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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Tommy Trampp

USS Tranquillity (AH-14)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Delta - Papa
NKDP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


Haven Class Hospital Ship
  • Laid down, 20 August 1943, as SS Marine Dolphin, a Maritime Commission type (C4-S-B2) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 745) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 25 July 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 14 August 1944
  • Converted to a Hospital Ship at Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Commissioned USS Tranquillity (AH-14), 24 April 1945, CAPT. Merritt D. Mullen, SR., USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Tranquillity was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 11 to 25 August 1945

  • Reclassified as an Evacuation Transport (APH-114), 3 November 1945
  • Classification reverted Hospital Ship (AH-14), 25 March 1946
  • Decommissioned, 16 July 1946
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet, at Philadelphia, PA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1961
  • USS Tranquillity earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Delivered to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, 6 March 1961
  • Permanent custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 1 September 1962
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 July 1974, to Northern Metal Co., Division of North James River Associates for $58,300.00 (PD-X-395 dated 5 June 1947) Withdrawn from the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet and delivered to Northern Metals, 5 August 1974
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,141t.(lt) 15,400 t.(fl)
    Length 520'
    Beam 71' 6"
    Draft 24'
    Speed 17.5 kts (trial)
    Armament none
    Complement
    Officers 70
    Enlisted 498
    Patient Accommodations 800
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 13,170 Bbls
    Diesel 280 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric combination HP/LP 600 PSI steam turbine
    Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 745°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gear
    Ship's Service Generators
    three turbo-drive 500Kw 450V A.C.
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller 9,000shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    Tranquility 586k Invitation to the commissioning ceremony of USS Tranquillity (AH-14) at Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, N.Y., 24 April 1945. Michael Jerger for his father Steven N. Jerger USS Tranquility
    Tranquility 127k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) at her conversion yard, Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, N.Y. while a group of nurses assigned to the ship look upon their new home. Tranquillity was the first of six 15,0000 ton US Navy hospital ships to be converted from Maritime Commission C-4 hulls at shipyards in the New York Area. Known as the HAVEN class, these vessels are completely air conditioned and provide medical facilities equal to those of a modern shore hospital.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-313029 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Robert Hurst and CAPT Jerry Mason, USN
    Tranquility 251k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) moored pierside Brooklyn, Navy Yard, circa 1944-45 Michael Jerger for his father Steven N. Jerger USS Tranquility
    Tranquility 590k Exploded view of the USS Tranquillity (Haven Class AH-12 to 17) - Compartment & Access Diagram by J.M. Hobson, PHM/3c. (USS Tranquility
    BUMED 16-0020-004
    Michael Rhode Archivist / Curator US Navy BUMED Communications Directorate (M09B7) Office of Medical History
    Tranquility 330k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) variety show enroute from Guam to San Francisco, circa 1945 Michael Jerger for his father Steven N. Jerger USS Tranquility
    Tranquility 123k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    CAPT Jerry Mason, USN
    Tranquillity 92k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) under way off New York, circa April-May 1945
    US Navy photo # NH 92946 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, Courtesy USNI collection of James C Fahey.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Tranquillity 74k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) under way near the New York Navy Yard, 29 April 1945. Her standard World War II hospital ship markings consist of a horizontal green band with a single relatively small red cross in the middle of each side.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-82067, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.
    Mike Green
    Tranquillity 64k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) off New York Navy Yard, 29 April 1945
    US Navy photo # NH 92947 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, Courtesy USNI collection of James C Fahey
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Tranquillity 66k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) under way off New York, 30 April 1945
    US Navy photo # NH 92948 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, Courtesy USNI collection of James C Fahey
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Tranquility 471k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) near New York Navy Yard, 30 April 1945.
    BUMED 16-0020-003.
    Michael Rhode Archivist / Curator US Navy BUMED Communications Directorate (M09B7) Office of Medical History
    Tranquillity 158k Undated photo of USS Tranquillity (AH-14)'s senior officers. CAPT. Merritt D. Mullen, commanding; LT. Sylvia Koller, chief nurse and CAPT. W. Hogan Bartholomew, senior medical officer.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-313028, from "Hospital Ships of World War II: An Illustrated Reference" by Emory A. Massman.
    Robert Hurst
    Tranquillity 86k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) at Guam with USS Indianapolis (CA-35), survivors, 8 August 1945.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 80-K-5979
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Tranquility 89k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) at Guam with USS Indianapolis (CA-35) survivors, 8 August 1945.
    Note bow of USS Steele (DE-8) visible in foreground.
    US Navy photo # K 5987 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Tranquility 120k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) moored pierside at Guam while unloading USS Indianapolis (CA-35) survivors, 8 August 1945.
    US National Archives photo #'s K 5986 and 80-GK-5986 US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Tommy Trampp
    Tranquility
    091214118
    61k
    Tranquility 551k USS Tranquillity (AH-14) under way, 19 February 1946, location unknown.
    US National Archives Photo # USN 1022829 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Michael Rhode Archivist / Curator US Navy BUMED Communications Directorate (M09B7) Office of Medical History
    Tranquility 154k Undated aerial views of USS Tranquillity (AH-14) and USS Sanctuary (AH-17) moored together in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Note the unidentified CVLs and CVEs, also part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
    Life Magazine Archives - Andreas Feininger Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest
    Mike Green
    Tranquility 193k
    Tranquility 161k
    Tranquility 121k
    BB-44 California 138k Reserve Fleet Basin, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania. Photographed on 19 May 1955 with numerous cruisers, escort carriers, and auxiliaries in reserve. The nearest ship is the never-completed
    Hawaii (CB-3), which lacks her previously-installed three 12" gun turrets.
    The cruisers outboard of Hawaii are (in unknown order)
    Honolulu (CL-48),
    Columbia (CL-56),
    Denver (CL-58),
    Galveston (CL-93), and
    Portsmouth (CL-102).
    To their left are
    Tranquility (AH-14),
    Sanctuary (AH-17), and
    Pocono (AGC-16).
    Behind Hawaii (from left to right) are
    Montpelier (CL-57),
    Houston (CL-81),
    Huntington (CL-107),
    Savannah (CL-42),
    Cleveland (CL-55), and
    Wilkes-Barre (CL-103).
    Beyond them (from left to right) are
    Wichita (CA-45),
    Oregon City (CA-122),
    Chester (CA-27), and
    New Orleans (CA-32).
    The cruisers on the left side of the basin (from front to rear) are
    Minneapolis (CA-36),
    Tuscaloosa (CA-37),
    San Francisco (CA-38),
    Augusta (CA-31),
    Louisville (CA-28), and
    Portland (CA-33).
    Among the other ships in reserve in the basin are
    Fomalhaut (AE-20),
    Webster (ARV-2),
    Albemarle (AV-5),
    Tangier (AV-8),
    Pocomoke (AV-9),
    Chandeleur (AV-10),
    Abatan (AW-4),
    Mission San Carlos (AO-120),
    Prince William (CVE-31),
    Anzio (CVE-57),
    Block Island (CVE-106),
    Palau (CVE-122), and
    San Carlos (AVP-51).
    Moored in the shipyard at the extreme left are
    Tennessee (BB-43),
    California (BB-44), and
    Cabot (CVL-28).
    US Navy Photo # 80-G-668655, now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Robert Hurst


    For more photos and information about USS Tranquility see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • Russo Medical Series Paintings and Miscellaneous
  • Stephen N. Jerger Photos and Drawings Collection
  • Welcome Aboard booklet
  • Historical Supplement to the Annual Sanitary Report Cumulative Report for Period of World War II

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

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    Last Updated 1 January 2021