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USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117)
ex
 USAT General Walter H. Gordon (1946 - 1951)
 USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) (1944 - 1946)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Lima - Xray
 NKLX

USS General Walter H. Gordon was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
General John Pope Class Transport:
  • Laid down, 2 November 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (P2-S2-R2) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 675) at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J.
  • Launched, 7 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117), 29 June 1944, CAPT. R. E. Wood, USCG, in command
  • Decommissioned, 11 March 1946, at the US Army Terminal Oakland, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission for assignment to the US Army Transportation Service, commissioned USAT General Walter H. Gordon
  • Re-acquired by the US Navy, 8 November 1951 and placed in service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117)
  • During the Korean War USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Second Korean Winter
    16 to 17 March 1952    		 Third Korean Winter
    2 to 4 January 1953
    12 to 13 February 1953
    5 to 6 April 1953
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    30 to 31 October 1952    		 Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    16 to 17 May 1953
  • Placed out of service and laid up reserve at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River N.Y.
  • Custody transferred to Maritime Administration, 20 June 1958 and struck from the Naval Register the same day
  • Re-acquired by US Navy in May 1961 and again placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC)
  • During the Vietnam War USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    17 to 23 December 1967
    29 December 1967 to 29 January 1968    		 Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 3 March 1968
  • Placed out of service, struck from the Naval Register and transferred to the Maritime Administration, 31 March 1986
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 10 April 1987, by the Maritime Administration for $1,005,050, scrapped in Taiwan in 1987
  • USNS General Walter H.Gordon earned four battle stars for Korean War service and two campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,450 t.(lt) 20,175 t.(fl)
    Length 622' 7"
    Beam 75' 6"
    Draft 25' 6"
    Speed 20.6 kts.
    Complement 533
    Troop Accommodations 4,244
    Armament
    four single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    four quad 1.1" AA gun mounts, replaced with twenty single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion steam turbines, twin shafts, 17,000hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117)
    General Walter H Gordon 243k
    Namesake

    Walter Henry Gordon, born at Artonish, Miss., 24 June 1863, graduated from the Military Academy and was commissioned in the infantry in 1886. During the early part of this century, after fighting in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection, Gordon served on the General Staff and in the Philippines. In 1917 he commanded the 15th Infantry in China, and, following America's entry into World War I, he commanded the 10th Brigade in France. General Gordon participated in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, and ended the war as commanding officer, 6th Division. Following the war, for which he received the Distinguished Service Medal, Gordon commanded Infantry units in the United States, and, prior to his retirement in 1924, served as Deputy Chief of Staff. Major General Gordon died in Washington, D.C., 26 April 1924.
    Digital ID: ggbain 28942 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    General Walter H Gordon 96k USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) docked at Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 11 November 1944.
    U.S. Army photo # HR-869 produced by US Army Signal Corps, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation. Photo now in the collections of the US Army Signal Corps Photograph Collection of the Library of Virginia. Image No. C2:2/23/090.    		 Ron Titus
    General Walter H Gordon 38k USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 .
    USAT General Walter H. Gordon
    General Walter H Gordon 59k USAT General Walter H. Gordon underway, date and location unknown. William Zarkas, Retired MSC Boatswain
    President, MSC Retiree Association
    USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117)
    General Walter H Gordon 80k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) at anchor soon after joining the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in late 1951 and before beginning her modernization in 1953. She still has all ten of her wartime Welin boat davits.
    US Navy photo # NH 104836 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 77k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) being assisted by harbor tugs soon after joining the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in late 1951 and before beginning her modernization in 1953. She still has all ten of her wartime Welin boat davits.
    US Navy photo # NH 104837 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 72k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) underway, date and location unknown. MSTS souvenir Post Card.
    US Navy photo    		 Military Sea Transportation Service Society
    General Walter H Gordon 58k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) underway after her modernization, probably between 1954 and 1957. She has eight new emplacements for 3"/50 twin gun mounts: two forward, two aft, two between the stacks, and two at the after end of the main superstructure. The guns were never installed.
    US Navy photo # NH 104838 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 71k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) underway after her 1953 modernization. her wartime Welin boat davits have been replaced with standard davits.
    US Navy photo # NH 104839 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 45k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) moored pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany, August 1961. Photo by Gerhard L. Mueller-Debus
    General Walter H Gordon 67k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) underway in San Francisco Bay in October 1967.
    US Navy photo # NH 104712 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 64k USS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) underway while transporting troops to South Vietnam in the mid or late 1960s. Note the UH-1 "Huey" helicopters overhead .
    US Navy photo # NH 104845 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    View the USS / USNS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117 / T-AP-117)
    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
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 2 May 2008