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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Alchiba (AKA-6)
ex
 USS Alchiba (AK-23) (1941 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Echo - Juliet
 NBEJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (28 Nov 42, 7 Dec 42) - Presidential Unit Citation - American Defense Service Medal (with "A" device)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (3-KIA, 6-WIA, 7 December 1942)
Arcturus Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 August 1938, as MS Mormacdove, a Maritime Commission type (C2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 21), at Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Acquired by the US Navy 2 June 1941 from the Moore-McCormack Lines
  • Converted for Naval service at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
  • Commissioned USS Alchiba (AK-23), 15 June 1941, at Boston, CDR. Allen P. Mullinix in command
  • During World War II USS Alchiba was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Thirteen, COMO. M.O. Carson USN (16);
     TransDiv Thirty-Seven and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings
    7 to 9 August 1942     		Treasury-Bougainville operation
    November 1943
    Capture and defense of Guadalcanal
    Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 1 and 13 November 1943     		 

  • Redesignated Attack Cargo Ship, (AKA-6), 1 February 1943
  • Decommissioned, 14 January 1946, at Portsmouth VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 February 1946
  • USS Alchiba earned three battle stars for the World War II service, and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for her service at Guadalcanal
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 19 July 1946, renamed Mormacdove
  • Sold by the Maritime Commission, 29 March 1948, refitted for merchant service
  • Merchant Service
    Entered service in 1948 as the Dutch flagged MS Tjipanas
     Sold in 1967, renamed MS Tong Jit, Singapore flagged
     Final Disposition, sold in 1973 to a mainland-China shipbreaker at Whampoa,/span>
    Specifications:
    Displacement 14,225 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 1"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 5"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 31
    Enlisted 325
    Largest Boom Capacity30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 3,705 DWT
    non-refrigerated 274,000 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40MM AA gun mounts
    four single .50 cal. machine guns
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 8,950 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one 2-stroke, 4 cylinder single-acting Sun Doxford Diesel engine
    five Diesel-drive 230Kw 240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    By
    USS Alchiba (AK-23)
    Alchiba 83k USS Alchiba (AK-23) off Boston Navy Yard, MA., 18 June 1941.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-24206, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Alchiba 84k USS Alchiba (AK-23) off Boston Navy Yard, MA., 18 June 1941.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-24207, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Alchiba 93k USS Alchiba (AK-23) off Boston Navy Yard, MA., 18 June 1941.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-24205, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Alchiba 278k USS Alchiba (AK-23) near Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C., 28 May 1942.
    US Navy Charleston photo.    		 Ron Reeves
    Alchiba 91k USS Alchiba (AK-23), circa early 1942. Note her camouflage scheme.
    AP Wirephoto caption - "SOUTH PACIFIC HEADQUARTERS, Oct.19 -- DEATHLESS FREIGHTER CITED BY FDR:
    The 14,000-ton freighter Alchiba, formerly the Mormac lines' S.S.Dove, which was cited today by President Roosevelt for outstanding service in delivering war supplies through Japanese-controlled waters, rides at anchor in an undisclosed harbor, fully decked out in war camouflage paint. She was twice ripped open by torpedoes between Nov. 28 and Dec. 7, 1942, off Guadalcanal, [and] set afire. Her crew beached her, salvaged the cargo, later refloated her and sailed her 6,000 miles to a west coast port." Additional caption information courtesy Gerhard Muller-Debus.
    US Navy History and Heritage Command photo # NH 97835    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Alchiba 133k Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landings, 7-9 August 1942 - A US Marine Corps M2A4 "Stuart" light tank is hoisted from USS Alchiba (AK-23) into a LCM(2) landing craft, off the Guadalcanal invasion beaches on the first day of landings there, 7 August 1942.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-10973, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Alchiba 100k USS Alchiba (AK-23) working cargo at the Aotea Quay in the port of Wellington, N.Z, in July 1942 while preparing for the upcoming Guadalcanal campaign, in September 1942.
    US National Archives photo    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Alchiba 79k USS Alchiba (AK-23) working cargo in the port of Wellington, N.Z, in July 1942 while preparing for the upcoming Guadalcanal campaign, in September 1942.
    US National Archives photo    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Alchiba
    USMC 52795    		 84k Fighting fires in USS Alchiba (AK-23)'s forward holds, with the assistance of a tug USS Bobolink (AT-131), while she was aground off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, circa late November 1942. Torpedoed on 28 November by Japanese midget submarine HA-10 launched from Japanese submarine HIJMS I-16 and torpedoed again on 7 December by Japanese midget submarine HA-38 launched from Japanese submarine HIJMS I-24 she was salvaged and repaired. Note smoke venting from the top of her kingposts.
