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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - India - Whiskey
 NTIW
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 - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Hwa Shan (PF-33)
Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort / Crosley Class High-speed Transport:
  • Laid down, 17 April 1944, as Donald W. Wolf (DE-713), a Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort, at Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City MI.
  • Launched, 22 July 1944
  • Redesignated as (APD-129) a High-speed Transport while under construction
  • Completed at Todd-Johnson Dry Dock Co. New Orleans, LA.
  • Commissioned USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129), 14 April 1945, LCDR. Stephen C. O'Rourke, in command
  • During World War II USS Donald W. Wolf was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater TransDiv One Hundred Seven, CAPT. N. E. Miller
  • Following World War II USS Donald W. Wolf was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following period:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    3 September to 21 October 19453 September to 21 October 1945

  • Decommissioned, 15 May 1946, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 March 1965
  • Transferred to the Republic of China, 3 April 1965 and renamed ROCS Hwa Shan (PF-33)
  • Final Disposition, struck by the Taiwanese Navy and broken up for scrap, date unknown
    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
    USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129)
    Donald W. Wolf 86k Donald W. Wolf (APD-129) launch postal cover, dated 22 July 1944, Bay City, MI. Paul Petosky
    Donald W. Wolf 134k Donald W. Wolf (APD-129) at Brandon Pool, Chicago, ILL., 27 February 1945, waiting transit to New Orleans for fitting out and commissioning.
    Cropped from War Department, Engineers Office, Chicago ILL. photo # 523, from the collections of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Home of the SS Cobia.    		 Larry Bohn
    Donald W. Wolf 56k USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129) at anchor, date and location unknown. Delos C. Reeds
    Donald W. Wolf 138k Chart of USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129)'s Pacific voyage, 16 August to 11 November 1945. Delos C. Reeds, courtesy Thomas W. Reeds
    ROCS Hwa Shan (PF-33)
    Donald W. Wolf 368k Ex-USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129) in Republic of Chinese (Taiwan) service as ROCS Hwa Shan (PF-33) under way in port, 1971, location unknown.
    Photo courtesy Iain G. B. Lovie.    		 Robert Hurst
    Donald W. Wolf 37k ROCS Hwa Shan (PF-33) under way off, Taiwan, in 1974.
    Photos by Karsten Petersen    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Donald W. Wolf (APD-129)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. O'Rourke, Stephen Charles14 April 1945 - 15 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
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Back To The NavSource Photo Archive Main Photo Index Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The High-speed Transport Photo (APD) Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 14 July 2017