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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Ancon (AGC-4)
ex
 USS Ancon (AP-66) (1942 - 1943)
 USAT Ancon (1942)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Victor - Papa
 NTVP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row -Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (4) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal - Philippine Independence Medal
Ancon Class Amphibious Force Command Ship:
  • Laid down as SS Ancon for the Panama Railroad Co., at Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 24 September 1938
  • Delivered to the Panama Railroad Co., 16 June 1939
  • Acquired by the Army Transportation Service, 11 January 1942 and commissioned USAT Ancon
  • Acquired by the Navy, 7 August 1942
  • Commissioned USS Ancon (AP-66), 12 August 1942, LCDR. D. H. Swinson in command
  • Reclassified USS Ancon (AGC-4), 26 February 1943
  • Converted to an Amphibious Force Command Ship, 16 February 1943 through 21 April 1943, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA.
  • During World War II USS Ancon was first assigned to the European Theater and then reassigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns"

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    North Africa occupation
    Algeria-Morocco landings, 8 to 12 November 1942     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 3 June 1945
    Sicilian occupation
    10 to 12 July 1943     		.
    Salerno landings
    9 to 21 September 1943     		.
    Invasion of Normandy
    6 to 27 June 1944     		.

  • Decommissioned, 25 February 1946, at New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Returned to the Panama Railroad Co.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration (date unknown)
  • Transferred to the Maine Maritime Academy in 1962 for use as the schools training ship, renamed TS State of Maine
  • Returned to the MARAD in 1973
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1973
  • USS Ancon earned five battle stars for her World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 10,021 t.(lt) 14,150 t.(fl)
    Length 493'
    Beam 64'
    Draft 26' 3"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement 707
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 dual purpose mounts
    four twin 40mm gun mounts
    fourteen single 20mm gun mounts
    Propulsion 2 steam turbine engines, 9166SHP
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By / Source
    Commercial Service
    Ancon 72k SS Ancon in the service of the Panama Railroad Co., underway, circa 1939-1941, place unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 99212, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS Ancon (AGC-4)
    Ancon 88k USS Ancon (AGC-4) at anchor in Chesapeake Bay, 8 May 1943, after conversion from a troop transport to an amphibious command ship (AGC). Note that some of her civilian bow ornamentation, although painted over, is still visible.
    US Navy photo # NH 95389    		 Robert Hurst and Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Ancon 92k USS Ancon (AGC-4) at anchor, 11 June 1943, during preparations for the invasion of Sicily.
    US Navy photo # NH 99148    		 Robert Hurst
    Ancon 91k USS Ancon (AGC-4) surface plotting area, probably the Navy Operations Room adjacent to or part of the Joint Operations Room, 3 July 1943 shortly before the invasion of Sicily. Note plotting crew with charts on multiple tables, sound powered phones, communications gear in cabinets at left, speaking tubes on bulkhead at right, and aircraft status board on bulkhead at rear.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-215068, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 108k Status board in the Joint Operations Room, USS Ancon (AGC-4), 3 July 1943. This board shows the disposition of Task Force 85 ships shortly before the invasion of Sicily.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-215080, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 93k Joint Operations Room, USS Ancon (AGC-4), 3 July 1943 shortly before the invasion of Sicily. Command personnel are manning the stations on the raised platform at the left. The two horizontal plots may be the air plot table (foreground) and local plot table (background). The task force disposition status board is on a bulkhead at the left rear. A radio transmitting keyboard is in use in the foreground. Note the extensive use of sound powered phones. Chalked on the vertical status board at right is the statement "Again we have been asked to do the impossible. Let's do it as usual."
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-215083, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 88k Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley, U.S. Army, on the navigation bridge of USS Ancon (AGC-4), en route to the invasion of Sicily, 7 July 1943. With him is CAPT. Timothy Wellings, USN.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-86325, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 58k Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, USN on the bridge of his flagship, USS Ancon (AGC-4), during the invasion of Sicily in July 1943.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-302134, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 113k Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, USN (left), Commander Western Naval Task Force (Task Force 80) with his Chief of Staff and Aide, Rear Admiral Spencer S. Lewis, USN, on board USS Ancon (AGC-4), flagship for the Salerno Landings in September 1943. Note the binoculars worn by both men.
