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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Portunus (AGP-4)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Yankee - Echo
 NJYE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Portunus Class Motor Torpedo Boat Tender: Laid down as LST-330, 12 November 1942, at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Reclassified as a Portunus Class Motor Torpedo Boat Tender
  • Launched, 11 February 1943
  • Commissioned USS Portunus (AGP-4), 12 June 1943, at Baltimore, MD., LCDR. James R. Hanna USNR, in command
  • During WWII USS Portunus was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Eastern New Guinea operation
    Designated duty in connection with motor torpedo boat operation, 20 October 1943 - 24 July 1944     		Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines
    Mindanao, 17 to 23 April 1945
    Western New Guinea operation
    Designated duty in connection with motor torpedo boat operation, 6 July to 15 November 1944     		 

  • Following World War II USS Portunus was assigned to Occupation service from 5 to 21 October 1945
  • Decommissioned, 18 April 1946, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 November 1946
  • USS Portunus earned 3 battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, transferred to the Maritime Commission, 6 February 1948, and simultaneously delivered to the Kaiser Co., Oakland for scrapping
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,960 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 11' 2"
    Speed 11.6 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 37
    Enlisted 252
    Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.
    Boats two LCVP
    Armament
    one 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel 4,480 Bbls
    Gasoline 62,000 Gals
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     three Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
     two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
    two propellers, 1,800 SHP, twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Portunus 178k USS Portunus (AGP-4) ten minutes after passing buoy X-2 as she departs Norfolk, VA., 23 July 1943, bound for the Panama Canal and the Pacific Theater.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-76562, a US Navy photo now in the custody of the US National Archives, College Park, MD.    		 Tracy White
    Portunus 58k USS Portunus (AGP-4) with PT boats alongside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial    		 Stan Svec
    USS Portunus (AGP-4)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Hanna, James Ritchey, USNR12 June 1943 - 1 January 1944
    02CDR. Bamberger, Adolph Henry, USN1 January 1944 - 19 March 1944
    03LCDR. O'Toole, James Matthew, USNR19 March 1944 - 15 January 1945
    04LCDR. McKinnie, Ralph Edward, USNR15 January 1945 - 19 December 1945
    05LT. Krisfalusky, Stephen, USNR19 December 1945 - 19 March 1946
    06LT. Hargett, Emmett, Frederick, USNR19 March 1946 - 18 April 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and R. A. Moody
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    LST Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 23 March 2018