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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Wharton (AP-7)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Golf - Tango NAGT

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal

Wharton Class Transport:

Laid down, 8 October 1918, by New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, N.J. as SS Southern Cross, a passenger/cargo ship, for Muson Steamship Line

Launched, 20 July 1919

Delivered in, 24 September 1921

Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission, 8 November 1939

Converted for Naval Service at Todd Shipbuilding Corp., Robbins Drydock, Erie Basin, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Commissioned USS Wharton (AP-7), 7 December 1940, at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y., CAPT. Ernest L. Vanderkloot in command

During WWII USS Wharton was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Marshall Islands operations Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 15 February 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 19 to 22 May 1945
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 to 29 July 1944	.

Decommissioned, 26 March 1947

Returned to the Maritime Commission,27 March 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 4 April 1947

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 21 March 1952, by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp.

USS Wharton was awarded three battle stars for her World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 12,250 t.(lt) 21,900 t.(fl)
Length 535' 2"
Beam 72'
Draft 31' 3"
Speed 16.6 kts.
Complement 666
Armament

four single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts

eight .50 cal machine guns
Propulsion steam turbine

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
Commercial Service
	135k	SS Southern Cross and SS Hoosier State at the fitting out piers adjacent to the shipways at New York Shipbuilding Corp. Shipyard, Camden, N.J. The battleship Washington (BB-47) has just been launched, 1 September 1921. Colorado (BB-45) is fitting out in the wet basin at the end of the covered shipways building. *Washington's construction ceased in February 1922, under the terms of the Naval Limitations Treaty, and she was sunk as a target in 1924. Photographed by the Aero Service Corp., Philadelphia, PA. US Navy photo # NH 105177*. Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007.	Michael Mohl
USS Wharton (AP-7)
	182k	*Namesake* Franklin Wharton—born in Philadelphia on 23 July 1767—was commissioned a captain of marines on 3 August 1798. He served in frigate United States during the Quasi-War with France and subsequently commanded the Marine Barracks at Philadelphia. On 7 March 1804, Wharton took office as the third Commandant of the Marine Corps. During this early period, Wharton's principal task was furnishing Marine detachments for the increasing number of warships being fitted out to fight the Barbary pirates. When American naval strength combined with diplomacy to eliminate this longstanding problem, Congress cut back on the Navy's warships and men. During the early lean years of Wharton's tenure as Commandant, the new Marine Barracks and the Commandant's quarters in Washington, D.C., were completed, mostly by the labor of marines. He made substantial contributions to the Corps. Under his leadership, uniforms and military equipment were standardized for the first time; and military practices became uniform throughout the Corps. During his time in office, the Marine Band was established and began winning the national reputation which it still maintains. While still Commandant, Wharton died in New York on 1 September 1818. Photo: USMC History Division	Bill Gonyo
	117k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., near the end of an overhaul, 27 December 1941. Note that she is flying her National Ensign from the mainmast gaff (the flag's underway position), while tied up alongside the wharf. US National Archives photo # 19-N-26644, a US Navy photo from the BUSHIPS collection in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	58k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** off the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 6 January 1942. US National Archives photo # 19-N-26645, a US Navy photo from the BUSHIPS collection in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	37k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** Christmas Card for 1942	Ken Dupree, YNCS USN Ret., Courtesy John F Mathews, RD/2c, USN, USS Wharton 1942-46
	45k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** underway, circa 1943, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	20k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** moored pierside, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	US Naval Historical Center
	74k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** off San Francisco, CA., 9 March 1943. The San Francisco Bay Bridge is at left, and Pier Number 18 is in the right background. US Navy photo # NH 102889	US Naval Historical Center
	164k	Plan view forward of *USS Wharton* (AP-7) at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 18 April 1942. Note details of Wharton*'s open bridge, 20mm gun position in lower right, motor whaleboat and lifeboat. US Navy photo # NH 102885*	US Naval Historical Center
	162k	Plan view amidships of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 18 April 1942. Note 20mm gun positions, lifeboats and liferafts, casks of liferaft provisions, and ventilator cowls just forward of the smokestack. US Navy photo # NH 102886, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	171k	Plan view aft of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 18 April 1942. Note stacks of liferafts and the newly-installed 1.1-inch antiaircraft machine gun mount, covered with canvas, in lower right center. US Navy photo # NH 102887, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	135k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 18 April 1942. US Navy photo # NH 102888, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	68k	Port bow view ofUSS Wharton (AP-7) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 18 April 1942. US Navy photo # NH 102883 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	Robert Hurst
	71k	Port broadside view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** off the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 18 April 1942. US Navy photo # NH 102884 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	Robert Hurst
	54k	Starboard broadside view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** off San Francisco, CA., 9 March 1943. US Navy photo # NH 102890, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	68k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** receives assistance from a tug while off San Francisco, CA., 9 March 1943. US Navy photo # NH 102892, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	55k	Stern view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** underway off San Francisco, CA., 9 March 1943. US Navy photo # NH 102891, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	62k	Stern view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** underway in San Francisco, Bay, 23 August 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6063-43	Darryl Baker
	51k	Bow on view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** underway in San Francisco, Bay, 23 August 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6067-43	Darryl Baker
	69k	Port bow view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** underway in San Francisco Bay, 23 August 1943. US Navy photo # NH 102893, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	66k	Port broadside view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** underway in San Francisco Bay, 23 August 1943. US Navy photo # NH 102894, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Robert Hurst
	129k	Aft plan view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7) at Navy Yard Mare Island, 26 October 1944. YHB 2** (ex-Port of Stockton) is in the background. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6478-44	Darryl Baker
	136k	Forward plan view of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** at Navy Yard Mare Island, 26 October 1944. Berthing barges are in the background. Her camouflage will be Measure 32, Design 4T when completed. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6480-44	Darryl Baker
	71k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** off the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 26 October 1944. Her camouflage will be Measure 32, Design 4T when completed. US National Archives photo # 19-N-75616, a US Navy BUSHIPS photo from the US Navy Bureau of Ships collection now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	25k	*USS Wharton* (AP-7)** at anchor circa November 1944. Her camouflage scheme is Measure 32, Design 4T.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
	67k	Halftone reproduction of a photo of *USS Wharton* (AP-7)** while in port, circa 1945. Location is probably San Francisco. Copied from the book "Troopships of World War II", by Roland W. Charles. US Navy photo # NH 102882, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Robert Hurst