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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

ARG-9 Mona Island

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2634) at Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, MD.
  • Launched, 11 May 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and converted to Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship (ARG-9) at Maryland Drydock Co, Baltimore, MD.
  • Commissioned USS Mona Island (ARG-9), 17 October 1944
  • Decommissioned in June 1947, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, at Norfolk
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1962
  • Transferred in 1962 to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Final Disposition, reefed off Wachapreague in 1975
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,159 t.(lt) 8,700 t.(fl)
    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, twelve 20mm guns
    Propulsion General Machinery Corp. of Hamilton, OH. reciprocating steam engine, single shaft, 1,950hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By/Source
    Mona Island 51k Mona Island (ARG-9) just after launching at Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, MD., 11 May 1944. David Nixon
    Mona Island 66k Mona Island (ARG-9) at anchor, probably at Buckner Bay, Okinawa after being damaged by Typhoon Louise, 1945. Photo by Fred Conner MoMM/2 USS Hooper Island Lannis E. Huckabee COL(ret) USA
    Mona Island 84k Mona Island (ARG-9) Department Heads, Okinawa 1945
    Left to right seated:
    Gunnery Officer, Repair Officer, Engineer Officer (LCDR Davis)
    Left to right standing:
    Navigator & Senior Watch Officer, later Executive Officer (LT. Payne), Communications Officer, Medical Officer (Dr. Orenberger), Supply Officer, (LT. Niece).         		CDR John B. Payne, USNR, Ret.
    Mona Island 59k Mona Island (ARG-9) crew rescuing entire crew of the Coast Guard manned USS PC-590 by breeches buoy, while combating 150 knot winds during the typhoon of 9 October 1945, at Okinawa CDR John B. Payne, USNR, Ret.
    Mona Island 100k Barograph reading of barometric pressure during the typhoon of 9 October 1945 at Okinawa. Wind velocity reached 105 knots when the Mona Island (ARG-9)'s anemometer was blown off the masthead. Wind velocity was estimated at 150 to 200 knots. CDR John B. Payne, USNR, Ret.
    Mona Island 96k ALSHIPS msg announcing the entry of the Soviet Union into the War against Japan. CDR John B. Payne, USNR, Ret.
    Mona Island 264k "All Hands" article describing the rescue of USS PC-590 crew by the crew of the Mona Island (ARG-9) during the typhoon at Okinawa, 9 October 1945 CDR John B. Payne, USNR, Ret.
    View the Mona Island (ARG-9)
    DANFS at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    View the Mona Log
    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 25 March 2005