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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Herkimer (T-AK-188)
ex
 USAT Herkimer (1946 - 1950)
 USS Herkimer (AK-188) (1945 - 1946)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - November - November
 NENN
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Second Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (1)- United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal -
Alamosa Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C1-M-AV) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 2118), at Walter Butler Shipbuilding, Superior, WI.
  • Launched, 2 July 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 25 June 1945
  • Commissioned USS Herkimer (AK-188), 14 July 1945 at New Orleans, LA., LT. Carlton W. Crocker, Jr., USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Herkimer was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Herkimer was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 15 October 1945 to 1 February 1946
  • Decommissioned, 1 February 1946 at Yokosuka, Japan and turned over to the US Army to be operated in Japan
  • Commissioned by the US Army USAT Herkimer, operated by a Japanese merchant crew for the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946
  • Decommissioned by the US Army, reacquired by the Navy, and placed in service with MSTS as USNS Herkimer (T-AK-188), 1 July 1950
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 15 July 1973
  • Transferred, loaned, to the Department of Interior for use in the Trust Territories of the Pacific, 15 July 1973
  • Permanent transfer to the Department of Interior for use in the Trust Territories of the Pacific, 31 April 1982
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,382 t.(lt) 7,450 t.(fl)
    Length 388' 6"
    Beam 50'
    Draft 29' 2" (limiting)
    Speed 12 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 8
    Enlisted 61
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 3,945 DWT
    non-refrigerated 227,730 Cu ft
    refrigerated 9,830 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 6,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Nordberg Diesel TSM6 engine
    two Diesel-drive 250Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,750shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USNS Herkimer (T-AK-188)
    Herkimer 36k USNS Herkimer (T-AK-188), in the Trust Territories of the Pacific, 1955 University of Hawaii Image Library (reel 3449-01)
    Herkimer 60k USNS Herkimer (T-AK-188), off Nha Be, RVN, November 1971 © Richard Leonhardt
    Department of Interior
    Herkimer 56k Ex-USS Herkimer, in the service of the Department of Interior, moored at Busan, South Korea, 1973. University of Hawaii Image Library (reel 3448-01)
    USS Herkimer (AK-188) / USNS Herkimer (T-AK-188)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Crocker Jr., Carlton W., USNR14 July 1945 - 1 February 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
    USS Herkimer (AK-188) War Diary July to November 1945 and History
    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 3 May 2019