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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Mercy (AH-8)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Delta - Kilo
 NBDK
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 (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Comfort Class Hospital Ship:
  • Laid down, 4 February 1943, under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1032) at Consolidated Steel, Corp., Wilmington, CA.
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission
  • Launched and delivered to the US Navy, 25 March 1943
  • Converted to a Hospital Ship at Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., San Pedro, CA.
  • Commissioned USS Mercy (AH-8), 7 August 1944, CAPT. Thomas A. Esling, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Mercy was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 25 October to 29 November 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 19 April to May 1945
  • Decommissioned, 17 May 1945, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Turned over to the US Army, 17 May 1946, for further use as a hospital ship
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 September 1946
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission by the US Army, 6 February 1950
  • Custody transferred to Bethlehem Steel Co., 27 March 1956, for conversion to a Training Ship
  • Loaned by the Maritime Administration to the State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, Bronx, N.Y., 23 May 1956, for use as a training ship
  • Renamed Empire State III in June 1956
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 3 June 1960, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River Group
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 23 November 1970, Aguilar y Peris, S.L., Valencia, Spain
  • USS Mercy received two battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,800 t.(fl) 11,250 t.(lim)
    Length 416'
    Beam 60'
    Draft 24' 6" (lim)
    Speed 15.3 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 80
    Enlisted 436
    Patient Capacity 400
    Largest Boom Capacity 5 t.
    Armament none
    Fuel Capacities
    NFSO 12,010 bbls
    Diesel 600 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one J.H. geared steam turbine
    three Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double J.H Main Reduction Gear
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators single propeller, 4,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Mercy (AH-8)
    Mercy 91k USS Mercy (AH-8) under full power off the coast of California as she heads for the South Pacific, 19 August 1944.
    Photo from author's collection, "Hospital Ships of World War II: An Illustrated Reference" by Emory A. Massman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mercy 88k USS Mercy (AH-8) underway in San Pedro Bay, CA., 15 August 1944 .
    US Naval Historical Center photo # NH 103222    		 Mike Green
    Mercy 142k USS Mercy (AH-8) at Tacloban, Leyte, date unknown, with wounded servicemen on the dock waiting to be loaded aboard ship.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-319367 a US Navy photo from "Hospital Ships of World War II: An Illustrated Reference" by Emory A. Massman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mercy 98k USS Mercy (AH-8) at Tacloban, Leyte, date unknown, with wounded servicemen on the dock being brought aboard ship using a platform and the ships gear.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-319347 a US Navy photo from "Hospital Ships of World War II: An Illustrated Reference" by Emory A. Massman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mercy 74k USS Mercy (AH-8) leaves embattled Leyte Island with wounded American soldiers a few days after the initial invasion. She is shown sailing across the bow of a US Coast Guard manned LST.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-322052 a US Navy photo from "Hospital Ships of World War II: An Illustrated Reference" by Emory A. Massman.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mercy 74k USS Mercy (AH-8) docking at Guam, 9 May 1945, to discharge men wounded at Okinawa.
    A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives. Photo #: 80-G-322053    		 Mike Green
    LCI(L)-458 835k USS LCI(G)-458 bring wounded to USS Mercy (AH-8), date and location unknown. Jerry Gilmartin MMC(SW) USN Ret. Secretary AFMM LCI 713, Curator PT-658 Save the PT Boat Inc, courtesy Dennis Blocker LCI National Association Historian
    LCI(L)-458 781k
    Mercy 110k USS Mercy (AH-8) just arrived at Guam with wounded from Okinawa, date unknown. Navy ambulances on the dock wait to transport the wounded to a shore side hospital. After unloading Mercy quickly returned to the invasion beaches.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-319402 a US Navy photo from "Hospital Ships of World War II: An Illustrated Reference" by Emory A. Massman.    		 Robert Hurst
    T/S Empire State III
    Mercy 48k Ex-Mercy (AH-8) as the State University of New York Maritime College training ship Empire State III. .
    View the USS Mercy (AH-8)
    DANFS history entry located on the US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 22 January 2010