    US Navy photo # NH 99213, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 96k Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, USN inspecting the crew of USS Ancon (AGC-4), 9 September 1943, at the time of the Salerno operation. Note these Sailors' dyed "white" hats and pneumatic life belts.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-302132, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 41k USS Ancon (AGC-4) at anchor, 11 September, 1943, in Salerno Bay, Italy. Note unidentified Italian submarine alongside. The War Story of the Ancon, Cristobal & Panama
    Ancon 78k USS Ancon (AGC-4) off the Salerno beachhead, 12 September 1943 serving as operation flagship. Note the US Navy submarine chasers (SCs) laying smoke screens to protect the larger ships.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-87314, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ancon 55k Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, U.S. Army, Commanding General, Fifth Army, on board USS Ancon (AGC-4) during the landings at Salerno, Italy, 12 September 1943.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-87335, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 60k USS Ancon (AGC-4) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    Ancon 23k USS Ancon (AGC-4) off Normandy, 7 June 1944, PC-565 is in the foreground
    US Navy photo # 80-N-257287    		 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,
    Vol. 1, pg. 283
    Ancon 74k King George VI, of Great Britain (center) inspecting USS Ancon (AGC-4), 25 May 1944, shortly before the invasion of Normandy. Accompanying him are: Rear Admiral John L. Hall, Jr., USN (right background); and Commander Mead S. Pearson, USN, Ancon's Commanding Officer (right).
    US Navy photo # NH 99131, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, donation of Captain George W. Mead, Jr., USN, 1969..    		 Bill Gonyo
    Ancon 84k USS Ancon (AGC-4) at anchor off Omaha Beach, Normandy, June 1944. Robert Hurst
    Ancon 62k Starboard bow view of USS Ancon (AGC-4) underway off Charleston Navy Yard, S.C., 21 December3 1944. She is wearing Measure 31a, Design 18Ax camouflage and has a small hull number at bow.
    US Navy photo # NH 96391 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    Ancon 64k Starboard quarter view of USS Ancon (AGC-4) underway off Charleston Navy Yard, S.C., 21 December3 1944. She is wearing Measure 31a, Design 18Ax camouflage and has a small hull number at bow.
    US Navy photo # NH 96390 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    Ancon 83k USS Ancon (AGC-4) underway off Charleston Navy Yard, S.C., 21 December3 1944. She is wearing Measure 31a, Design 18Ax camouflage. (Note the photo is mis-dated 21 December 1945)
    US Navy photo # NH 95392-A from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    Ancon 85k USS Ancon (AGC-4) at anchor somewhere in the Pacific in 1945, She is wearing Measure 31a, Design 18Ax camouflage and has a large hull number painted on her bow.
    US Navy photo # NH 99150 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    Ancon 105k USS Ancon (AGC-4) at anchor somewhere in the Pacific in 1945, She is wearing Measure 31a, Design 18Ax camouflage and has a large hull number painted on her bow.
    US Navy photo # NH 99239 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Maine Maritime Academy.    		 Robert Hurst
    Ancon 54k USS Ancon (AGC-4) at anchor with the fleet in Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945, during then formal Japanese surrender, as navy carrier planes fly information overhead. She is wearing Measure 31a, Design 18Ax camouflage and has a large hull number on her bow
    US Army Signal Corps. photo # SC 106337 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Maine Maritime Academy.    		 Robert Hurst
    TS State of Maine
    Ancon 101k TS State of Maine in port, probably, at Castine, Maine, while serving as the Maine Maritime Academy's training ship, circa 1962-1973. Photograph by the Maine Maritime Academy.
    US Navy photo # NH 99237, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ancon 122k TS State of Maine moored pierside at the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad building, Jacksonville, FL. during her 1964 winter training cruise.
    US Navy photo # NH 99238, a US Navy photo from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the USS Ancon (AGC-4)
    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
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 13 June 2008