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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Pontus (AGP-20)
ex
 USS LST-201 (1943 - 1944)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Zulu - Oscar
 NJZO
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)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship / Portunus Class Motor Torpedo Boat Tender:
  • Laid down, 13 July 1942, at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 2 March 1943
  • Placed in reduced commission, as USS LST-201, 24 March 1943 and, ferried down the Mississippi River to Algiers, LA. for completion
  • Commissioned in full, 2 April 1943, LT. Samuel D. LaRoue, USCG, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-201 / USS Pontus (AGP-20) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Consolidation of Solomon Island
    Consolidation of northern Solomon Islands, 27 October 1943 to 1 March 1944     		Hollandia operations, 21 April to 4 June 1944
    Western New Guinea operations
    Designated duty in connection with motor torpedo boat operations, 21 April to 15 November 1944     		 

  • Redesignated a Motor Torpedo Boat Tender, named USS Pontus (AGP-20), 15 August 1944
  • Following World War II USS Pontus was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 8 to 20 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 1 April 1946, at New York
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 26 November 1947
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS Pontus earned 3 battle stars for World War II service
    AGP Specifications:
    Displacement 1,780 t.(fl), 4,100 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 11' 2" (lim)
    Speed 11.5 kts
    Complement
    Officers 37
    Enlisted 252
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    two .50-cal machine guns
    four .30-cal machine guns
    Fuel Capacities
    Diesel 4,480 Bbls
    Gasoline 62,000 Gals
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gear
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,800shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Pontus 134k USS LST-201 repairing a PT boat in the Philippines circa 1944. LST-201, a PT-boat tender, towed a drydock wherever she went because she lacked an A-frame crane to lift the boats. She was later named and reclassified USS Pontus (AGP-20).
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 44491.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS LST-201 / USS Pontus (AGP-20)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. LaRoue, Samuel Donald, USCG2 April 1943 - 15 February 1943LST-201
    02LTjg. McCurdie, Ralph Anthony, USCGR15 February 1943 - 9 July 1944LST-201
    03LTjg. Saugstad, Edgar Victor, USCGR9 July 1944 - 8 October 1944AGP-20
    04LTjg. Sauer, Robert Francis, USCGR8 October 1944 - 15 December 1944AGP-20
    05LCDR. Emery, Willard, USNR15 December 1944 - 17 October 1945AGP-20
    06LT. Davison, John Renwick, USN17 October 1945 - 1 April 1946AGP-20
    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
    LST Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
    US Coast Guard Historian's Office - USS Pontus (LST-201), AGP-20
    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 Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index Back To The Motor Torpedo Boat Tender (AGP) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 23 May 2014