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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Melucta (AK-131)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Charlie - Oscar NHCO

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal

Crater Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 21 January 1944, as SS Thomas A. McGinley, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull2470) at St. Johns River Shipbuilding Corp., Jacksonville, FL.

Launched, 20 March 1944

Acquired by the US Navy, 31 March 1944

Converted for naval service at Gibbs Gas Engine Co., Jacksonville, FL.

Commissioned, USS Melucta (AK-131), 22 July 1944, CDR. John L. Graham. USN, in command

During World War II USS Melucta was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Decommissioned, 13 December 1945, at Norfolk, VA.

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 18 December 1945

Name reverted to SS Thomas A. McGinley, by the Maritime Commission

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 3 January 1946

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 24 March 1970, to Revalorizacion de Materiales S.A., Santurce, Spain. Removed from the Reserve Fleet, 20 July 1970. Dismantling completed, 21 September 1970

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

Complement

Officers 18

Enlisted 195

Cargo Capacity 7,800 DWT

non-refrigerated 427,725 Cu ft

Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.

Armament

one single 5"/51 cal surface gun mount

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

six single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 9,660 Bbls

Diesel 2,010 Bbls

Propulsion

one Filer and Stowell 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
142k	*USS Melucta* (AK-131)** commissioning crew, at Jacksonville, FL., 22 July 1944.	Joe Bennett EM2/c USS Melucta
94k	*USS Melucta* (AK-131)** underway, 2 August 1944, off Jacksonville, FL., a few days after commissioning. Her conversion differs from others ships of her class in several details, including the higher splinter protection around the 5"/38 gun aft and the small but tall lattice platform aft of the deckhouse. Her camouflage is Measure 33 Design 9D. US National Archives Record Group RG-19-LCM photo, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
47k	*USS Melucta* (AK-131)** underway circa 2 August 1944, off Jacksonville, FL.,	David Nixon
73k	Ex-*USS Melucta* (AK-131)** laid up in the Maritime Commission James River Reserve Fleet at Fort Eustis, VA., date unknown. She was laid up still wearing camouflage Measure 33 Design 9D.	David Nixon

USS Melucta (AK-131)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Graham, John Lenzle, USN	22 July 1944 - 25 August 1945
02	LT. Allen, Harold Grady, USN	25 August 1945 - 13 December 1945


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 Data Base
Photo Collection of Robert A. Tucker USS Melucta
Photo Collection of Joe Bennett USS Melucta

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 11 July 2014