Pyro (AE-1) Class: Photographs

Preliminary Design Plan for an Ammunition Ship for the Fiscal Year 1917 Shipbuilding Program... August 2, 1916 A preliminary design for an ammunition ship sent to the Secretary of the Navy for consideration in meeting the General Board’s characteristics of 7 October 1915 for ammunition ships. The design adopted the general form of Henderson (Transport # 1) but modified it by moving machinery aft to facilitate cargo storage, cooling, and handling. This design, with a few modifications, was used as the basis for construction of Pyro (Ammunition Ship # 1) and Nitro (Ammunition Ship # 2). This plan provides four 5-inch guns, turbine machinery for a speed of 16 knots, and an ammunition cargo capacity of 3,200 tons in a ship 460 feet long on the waterline, about 61 feet 1 inches in beam, and with a normal displacement of 10,600 tons. The original plan is in the 1911-1925 "Spring Styles Book" of the Bureau of Construction & Repair. Photo No. S-584-103 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (from the Online Library).
USS Pyro (AE-1) Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 17 September 1920 soon after commissioning. Compared to the 1916 preliminary design (above) the bridge has been moved aft and the number of ammunition handling rigs reduced. Note the two large boat davits on each side of the searchlight platform near the stern and the two 5"/51 guns in shields on the fantail. Photo No. NH 2762 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.
USS Pyro (AE-1) A colorized view probably showning the ship soon before decommissioning in 1924. The large boat davits have been moved forward to positions on each side of the smokestack and reduced in size, a modification not made on Nitro. The gun shields seen here were no longer in use when Pyro recommissioned in 1939. Photo No. NH 74663 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.
USS Nitro (AE-2) At the Naval Ammunition Depot at Balboa, Canal Zone, on 1 January 1938. Except for a few details like the removal of the 5" gun shields her appearance has hardly changed since she was built. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM
USS Pyro (AE-1) Shown circa 1941 after the addition of splinter protection (low bulkheads) around her four 5-inch and two 3-inch guns and the addition of positions for four .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, two on the bridge and two next to the after searchlight platform. Photo No. 19-N-26070 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM
USS Nitro (AE-2) Near the Norfolk Navy Yard on 4 September 1942. The two forward 5"/51 guns have been replaced with two additional 3"/50 AA guns and the .50 caliber machine guns have been replaced with 20mm guns. She also has a light radar platform around her forward searchlight. Photo No. 19-N-34507 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM
USS Pyro (AE-1) Near the Mare Island Navy Yard on 16 October 1942. In addition to receiving two additional 3" guns and some 20mm guns as in Nitro she received two 1.1" quad mounts, one forward and one on the stern. Her foremast has been replaced by a topmast on the forward goalpost and radar has been fitted on her mainmast. Photo No. 19-N-36717 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM
USS Nitro (AE-2) Underway on 15 July 1943. The ship now has two 1.1" quad mounts in about the same locations as on her sister. Her foremast has been replaced by a topmast on the forward goalpost and her radar mast has been enlarged. The large boat davits aft have also been removed. Photo No. 80-G-410258 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.
USS Pyro (AE-1) Near the Mare Island Navy Yard on 3 November 1943. The ship has been little altered since late 1942. Her after 1.1" quad mount is just forward of the two 5"/51 guns on the fantail and just aft of the two 3"/50 AA guns at the after end of the boat deck. She retains the boat davits next to her smokestack. Photo No. 19-N-54830 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM