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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Lesuth (AK-125)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Charlie - Foxtrot NHCF

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 (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal

Crater Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 24 March 1943, as SS William M. Gwin, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1638) at California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, CA.

Launched, 17 April 1943

Delivered to American President Lines under a General Agency Agreement from the War Shipping Administration

Acquired by the US Navy, 9 October 1943

Converted for Naval service at United Engineering, Alameda, CA.

Commissioned, USS Lesuth (AK-125), 1 November 1943, LCDR. Bertrand H. Bassett, USNR in command

During World War II USS Lesuth was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Western Caroline Islands operation Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944

Following World War II USS Lesuth was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
2 September to 16 October1945
24 December 1945 to 10 April 1946

Decommissioned, 16 August 1946, at Pearl Harbor, T.H.

Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 29 May 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 17 July 1947

USS Lesuth earned one battle star for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 31 July 1964, by Union Minerals and Alloys Corp. Physically delivered for dismantling at Oakland CA., 20 August 1964

Specifications:
Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
Length 441' 6"
Beam 56' 11"
Draft 28' 4"
Speed 12.5 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 15

Enlisted 222

Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.

Cargo Capacity 7,800 DWT

non-refrigerated 414,996 Cu ft.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

two single 40mm AA gun mounts

six single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity NSFO 7,285 Bbls

Propulsion

one Joshua-Hendy vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine

two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
Ship's Service Generators
three recip-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
one turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 2,500shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
50k	Bows on view of *USS Lesuth* (AK-125)** off San Francisco, 11 November 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8266-43.	Darryl Baker
120k	Broadside view of *USS Lesuth* (AK-125)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay, 11 November 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 7587-43.	Tommy Trampp
38k	Broadside view of *USS Lesuth* (AK-125)** at anchor off Okinawa, date unknown.	Kevin Kennedy for his father John C. Kennedy USS Lesuth

USS Lesuth (AK-125)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Bassett, Bertrand Hale, USNR	1 November 1943 - 1 July 1945
02	LT. Gilkerson, Ray C., USNR	1 July 1945 - 15 August 1945
03	LCDR. Giles, Albert Baker, USNR	15 August 1945 - 17 July 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

Last Updated 21 September 2018