100412103    		 322k USS Raymon W. Herndon (APD-121) under way, circa 1944-1945. She is painted in a Camouflage Measure 31 or 32 pattern.
    Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # NH 67849.    		 Mike Smolinski and
    Mike Green
    Raymon W. Herndon 139k While being transferred from Green Cove Springs Reserve Group to the Norfolk Reserve Group in April 1963 ex-USS Raymon W. Herndon (APD-121) made a brief stopover at Naval Station Charleston S.C. and there Mrs. Lee Herndon, the mother of the ship's name sake Marine PFC Raymon W. Herndon visited the ship and received the ships colors, nameplate and a photo of her son from Officer in Charge LTjg. J.W. Scott.
    Photo from "Navy Times" of 10 April 1963.    		 Ron Reeves
    USS Raymon W. Herndon (APD-121)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Hale, Samuel Elijah, USNR3 November 1944 - March 1946
    02LTjg. Sherwood Jr., H. M., USNRMarch 1946 - 1 September 1946
    03LTjg. Van Vleck, Marvin Earl, USNR1 September 1946 - 15 November 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Navy Cross Citation for Private First Class Raymon W. Herndon , United States Marine Corps
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Destroyer Escort (DE) Photo Index Back To The High-speed Transport
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 10 April 2020