Salute to USS Telfair
APA-210

USS Telfair 19th Annual Reunion 

2009 REUNION INFORMATION

 PLACE:       Savannah, Georgia
Dates:          October 1 - 6, 2009
Registration: October 1,2009
Depart:        October 6, 2009
Reunion Agenda will be posted at a later date.
Hotel:            Undecided at this time.
For further information, contact John Tonyes at flfox1@juno.com, Home Ph:
765 643 1060 Cel Ph. 863 640 3885
Host for 2009 Reunion:  Lee & Betty Sue Vincent.
                               

Don't miss the ship!! 

John was aboard the ship from 53 thru 54.

To contact John Tonyes, click [HERE].

or Call

(Home) 1 765 643-1060 / (Cell) 863 640-3885

Complete Cruise books

Complete Cruise Book for 1962  Cruise   Click  [HERE]

Complete Cruise Book for 65-66 Cruise   Click  [HERE]

 Complete Cruise Book for 66-67 Cruise   Click  [HERE]

USS Telfair (APA-210)

In her later years, she was affectionately referred to
 as the "Tremblin T" by crewmembers
 because of a shaft vibration at high speeds.

Photo of USS Telfair taken in Oct 1964 by Jim McCoy. 
(Jim was on USS Rigel AF-58)

"AD OMNIA PARATA"
Prepared For Everything

Another Telfair patch from the 50's sent by Ed Rant.
click  [HERE]  to see the patch and read Ed's Email.

Radio Call Letters
NISC

Call Sign: Imperial Foxtrot

When on the West Coast during Korean War, her Call Letters were:

NPPH

Call Sign: Dipper Victor

US Attack Transport APA-210

U. S. S. Telfair

Haskell Class Attack Transport

built by

Permanete Metals Corp.
Richmond, CA
Keel Laid 30 May, 1944
Launched 30 Aug, 1944
Commissioned 31 Oct, 1944
Decommissioned 31, Oct, 1968

Ships History

RM  Bill Wedge (51-55) has provided a copy of the ships history from 
"American Naval Fighting Ships" Volume VII, pages 81-82)  

It can be viewed by clicking [HERE].

Departed Shipmates Click [Here]

Includes people that have contacted me, riders, contractors, troops,
anyone ever associated with USS Telfair.

(This list will be updated with latest contacts in the near future).

During World War II and the Korean conflict, TELFAIR won the following awards and ribbons.

The Asiatic-Pacific with 1 star
World War II Victory Ribbon
Naval Occupation Medal
China Service Medal
National Defense Ribbon
Korean Service Ribbon with 3 stars
United Nations Ribbon
Korean Presidential Unit Citation

The TELFAIR was placed out of commission in February 1958. On 1 September 1961 she returned to reactivation. On 22 November 1961, she was recommissioned under the command of Captain E. M. Higgins, USN and was ordered to report to the ATLANTIC FLEET upon completion of underway training in San Diego, California.

The Ship passed through the Panama Canal on 1 February and arrived in her new home port Norfolk, Virginia on 6 February 1962.

TELFAIR's years in the Atlantic Fleet included four deployments to the Mediterranean, one deployment to the Caribbean and visits to every major seaport from Boston to Fort Lauderdale while conducting East Coast operations.

On 9 August 1968, Commander Fletcher H. Shaw, USN, relieved Captain Newton H. Morgan, USN, as Commanding Officer.

On 31 October 1968, TELFAIR was decommissioned.
The text above was taken from the Decommissioning Program. TELFAIR was decommissioned as LPA-210 at the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia.

Excerpt from email that came with this photograph.

The picture was taken by me somewhere in the Atlantic from the
"Monrovia" APA-31, I was with BLT 3/2 at the time on LANDFORMED 3-65
attached to Amphibious Squadron 10.......

Semper Fi! Vic.
Thanks for the photograph Vic

At the time of decommissioning, Telfair held Five Assault Boat Awards, Three Operations Green "E's", Two Communications Green "C's", and Two Engineering Red "E's". Although I was already in training to go aboard Fast Attack Submarines, I attended the decommissioning (funeral) of USS Telfair as a crew member.

The last time I saw Telfair, she was sharing a pier with USS Triton (SSN 586) at the Inactive Ships Facility, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. She was drawing 8 feet forward and was being taken away by the truck load. Telfair was transferred to the Maritime Administration on 26 June 1969, then sold to Boston Metals Company in Baltimore for "Non Industrial Scrap". Telfair's last voyage at sea began at 1825 Z on 14 July 1969, when the Curtis Bay Towing Company towed her to Baltimore for final disposition....

Statistics

Another fact of interest, the USS Telfair and crew starred in the movie, "Francis In The Navy"  with Donald O'Connor, Jim Bakkus and Martha Hyer.  Also part of the scenes were used in "Aweigh All Boats".  (info provided by Marion Hazzard)  This is one of first movies that Clint Eastwood was in..

 
Photo provided by Gordon Pritchett former Telfair crew member Thanks Gordon!

Former Commanding Officers

CDR	L. O. Armel, USNR	10-31-44 to 10-45
CAPT	J. H. Hogg, USN	10-45 to 2-46
CAPT	S. H. Crittenden, Jr. USN	2-46 to 7-47

Out of Commission in Reserve

Click [HERE] to see a First Day Postal Cover commemorating
the re-commissioning of USS Telfair on 23 Oct, 1950

Final decommissioning 31 Oct 1968.

Stationery
Click [HERE] To view the USS Telfair Stationery.   This piece contributed by Ron Reeves.

USS Telfair Ships Bell today. 

It is located at the “Prarie Junior High School, 
11910 S Kostner Avenue, 
Alsip, Illinois

Dedication Information (Right plaque) [Click Here]
Explanation (Left Plaque) [Click Here]

Telfairs Name Board is in the U S Navy Museum,
Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC.

Her Name Board is all the way in the back, hidden behind the Trieste!

Photographs, Sea Stories, and Memorabilia

CO Spangler  XO William P Taylor and CO J G Spangler. 1953. Photo provided by the estate of William P. Tyler.

Wrestlers  Wrestling Match on Cargo Hatch 1964/65
Photo provided by Bill Therrell.

Photograph and story about the 2 ventilator heads atop the vent stacks.  They were built by ME1 Marion Hazzard!  Read the story. 

Photographs provided by Henry Garcia.  6 great photographs taken at the Decommissioning Ceremony.

Photographs provided by EN3 Bob Huntsberger.  (Carol Baker Xmas visit and landing)

Decommissioning Booklet images.  This page shows all 8 pages of the booklet passed out at the Decommissioning Ceremony

Photographic salute to World War II USS Telfair crew. Photographs provided by
Don Richards, Plank Owner, USS Telfair. (Don is also preparing us some "sea stories".)

If you have any photos or sea stories, lets post then here as a tribute to the Telfair!  If you served or worked on the USS Telfair, please email me and I add you to the list of former crew members.

UPDATE:  A silver tray was presented to USS Telfair's sponsor on 30 Aug, 1944.  You can view it [HERE].

     Webmaster

    Thurman Johnston