U S NAVY 4th FLEET AT RECIFE - SHIP INDEX ATF ATR AV AVD AVP

6)AVD 8 BELKNAP

Photo www.navsource.org   by Paul Rebold - Robert Hurst

CLASS - CLEMSON As Built.

Displacement 1,215 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)

Armament 4 x 4"/50, 1 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..

Machinery, 26,500 SHP; Curtis Turbines, 2 screws

Speed, 35 Knots

Crew 114

During 1940 Belknap was converted into a seaplane tender ( reclassified AVD-8, 2 August 1940) and recommissioned 22 November 1940. She was assigned to Patrol Wing 5 at Hamilton, Bermuda, and remained there until early 1941 when she returned to Newport, R. I. Between May and September 1941 she made three voyages from Newport to Newfoundland and Iceland. She remained at Reykjavik, Iceland, during September 1941 May 1942 and then went to Charleston Navy Yard for an extensive overhaul From August 1942 to January 1943 she patrolled in the Caribbean and between February 1943 and January 1944 she served with Bogue (CVE-9), Croatan ( CVE-25), and Core ( CVE-13) hunter-killer groups in the Atlantic.

Reclassified DD-251, 14 November 1943, Belknap received the Presidential Unit Citation for her service with TG 21.12 (Bogue group), 20 April-20 June 1943. Following convoy duty along the east and Gulf coasts (February-June 1944), Belknap underwent conversion into a high speed transport (reclassified APD-34, 22 June 1944). Damaged beyond repair by Kamikaze in Lingayen Gulf January 11 1945. Decommissioned August 4 1945.7 of her crew were lost and remain on duty.

Photo. www.navsource.org CWO3 Curt Clark, USN Ret.

Secretary/Treasurer American APD Corporation

DANFS  DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS

FOLLOWING PAGES ON THE SAME ARTICLE

5)AVD 4 CLEMSON

7)AVD 13 GREENE

8)AVP 1 LAPWING

9)AVP 3 THRUSH