Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Kent Island (AG-78)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Belle Isle Class Miscellaneous Auxiliary
  • Laid down, 19 November 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 3092) at New England Shipbuilding Corp., South Portland, ME.
  • Launched, 9 January 1945
  • Acquired by the Navy and placed in reduced commission, 16 January 1945, for transit to her conversion yard, LCDR. James. H. Graves, Jr., USNR (Aux Ship Ferry Crew #5) in command
  • Decommissioned, 19 January 1945, at Bethlehem Steel Co., Hoboken, N.J. for conversion as a barracks and issue ship
  • Commissioned USS Kent Island (AG-78), 1 August 1945, CDR. W. C. Ball, USNR, in command
  • Decommissioned, 22 June 1946, at Orange, TX.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group
  • Redesignated a General Stores Issue Ship (AKS-26), 18 August 1951
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 April 1960
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 September 1960, to Southern Scarp Material Co., Inc., New Orleans, LA. for $96,888.88 (PD-X-585)
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,371 t.(lt) 14,350 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 23' (lim)
    Speed 12.5 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 46
    Enlisted 862
    Largest Boom Capacity 36 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 7,400 Bbls
    Diesel 1,470 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Machine Corp. vertical triple-expansion reciprocating engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    Ship's Service Generators
    three Diesel-drive 350Kw 450V A,C,
    two turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By/Source
    Kent Island 141k Kent Island (AG-78) at anchor in San Francisco Bay circa December 1945. The ship made one troop carrying voyage to Okinawa before proceeding to the east coast in January 1946 and arriving at Orange, Texas, 15 March 1946, to begin decommissioning.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 82193, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Kent Island 41k Kent Island (AG-78) at Orange, TX., prior to lay up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, circa, 15 to 22 March 1946. Dawn and William George Randolph Jr. S/1c USS Indian Island
    USS Kent Island (AG-78)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
     LCDR. Graves Jr., James Henry, USNR16 January 1945 - 19 January 1945
     Decommissioned19 January 1945 - 1 April 1945
     CDR. Ball, W. C., USNR 1 April 1945 - ?
    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
    Back To the Main Photo Index Back To the Service Ship Photo Index Back To the Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index Back To the General Stores Issue Ship (AKS) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 21 November 2014