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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Cape Johnson (AP-172)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Sierra - India
NDSI

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (1)

Cape Johnson Class Transport::

Laid down, date unknown, as a Maritime Commission type (C1-B) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 507), at Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Wilmington, CA.

Launched, 20 February 1943

Converted for Naval use at Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.

Acquired by the Navy and commissioned USS Cape Johnson (AP-172), 1 June l944, CDR. Louis C. Farley, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Cape Johnson was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landing, 14 and 15 November 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 5 March 1945

Following WWII USS Cape Johnson was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 10 September to 2 October 1945

Decommissioned, 25 July 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia WA. Group

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

USS Cape Johnson earned two battle stars for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 10 May 1963, to Zidell Explorations, Inc., Portland, OR. (PD-X-633 dated 17 April 1963) for $212,579.96 in a two ship sale. Withdrawn from the National Defense Reserve Fleet and delivered to Zidell Explorations Inc. 10 June 1963

Specifications:
Displacement 5,668 t.(lt) 12,930 t.(fl)
Length 417' 9"
Beam 60'
Draft 22' 3" (limiting)
Speed 14.7 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 32

Enlisted 339

Troop Accommodation

Officers 65

Enlisted 1,375

Largest Boom Capacity 40 t.

Cargo Capacity 900 t.

non-refrigerated 75,044 (cu.ft.)

Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

four single 40mm anti-aircraft gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 10,150 Bbls

Diesel 360 Bbls

Propulsion

one Westinghouse steam turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 750°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears

Ship's Service Generators, three 300Kw, 120/240v D.C.

single propeller, 4,000shp

Size	Image Description	Source
76k	*USS Cape Johnson* (AP-172)** under way in San Francisco Bay, 18 May 1945, after repairs at the U.S. Naval Drydocks, Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA. Alterations made during the repair period are circled. US Navy photo # NH 98652 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	US Naval Historical Center
72k	*USS Cape Johnson* (AP-172)** under way in San Francisco Bay, 18 May 1945, after repairs at the U.S. Naval Drydocks, Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA. Alterations made during the repair period are circled. US Navy photo # NH 98653 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	US Naval Historical Center
96k	*USS Cape Johnson* (AP-172)** under way in San Francisco Bay, in late 1945 or early 1946. She is returning troops from the Western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation "Magic Carpet." US Navy photo # NH 98708. Donated to the US Naval Historical Center by BM1 Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
57k	*USS Cape Johnson* (AP-172)** under way in San Francisco Bay, circa 1945-46. US Navy photo # NH 83401. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1975.	US Naval Historical Center
37k	*USS Cape Johnson* (AP-172)** under way during, Operation Magic Carpet, circa 1946	LST Home Port web site

USS Cape Johnson (AP-172)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Farley, Louis Calott USNR	1 June 1944 - May 1945
02	CDR. Hess, Harry Hammond	May1945 - 9 August 1945
03	CDR. Hicks, Douglas Murray	9 August 1945 - 3 January 1946
04	CAPT. Blair, Leon Nelson :RADM	3 January 1946 - 25 July 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
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 1 January 2016