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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179)
ex
USAT James O'Hara (1946 - 1950)
USS James O'Hara (APA-90) (1943 - 1946)
USAT James O'Hara (1942 - 1943)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Xray - Romeo
NIXR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is top to bottom, from left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)- World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (1) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation
Fourth Row - Philippines Liberation Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)


Frederick Funston Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 16 June 1941, as a Maritime Commission type (C3-S1-A3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 168) at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding, Tacoma, WA.
  • Launched, 30 December 1941
  • Delivered to the US Army Transportation Service, 30 November 1942
  • Commissioned, USAT James O'Hara
  • Acquired by the US Navy 15 April 1943
  • Commissioned USS James O'Hara (APA-90), 26 April 1943, CDR. Charles Allen in command
  • During World War II USS James O'Hara was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Eleven, COMO. D. W. Loomis USN (18);
    TransDiv Thirty-Three, CAPT. S. M. Haight USN (18) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Sicilian occupation, 10 July 1943 Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 to 17 July and 23 to 24 June 1944
    Salerno landings, 9 September 1943 Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of Southern Palau Islands, Anguar Island, 17 to 23 September 1944
      Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, San Ricardo, 20 October 1944
      Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 January 1945
      Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 17 February to 5 March 1945

  • Following World War II USS James O'Hara (APA-90) was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East from 24 September to 2 November 1945
  • Decommissioned 5 April 1946 and returned to the US Army Transportation Service
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • Reacquired by the US Navy, 1 March 1950 and placed in service by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179), 28 April 1950
  • During the Korean War USNS James O'Hara participated in the following campaign:

    Korean War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Second Korean Winter, 7 to 18 November 1950

  • Inactivated, 30 November 1959
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration 14 January 1960 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1961
  • USS James O'Hara (APA-90) earned seven battle stars for World War II service and as USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179 earned one battle star for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 12 January 1968, to Zidell Explorations Inc. Portland, OR. (PD-X-789) for $128,796.00, withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet at Olympia, 6 February 1968, scrapping completed, 6 December 1968
    Specifications:
    Displacement 10,067 t.(lt) 14,700 t.(fl)
    Length 492'
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 27' 3" (max)
    Speed 18.6 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 58
    Enlisted 480
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers150
    Enlisted 2,050
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    three twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    sixteen 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 11,935 Bbls
    Diesel 375 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Allis-Chalmers steam turbine engine
    two Foster-Wheeler "D" type boilers, 520psi, 765°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    four turbo-drive 300Kw 240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 8,500shp

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    Size Image Description Contributed
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    USS James O'Hara (APA-90)
    James O'Hara 67k
    Namesake

