Great Sitkin (AE 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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The U.S.S. Great Sitkin was built by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company at Wilmington in 1945. Because of wartime pressure, the ship was launched two months after the keel was laid. Shortly thereafter she was accepted by the Navy, converted to an ammu- nition ship, given the name Great Sitkin' and desig- nated with the hull number AE- 17. In August 1945, her colors were run up, the com- mission pennant broken, and the first watch set. She later reported to Commander Service Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, employed delivering ammo to bases ashore and rearming other vessels of the Navy while underway. lt can be said the ship can provide ammu- nition for any type naval vessel from the largest battlewagon, to the smallest patrol craft. .ff . ff Paf - . 1 A 'i ffl .,,,, . . C .....- ' , if W ,f .Q ,lf ' ' ' X ,iff O f X f - xl- Ygdw ,J2 ln recognition of services performed, the U.S.S. Great Sitkin is authorized to display on her bridge, replicas of the service ribbons ofthe following awards: American Area Campaign Medal, World Warll Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal fEuropej, and the National Defense Medal. Statistically the ship has an overall length of 459 feet, a beam of 63 feet, a speed of 16 knots, and a normal load displacement of 12,000 tons. Her home yard is the Boston Naval Shipyard, and her home port is New York, New York.

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-Af ,ps ,I -fr' Att UTM N 15 ln accordance wlth Navy pohcy and tradmon thls shlp after benng accepted by the Navy as an arnmumtlon car r1er was named the USS Great S1tk1n after a volcano 1n the Aleunan Islands The volcano IS located on the Great Sxtkm Isle between Atka and many volcanos on the lsland rxsmg to the hexght of f1Ve thousand seven hundred and forty feet IS an acttve steam mg volcano whxch ns a threat to all that IS nearby XY-'A 'iii -at o e' QQ va W a 1 I has R-4 H i - . . . , - . I ' J -5 sf H, , . - .. -e ' ' I -I ,. ifyim' ' . . . ' , f n ' Q Jg- 2, Adaka. It being the largest of I dl A Y if . Q ' A n ' A l a 1 . . . . ' ' ' ,A l - ,tv ,j3f 'T:, l , ' . if H , g .I , ,, , . . - If , A n 1 I ' 1 :Jw . . . 1' I' . l ' ' .,,' 3 ' . 1 fi, jx.. ' ,'?'3 ' J ' sv y . i'L. 0 R d 1 . L. A , 0 v ' Q 9 2 if ew ' 0

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J, f 4 M , , C N V - I-.X i- - A 'ff 1 ' C 'T - 9, Captain Frederick Wolsieffer, U. S. Navy, assumed command of the USS GREAT SITKIN QAE-177 on 14 De- cember l953 at the U. S. Naval Ammunition Depot, Earle, New Jersey. Prior to reporting on board he was the Commanding Officer of the Recruit Training Com- mand, U. S, Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Maryland. Captain Wolsieffer has served with distinction in many key billets, both afloat and ashore, since his gradu- ation from the U, S. Naval Academy in 1932. During World War ll, he served as Commanding Of- ficer ofthe destroyer USS WILKES in the North Atlantic, African, and European campaigns, and later as the Com- manding Officer of the radar picket destroyer USS CHEVALIER in the Asiatic-Pacific area ofcombatopera- tions. ln late 1050 he served as the Executive Officer of the light cruiser USS WORCESTER, and participated in the United Nations' action in Korea. ln addition to the many service and campaign medals awarded him, Captain Wolsieffer has been decorated, in recognition of outstanding services, with the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V Citation and Bronze Star in lieu of a second award. I - , - Die THE cm 7 wma me HAT ff' - 'Ill'- f X. Captain Frederick Wolsieffer, U. S, Navy Q H.- X 0 ' -41715, X f X ,f 5 A 'S I v Q X ' I M ' avr- 5 , 0 , A Q 5 Y V ' 5 ex- A X- YV X . . X -S xx . X .