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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

ARG-3 Mindanao

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 11 April 1943, as Elbert Hubbard, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime
  • Commission contract (MCE hull 983) at Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, MD.
  • Launched, 13 May 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Mindanao (ARG-3), 6 November 1943, CDR. G. B. Evans in command
  • Decommissioned, 17 May 1947 at Orange, TX.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange, TX.
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1961
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission in 1961 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX, 1962
  • Final Disposition, reefed off Daytona Beach FL in 1980
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,621 t.(lt)
    Length 442'
    Beam 57'
    Draft 23'
    Speed 13 kts.
    Complement 574
    Armament one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, three 3"/50 gun mounts, four 40mm guns
    Propulsion reciprocating steam engine, single shaft, 1,950shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Mindanao 93k Mindanao (ARG-3) at anchor, November 1943, place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Mindanao 141k Explosion of Mount Hood (AE-11) in Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands, 10 November 1944

    Small craft gathered around Mindanao (ARG-3) during salvage and rescue efforts shortly after Mount Hood (AE-11) blew up about 350 yards away from Mindanao's port side. Mindanao, and seven motor minesweepers (YMS) moored to her starboard side, were damaged by the blast, as were Alhena (AKA-9), in the photo's top left center, and Oberrender (DE-344), in top right.
    Note the extensive oil slick, with tracks through it made by small craft.
    Copied from the War Diary, Manus Naval Base, for November 1944
    US Navy photo # NH 95405 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Mindanao 110k Explosion of Mount Hood (AE-11) in Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands, 10 November 1944

    Four motor minesweepers (YMS) alongside the starboard side of Mindanao (ARG-3) shortly after Mount Hood (AE-11) blew up about 350 yards away from Mindanao's port side. These wooden minesweepers were protected from most of the direct force of the blast by Mindanao's hull, but received some damage.
    YMS-340 is second from the left. Note that her open bridge bulwarks have been blown down. Also note differing types of retracting acoustics "hammer box" mountings on the bows of these ships.
    Copied from the War Diary, Manus Naval Base, for November 1944
    US Navy photo # NH 96175 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Mindanao 121k Explosion of Mount Hood (AE-11) in Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands, 10 November 1944

    Salvage and rescue work underway on Mindanao (ARG-3) shortly after Mount Hood blew up about 350 yards away. Note heavy damage to Mindanao's hull and superstructure, including large holes from fragment impacts. View looks forward from alongside her port quarter.
    Mindanao had 180 crewmen killed and injured by this explosion. She was under repair until 21 December 1944.
    Small craft alongside or nearby include (from left) YPB-6 (probable identification), two LCVPs and YPB-7.
    Copied from the War Diary, Manus Naval Base, for November 1944
    US Navy photo # NH 96174 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Mindanao 73k Mindanao (ARG-3) at anchor, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from DANFS.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    View the Mindanao (ARG-3)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    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.