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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35)
ex
 USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117) (1950 - 1956)
 USAT Sgt. George D. Keathley (1949 - 1950)


USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35) was transferred to Taiwan, renamed ROCS Chu Hwa (AGS-564)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top row - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (9) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Sgt. Jonah E. Kelly Class Coastal Transport:
  • Laid down, 16 June 1944, as MV Alexander R. Nininger a Maritime Commission type (C1-M-AV1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2247) at Walter Butler Shipbuilders Inc., Duluth, MN.
  • Launched, 7 December 1944
  • Renamed MV Acorn Knot in February 1945
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 30 March 1945 for operation by Grace Lines
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission and assigned to the Army Transportation Service, 28 July 1946
  • Renamed USAT Sgt. George D. Keathley in March 1949
  • Transferred to the US Navy, 1 July 1950
  • Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS)
  • Placed in service as USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117)
  • During the Korean War USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    25 July to 4 August 1950
    10 to 11 August 1950
    18 August to 12 September 1950
    16 September to 4 October 1950
    11 to 25 October 1950     		Second Korean Winter
    11 to 16 January 1952
    27 January to 5 February 1952
    Communist China Aggression
    17 to 20 November 1950
    13 to 29 December 1950     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall
    5 to 9 July 1952
    18, 20, 22, 24, and 30 September 1952
    2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28 and 30 October 1952
    1 and 3 November 1952
    First UN Counter Offensive
    8 to 10 March 1951
    22 to 27 March 1951
    2 to 5 and 19 to 21 April 1951     		Third Korean Winter
    29 January 1953
    2, 4, 6, 8, 11 to 12, 14, 16, 20, 22, 26 and 28 February 1953
    5, 7, 9, 13, 15, 17, 20 to 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 March 1953
    1, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19, 21 and 23 April 1953
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    22 to 25 April 51
    4 to 5 and 28 to 31 May 1951
    9 to 13 and 20 to 26 June 1951
    28 June to 3 July 1951     		Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    23, 25 and 27 July 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    9 to 16 and 26 to 31 July 1951
    8 to 12 August 1951
    10 to 26 September 1951
    13 to 19 and 25 October 1951     		 

  • Placed out of service, 11 December 1956
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River, N.Y
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 24 October 1957
  • Custody assigned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD)
  • Reacquired by the US Navy in December 1956
  • Converted to a Hydrographic Survey Ship at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA.
  • Placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35)
  • Placed out of service in December 1971
  • Transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan) in March 1972, renamed ROCS Chu Hwa (AGS-564)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 April 1976
  • USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley earned nine battle stars for her Korean War service
  • Struck from the Republic of China Naval Register in August 1988
  • Final Disposition, returned to US custody and disposed of as a target
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,366 t.(lt) 6,090 t.(fl)
    Length 338' 9"
    Beam 50' 4"
    Draft 17' 7"
    Speed 11.5 kts.
    Complement
    (APC) crew 148
    (AGS) unknown
    APC-Troop Accommodation 101
    Armament
    APC unknown
    AGS none
    Propulsion diesel, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117)
    Keathley 70k
    Namesake

    Staff Sergeant George D. Keathley, a Texan serving with Company B, 85th Infantry Division, was killed in action at Mount Altuzzo, Italy, on 14 September 1944. During the action on the western ridge of Mount Altuzzo, his company's advance was held up 50 yards from its objective by intense sniper, small-arms, automatic, and mortar fire. Three enemy counterattacks to regain former positions were repulsed with heavy casualties to both sides. All officers and noncommissioned officers of the 2d and 3d platoons of Company B had become casualties. Ammunition had run dangerously low. Sgt. Keathley, from the 1st platoon, assumed command of the 20 men remaining in the two platoons; and, despite the continued intense enemy fire, crawled from casualty to casualty to administer first aid and collect ammunition. As he distributed the ammunition to his men, a fourth enemy counterattack was launched from the front and from both flanks. Company B was given up for lost. The men, however, rallied behind Sgt. Keathley and time after time threw back the enemy. An enemy hand grenade exploded near Sgt. Keathley, mortally wounding him. Sgt. Keathley stood up, fired, and killed an attacking enemy soldier, and continued shouting orders to his men. For another 15 minutes, he continued to provide the leadership needed by his men. Friendly artillery fire then helped force the enemy to withdraw. A few moments later, Sgt. Keathley died. For his courage, heroism, and leadership, Sgt. Keathley was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
    Photo courtesy of Texas A&M University    		 Bill Gonyo
    Keathley 89k USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117) in port, probably in Japan, January 1955. Photo taken by a Commander Naval Forces Far East Photographer.
    US Navy photo # NH 98932 from the Military Sealift Command collection at the Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Keathley 92k USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117) in port, probably in Japan, January 1955. Photo taken by a Commander Naval Forces Far East Photographer.
    US Navy photo # NH 98933 from the Military Sealift Command collection at the Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35)
    Keathley 69k USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35) at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., during the 1960s.
    US Navy photo # NH 98935 from the Military Sealift Command collection at the Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Keathley 32k USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35) moored, date and location unknown. Ramon Jackson
    Keathley 84k USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35) moored inboard of USNS Dutton (T-AGS-22), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Carl R. Friberg Jr.,
    First Officer Sgt George E. Keathley
    ROCS Chu Hwa (AGS-564)
    Keathley 22k Ex-USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS-35) in Taiwanese service as Chu Hwa (AGS-564) Taiwan Navy Web Site
    Keathley 16k ROCS Chu Hwa (AGS-564) Taiwan Navy Web Site
    USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117 / T-AGS-35)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 30 April 2010