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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by George Mc Leer

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Amphion (AR-13)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Yankee - November NUYN

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Dominican Republic, 1-Lebanon)

USS Amphion was transferred to Iran and renamed Chah Bahar (A 441)

Amphion Class Repair Ship:

Laid down, 20 September 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C3) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract, at Tampa Bay Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, FL.

Launched, 15 May 1945

Commissioned USS Amphion (AR-13), 30 January 1946, CAPT. Noble W. Abrahams USN in command

Decommissioned, 2 October 1971 and turned over to Iran the same day, renamed Chah Bahar (A 441)

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 March 1977 and sold outright to Iran, 1 March 1977

Final Disposition, sunk at her berth in Bandar Abbas, Iran, date unknown, fate unknown

Specifications:
Displacement 7,826 t.(lt) 16,900 t.(lim)
Length 492'
Beam 69' 6"
Draft 27' 6"
Speed 16.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 67

Enlisted 854

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 16,205 Bbls

Diesel 3,575 Bbls

Propulsion

on Westinghouse Curtiss design steam turbine

two Foster and Wheeler D-type boilers, 435psi 740°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears

Ship's Service Generators

four turbo-drive 750Kw 450V A.C.

two turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.

single propeller, 8,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS Amphion (AR-13)
09251311	60k	*Namesake* Amphion Builds Walls of Thebes - Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770) Amphion was a legendary king of Thebes in Greek mythology. A son of Zeus, Amphion would initially rule Thebes alongside his twin brother Zethus, but more famously, Amphion was married to Niobe, and was thus father of the Niobids	Tommy Trampp
	119k	Amphion (AR-13) fitting out at Tampa Bay Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, FL., 4 January 1946, about two weeks before commissioning on 20 January 1946. US National Archives. Photo # unknown, RG-19-LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	89k	Amphion (AR-13) under way during builder's trials near Tampa, FL., 15 January 1946, five days prior to commissioning on 20 January 1946. US National Archives. Photo # 80-G-36143, RG-19-LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
09251314	528k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** underway, circa 1950s, location unknown. Note the vehicle topside aft. Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	107k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** underway, date and location unknown.	Submitted by Jim Young for Sam Waddington, MR2, USS Amphion 1959-1962
09251313	99k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** underway, circa 1960s, location unknown. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 107755	Robert Hurst
	29k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** riding at anchor in the harbor at Kingston, Jamaica, February 1964. US Navy photo # NH 96656 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	105k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** moored pierside at the "Army Piers" (Norfolk International Terminal), Norfolk, VA. in February 1966.	George Mc Leer USS Amphion 1966 - 68, R-4 Div Electronics Repair Shop
	127k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** underway off Hampton Roads, VA., 7 November 1969. The ship has lost her forward 5"/38 gun, and the small deckhouse near the bow has been greatly enlarged. US Navy photo # K-79354 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command.	Robert Hurst
	85k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
09251312	286k	*USS Amphion* (AR-13)** underway off Norfolk, VA., date unknown. ©Nobe Smith	Nicholas Tiberio

Additional Ships Patches and Plaques
Contributed by Mike Smolinski and Bob Roske USS Amphion 1968	Contributed by George Mc Leer USS Amphion 1966-68 R-4 Div Electronic Repair

USS Amphion (AR-13)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Abrahams, Nobel Wayne, USN (USNA 1924)	30 January 1946 - August 1947
02	CAPT. O'Brien, William John, USN (USNA 1925)	August 1947 - September 1948
03	CAPT. MacKerracher, Robert Archibald, USN (USNA 1923)	September 1948 - June 1949
04	CAPT. Kime, Frederick Donald, USN (USNA 1921A)	June 1949 - July 1950
05	CAPT. McMillian, Douthey Gear, USN (USNA 1926)	July 1950 - October 1951
06	CAPT. Johnson, Francis Joseph, USN (USNA 1929)	October 1951 - July 1952
07	CAPT. Peters Jr., Francis Marion, USN (USNA 1931)	July 1952 - August 1953
08	CAPT. Blaisdell, Norman Earl (Toots), USN (USNA 1932)	August 1953 - July 1954
09	CAPT. Esslinger, Robert John, USN (USNA 1930)	July 1954 - 12 January 1956
10	CAPT. Lucas, Albert Davis, USN (USNA 1929)	12 January 1956 - 30 January 1957
11	CAPT. Morland, John Benjamin, USN (USNA 1934)	30 January 1957 - 14 April 1958
12	CAPT. Philips, Robert Alonzo, USN (USNA 1935)	14 April 1958 - 25 June 1959
13	CAPT. Miller, Herman Edward, USN (USNA 1938)	25 June 1959 - 22 July 1960
14	CAPT. Rommel, Jr., Herbert Fox, USN	22 July 1960 - 3 August 1961 Concurrently CO Haydes (AF-28)9 January 1961 - 8 March 1961
15	CAPT. Richardson, George Floyd, USN (USNA 1938)	3 August 1961 - 30 April1962
16	CAPT. Crawford, Jr., John William, USN	30 April 1962 - 8 July 1963
17	CAPT. Reed, Dale Calvin, USN (USNA 1942)	8 July 1963 - 7 August 1964
18	CAPT. Shaw, Claude Bufford, USN (USNA 1942)	7 August 1964 - 23 June 1965
19	CAPT. Hydinger, Marlin Claude, USN	23 June 1965 - 15 July 1966
20	CAPT. Wilson, Walter Kenneth, USN (USNA 1943)	15 July 1966 - 25 May 1968
21	CAPT. Thompson, Bruce Robert, USN	25 May 1968 - 1 October 1969
22	CAPT. Thomson, Alexander Dingwall, USN (USNA 1949)	1 October 1969 - 7 June 1971
23	CDR. Rivers, John Bentley, USN	7 June 1971 - 2 October 1971


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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Last Updated 22 August 2025