    US Marine Corps Photo # USMC 52795 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command and AP Wirephoto dated 14 July 1943    		 Tommy Trampp
    Alchiba
    AP Wire photo 14 July 1943    		 45k
    Alchiba 83k USS Alchiba (AK-23), on fire off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, circa late November 1942, after she had been torpedoed in her forward holds on 28 November by Japanese midget submarine HA-10 launched from Japanese submarine HIJMS I-16 and torpedoed again on 7 December by Japanese midget submarine HA-38 launched from Japanese submarine HIJMS I-24, Alchiba's crew ran her aground and delivered her cargo while fighting fires, which burned until 2 December. She was torpedoed again on 7 December, but was salvaged and reentered service. Photo by Sgt. Robert Brenner.
    US Marine Corps photo # USMC 66457.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Alchiba 90k USS Alchiba (AK-23), aground and on fire off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, circa late November 1942. She had been torpedoed on 28 November by Japanese midget submarine HA-10 launched from Japanese submarine HIJMS I-16 and torpedoed again on 7 December by Japanese midget submarine HA-38 launched from Japanese submarine HIJMS I-24. Crewmen are handling cargo on the beach, possibly assisting in unloading Alchiba while fighting her fires. Note barbed wire fencing in the foreground.
    US Marine Corps photo # USMC 52796.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Alchiba
    100200626    		 126k USS Alchiba (AK-23) aground after being torpedoed, 28 November by the midget submarine Ha-38. Her crew ran her aground and delivered her cargo while fighting fires, which burned until 2 December.
    U.S. Marine Corps photoh, now in the collections of the National Archives and National Museum of the U.S. Navy. This image was originally posted to Flickr by Photograph Curator at https://flickr.com/photos/127906254@N06/29372240460    		 Robert Hurst
    Alchiba
    100200624    		 342k USS Alchiba (AK-23) at the Guadalcanal shoreline between 12 and 15 December 1942. She is being patched up from battle damage to make the tow to Tulagi.
    Photo by Frank Scherschel, Life Magazine. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.    		 John Chiquoine
    USS Alchiba (AKA-6)
    Alchiba
    100200625    		 307k A focus view of the damage patch that enabled USS Alchiba (AKA-6) to reach Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 17 July 1943.
    U.S. Navy photo now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. From NA/dd414/19LCM.    		 John Chiquoine
    Alchiba 139k Amidships looking aft plan view of USS Alchiba (AKA-6) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 31 July 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5542-43..    		 Darryl Baker
    Alchiba 140k Aft plan view of USS Alchiba (AKA-6) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 31 July 1943. USS Suamico (AO-49) is pictured at left.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5541-43..    		 Darryl Baker
    Alchiba 60k USS Alchiba (AKA-6) departing Mare Island Navy Yard, 4 August 1943. Note the imposing bridge front in this class and the semi-enclosed bridge wings.
    U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 19-N-49818.    		 Darryl Baker
    Alchiba 83k USS Alchiba (AKA-6) underway off Mare Island Navy Yard, 4 August 1943.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-49818., a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com    		 Robert Hurst
    Alchiba 72k Broadside view of USS Alchiba (AKA-6) underway off Mare Island Navy Yard, 4 August 1943. Alchiba was in overhaul at the shipyard from 3 June until 7 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5645-43..    		 Darryl Baker
    Alchiba 82k Several ship's officers on the bridge of USS Alchiba (AKA-6) including LCDR. Clifford F. Esmiol USNR on the left, while at Mare Island Navy Yard, 7 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5725-43..    		 Darryl Baker
    Alchiba 88k USS Alchiba (AKA-6)'s mascot "Bosun' McGee" at the gangway at Mare Island Navy Yard, 7 Aug 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5728-43..    		 Darryl Baker
    Alchiba 77k USS Alchiba (AKA-6) at anchor, circa early 1945.
    US Navy photo # NH 78540 courtesy of James Russell.
    from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Merchant Service Royal Interocean Lines
    Alchiba 64k Ex-USS Alchiba (AKA-6) in merchant service as the Dutch flagged Royal Interocean Lines MS Tjipanas, circa 1950, location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Alchiba 70k MS Tjipanas under way, circa 1950s-1960s, location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Alchiba 77k Ex-USS Alchiba (AKA-6) in merchant service as the Singapore flagged MS Tong Jit under way in the Malacca Straits, date unknown.
    ©Airfoto, Malacca.    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Alchiba (AK-23 / AKA-6)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Mullinix, Allen Prather, USN (USNA 1920)15 June 1941 - September 1941AK-23
    02CDR. Freeman Sr., James Shepherd, USN (USNA 1921-B) :RADMSeptember 1941 - 17 December 1942AK-23
    03CDR. Shaw, Howard Rutherford, USN17 December 1942 - 19 February 1944AKA-6
    04CDR. Dougherty, William, USNR19 February 1944 - 13 December 1944AKA-6
    05LCDR. Perry, Keith E., USNR13 December 1944 - 14 January 1946AKA-6
    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
    Torpedo Damage, Solomon Islands, 28 November and 7 December 1942
    USS Alchiba (AK-23) War Diary 1 April 1942 to 31 January 1943
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    Last Updated 16 February 2024