ETC Brad Bradfield, USNR (Ret)

USS Kansas City (AOR-3)

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USS Kansas City (AOR-3) logo

USS Kansas City (AOR-3) Zippo logo

Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club

I recently received word of the death last year of Capt John M. Duke, Jr, USN (Ret), after a long illness. Capt Duke was the Navy's Director of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair at General Dynamics in Quincy, MA when the Kansas City was built there. He once told me that the Kansas City was special to him since it was the only ship that was completely built from the laying of the keel to commissioning while he was there. Many were started, and many were completed in that time, but the Kansas City was started AND completed!! Capt Duke was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on April 25, 2003. Capt Duke's bio and his obituary can be found at this Arlington National Cemetery link.



Here's a few pictures of the USS Kansas City. I'll be placing more pictures on this page in the very near future. If anyone has pictures of any vintage that they'd like to share, please e-mail me. I'd like to scan them and put them on this page, and will give you credit for anything used. I'd particularly like to get pictures from the Kansas City's first two WESTPACs in 1971 and 1972.
The following pictures were sent me by Grayson Koogle (RM2/CDR Ret).
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USS Kansas City (AOR-3) entering the harbor at San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1970.
The Kansas City on Pier E in August 1970 after arriving at her first home port in Long Beach, CA. That's a really ugly green Ford Pinto Bill!
The following pictures were provided by MMCM Greg Peterman(SS) at The Goatlocker.
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USS Kansas City (AOR-3)
USS Kansas City (AOR-3)
The following pictures were sent to me by Mark Townsend, an OS3 on the Kansas City in the 1980's. [Some additional information provided by Kevin Crosby, an IC-3 on the Kansas City from 1988 until 1990.]
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USS Kansas City (AOR-3)
USS Kansas City (AOR-3) steaming in formation
UNREP/VERTREP
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[Probably Naval Supply Center Oakland, per information from Kevin Crosby, IC-3, 1988-90.]
[Possibly pulling into the Portland (OR) Rose Festival, per information from Kevin Crosby, IC-3, 1988-90.]
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USS Kansas City (AOR-3) in drydock
USS Kansas City (AOR-3) in drydock
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[Possibly pulling into the Portland (OR) Rose Festival, per information from Kevin Crosby, IC-3, 1988-90.]
VERTREP helicopter
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USS New Jersey (BB-62) coming alongside. [Possibly late 1988 or early 1989, per information from Kevin Crosby, IC-3, 1988-90.]
USS New Jersey (BB-62) UNREP. [Possibly late 1988 or early 1989, per information from Kevin Crosby, IC-3, 1988-90.]
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USS New Jersey (BB-62) forward 16" gun mounts. [Possibly late 1988 or early 1989, per information from Kevin Crosby, IC-3, 1988-90.]

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Page updated 03/03/2009