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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Munargo (AP-20)
USAHS / USAT Thistle

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 - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Transport / Hospital Ship;
  • Laid down, 30 September 1920, as the Passenger/Cargo Liner SS Munargo for the Munson S.S. Co., at New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.
  • Launched, 17 September 1921
  • Delivered to Munson S.S. Co., 11 December 1921
  • Purchased from Munargo Line Co. (Munson S.S. Co.), 27 March 1941, by the US Army at Pier #4 US Army Base Brooklyn, N.Y. for conversion to a troop ship
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the US Army 6 June 1941
  • Commissioned USS Munargo (AP-20), 4 June 1941, CDR.. Harold F. Ely in command.
  • Decommissioned, 18 October 1943, at Brooklyn, N.Y. and returned to the War Department
  • Struck from the Naval Register
  • Converted for service as a US Army Hospital Ship
  • Commissioned USAHS Thistle, 15 January 1944
  • Converted in March 1946 to a US Army Transport and redesignated USAT Thistle
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 1 November 1948, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Astoria, OR.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 March 1957, at Astoria, to the Learner Co.
    AP Specifications:
    Displacement 7,100 t.
    Length 432'
    Beam 57' 6"
    Draft 23' 7"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 254
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    eight .50 cal machine guns
    Propulsion steam turbine, single propeller, 5,800shp.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Munargo (AP-20)
    Munargo 50k Munargo (AP-20) underway, date and location unknown. Bob Thomasson
    USAHS Thistle
    Munargo 25k USAHS Thistle, date and location unknown US Army Hospital Ship Thistle web page
    Munargo 51k USAHS Thistle, date and location unknown US Army Hospital Ship Thistle web page
    View a copy of the USAT Thistle on board information brochure "Thistle Scuttlebutt"
    View the Munargo (AP-20) / USAHS / USAT Thistle
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Hospital Ship (AH) Photo Index Back To The Transport (AP) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 11 January 2008