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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Matar (AK-119)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - November - Whiskey
NTNW
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 (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Crater Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 16 October 1943, as SS Napoleon B. Broward, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract (MCE 1214) at St. Johns River Shipbuilding Corp., Jacksonville, FL.
  • Launched, 30 November 1943
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 10 December 1943
  • Converted for Naval service at Merrill Stevens Drydock & Repair Co., Jacksonville, FL.
  • Commissioned, USS Matar (AK-119), 17 May 1944, at Jacksonville, FL., LCDR. Erwin E. Smith, USNR in command
  • During WWII USS Matar was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands -
    Angaur Island, 6 September to 14 October 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 29 May to 25 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Matar was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 14 September to 6 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 15 March 1946, at Pearl Harbor, T.H.
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 8 October 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 October 1947
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 April 1971, to Levin Metals Corp., removed, 21 May 1971
  • USS Matar earned two battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 12,350 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 12.8 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 29
    Enlisted 260
    Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.
    Cargo Capacity 4,520 DWT
    non-refrigerated 370,045 Cu ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 40mm AA gun mounts
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 7,285 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Machine Corp. vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    Ship's Service Generators
     three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    SS Napoleon B. Broward (MCE hull 1214)
    Matar 146k SS Napoleon B. Broward (MCE hull 1214) launching, 30 September 1943 at St. Johns River Shipbuilding Corp., Jacksonville, FL. David Nixon
    USS Matar (AK-119)
    Matar 131k USS Matar (AK-119) underway off Jacksonville, FL. in May 1944 after completing conversion for naval service. Demonstrating the many differences in detail in ships of this class, this troop carrier had unusually prominent platforms for her 40-mm guns which extended across the width of the ship both fore and aft. In contrast to sister ship, the USS Sabik (AK-121), her after 40-mm guns were located forward of the after pair of 20mm guns.
    Photo courtesy Shipscribe.com    		 Mike Green
    Matar 40k USS Matar (AK-119) underway, date and location unknown. Robert J. Bergstrom USS Matar
    USS Matar (AK-119)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Smith, Erwin Ernest USNR17 May 1944 - 15 January 1945
    02LT. Weston, Harold A. USNR15 January 1945 - 15 March 1946
    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
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 June 2014