    James O'Hara, born in Ireland in 1752, came to Philadelphia, Pa., from England in 1772. The following year he moved to Pittsburgh and served as a frontier trader and government agent with the Indians in western Pennsylvania and western Virginia. After the start of the Revolutionary War, he enlisted as a private in a company of volunteers and was later elected captain. He journeyed west with a force under George Rogers Clark and participated in the struggle for control of the West. From 1781 to 1783 he served as assistant quartermaster for General Nathaniel Greene. After the war, he returned to Pittsburgh and became a successful businessman. President Washington appointed him Quartermaster General of the Army 19 April 1792. O'Hara resigned his appointment 1 May 1796. From 1796 to 1802 he filled many important government contracts as a businessman. Later he became a prominent manufacturer of glass, and he helped pioneer the cotton trade between the United States and England. In addition, he became a successful banker and an enterprising land speculator. O'Hara died 16 December 1819 in Pittsburgh.
    Photo from the U.S. Army Quartermasters Museum
    Bill Gonyo
    James O'Hara
    19-N-44834
    79k USS James O'Hara (APA-90) at anchor near New York Navy Yard, 1 May 1943, soon after commissioning. She and her sister initially carried three 3"/50 guns, one superfiring over the 5"/51 gun aft and two on the forward end of the long raised deck amidships. All four positions were originally designed to carry 5"/38 dual purpose guns.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 19-N-44834 and # 19-N-44838, courtesy Shipscribe.com
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara
    19-N-44838
    82k
    James O'Hara 77k USS James O'Hara (APA-90) near New York Navy Yard, 1 May 1943, soon after commissioning.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # 19-N-44838, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.
    Mike Green
    James O'Hara 74k USS James O'Hara (APA-90) underway, 2 May 1943, location unknown. She is newly converted, with triple Welin davits but as yet without her landing craft.
    US Navy photo from "US Amphibious Ships and Craft", by Norman Friedman.
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 96k USS James O'Hara (APA-90) photographed, 8 June 1943 from a blimp of squadron ZP-14, based at NAS Weeksville, N.C.
    US Navy photo # NH 98783 from the collection at the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    Thomas Jefferson
    100303013
    306k A troop train delivering soldiers of the US Army 45th Infantry Division at Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, circa June 1943, for boarding of USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30) and USS James O'Hara (APA-90) for overseas duty. The 45th Infantry Division saw extensive service in the Italian campaigns, southern France, the Rhineland and central Europe.
    National Archives Identifier 138925976, U.S. Army Signal Corps photos HR-229 S/S Pier; N/S HR-233, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, Newport News Virginia.
    David Upton
    James O'hara
    100309024
    279k
    James O'hara
    100309027
    351k USS James O'Hara (APA-90) at anchor in San Francisco Bay, CA., circa 1945-1946.
    U.S. Navy photo from the collections of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Darryl Baker
    James O'Hara 82k USS James O'Hara (APA-90) underway in San Francisco Bay, CA., in late 1945 or early 1946.
    US Navy photo # NH 98763 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Donation of Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN Ret, 2003.
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 76k USS James O'Hara (APA-90) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USAT James O'Hara
    James O'Hara 52k USAT James O'Hara moored pierside, location unknown, soon after transfer to US Army, circa 5 April 1946. Troopships of World War II
    James O'Hara 112k USAT James O'Hara warping into an Army pier at Seattle, WA., 8 October 1946. Her initial postwar conversion to a civilian manned Army transport was austere: she now has civilian-type lifeboats but retains her wartime Welin davits, and is disarmed but retains her gun emplacements on the bow and the forward end of the amidships superstructure. The Army tug is Lt. Col. Albert H. Barkley
    Photo courtesy Shipscribe.com
    Mike Green
    James O'Hara 172k USAT James O'Hara the "flagship of the Seattle Port of Embarkation" circa late 1947. Still in her initial postwar configuration, she began her full conversion to a peacetime transport in February 1948. Some hull and rigging lines in the forward part of the ship have been crudely traced over on this print. Photo courtesy Shipscribe.com. Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 71k USAT James O'Hara moored pierside at Seattle, WA., circa 19 January 1948.
    US Navy photo # NH 98774 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 96k USAT James O'Hara under way, date and location unknown. Although this photo is labeled as USNS James O' Hara is clearly in US Army Transportation Corps colors.
    US Army photo.
    Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179)
    James O'Hara 63k Stern view of USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) pierside, early 1950s, location unknown. Note she is still in ATS colors.
    US Navy photo # NH 98773 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 44k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) underway, post 1950 MSTS Society
    James O'Hara 50k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) underway, 4 September 1951, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 98779 from the Military Sealift Command Collection at the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    James O'Hara 69k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) off Seattle, WA., 2 September 1952.
    US Navy photo # NH 98778 from the Military Sealift Command Collection at the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    James O'Hara 57k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) underway, circa 1956, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 98780 from the Military Sealift Command Collection at the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    James O'Hara 99k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) underway, circa 1950s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 98781 from the Military Sealift Command Collection at the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    James O'Hara 92k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) underway, early 1950s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 90559-A from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 86k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) pierside, early 1950s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 98776 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 58k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) pierside, early 1950s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 98775 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara 64k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) arriving at Pier 91, Seattle, WA., 4 April 1958, bringing servicemen and dependents from Whittier, AK. The tug assisting her appears to be Foss Maritime's tug Shannon Foss. USNS Marine Lynx (T-AP-194) is in the left background, undergoing inactivation for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Astoria, OR.
    US Navy photo # NH 98782 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center
    Robert Hurst
    James O'Hara
    100309025
    277k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy MSTS photo
    Nicholas Tiberio
    James O'Hara
    100309026
    324k USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy MSTS photo
    Nicholas Tiberio

    USS James O'Hara (APA-90) / USNS James O'Hara (T-AP-179)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Allen, Charles Vern26 April 1943 - 3 January 1944
    02CDR. Irish, Elijah Warriner, USN (USNA 1924)3 January 1944 - 10 May 1945
    03CDR. Miller, Carson Rial, USN (USNA 1923)10 May 1945 - 5 April 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    USS James O'Hara General Instructions - Exercise 4AP, 17 May 1943, Includes USS Andromeda (AKA-15)
    JAMES 0'HARA "Troopships of World War II @copyRoland W. Charles, Published by US Army Transportation Association, Washington, D.C., April 1947
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index Back To The Transport (AP) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 28 April 2023