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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AP-77 Thurston

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Uniform - Lima
 NYUL
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (28MAY44) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Service Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Thurston Class Transport:
  • Laid down, 9 December 1941, as SS Del Santos, a Maritime Commission type (C-2F) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 134) at Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Kearny, N.J., for the Mississippi Shipping Co.
  • Launched, 4 April 1942
  • Delivered, 11 July 1942
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 13 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS Thurston (AP-77), 19 September 1942, CAPT. Jack E. Hurff in command
  • During World War II Thurston was first assigned to the European Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    North African occupation
    Algeria-Morocco landings (Fedhala), 8 to 15 November 1942     		Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 27 February 1945
    Sicilian occupation
    Gela, 9 to 12 July 1943     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 9 April 1945
    Invasion of Normandy
    6 June 1944     		.
    Invasion of southern France
    Baie de Pampelonne, 15 to 16 August 1944     		.

  • Decommissioned, 1 August 1946, at San Francisco, CA.,
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission the same day, name reverted to SS Del Santos
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Sold by the Maritime Commission to Waterman Steamship Co. in 1948, renamed SS Chickasaw in 1949
  • Final Disposition, lost due to grounding at Santa Rosa Island off the California coast, 7 February 1962
  • Thurston received six battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,185 t.(lt) 13,898 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 23'
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement 456
    Troop Accommodations 1,306
    Armament
    four single 3"/50 gun mounts
    four single 40mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 6,000hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Thurston (AP-77)
    Thurston 46k Thurston (AP-77) underway, 23 September 1942, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Stanley Svec
    Thurston 27k Thurston (AP-77), at Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 24 October 1942 embarking troops.
    Official US Army photo produced by US Army Signal Corps, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 24 October 1942. Photo now in the collections of the Library of Virginia. Image No. C1:2/01/049    		 The Library of Virginia, US Army Signal Corps Photograph Collection
    Thurston 66k Thurston (AP-77), at Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 9 May 1943 embarking troops. This photo shows transports and troop trains after arrival from Camp Patrick Henry. Thurston is on the north side of Pier 2, and Elizabeth C. Stanton (AP-69) is moored on the south side of the Pier.
    Official US Army photo produced by US Army Signal Corps, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation. Photo now in the collections of the Library of Virginia. Image No. C1:2/05/006    		 The Library of Virginia, US Army Signal Corps Photograph Collection
    Thurston 37k Thurston (AP-77) underway, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 32/2A. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Commercial Service
    Thurston 80k ex-Thurston (AP-77) in commercial service as the Waterman Steamship Co.'s SS Chickasaw aground at Santa Rosa Island off the California coast, February 1962.
    Photo ©Superior Publishing Co., Seattle, WA.    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    View the Thurston (AP-77)
    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
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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 18 January 2008