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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Mellena (AKA-32)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Zulu - Alpha
 NTZA
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 - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Artemis Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 25 September 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BE1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1893) at Welsh-Kaiser Co. Providence, R.I.
  • Launched, 11 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS Mellena (AKA-32), 20 January 1945, LCDR. Benny C. Modin in command
  • During World War II USS Mellena was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Eighteen COMO. J.G. Moyer USN (14);
    TransDiv Fifty-Three, CAPT. W.N. Thornton USN
  • Following World War II USS Mellena was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    13 to 29 September19451 to 12 October 1945
    24 to 27 November 194526 October to 23 November 1945

  • Decommissioned, 11 June 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 3 July 1946 and loaned to the California Maritime Academy, renamed TS Golden Bear
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 5 May 1971, at Vallejo, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 5 May 1971, to National Metal and Steel Corp., delivered 14 May 1971
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,087 t.(lt) 7,080 t(fl)
    Length 426'
    Beam 58'
    Draft 16' (lim)
    Speed 16.9 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 27
    Enlisted 276
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo capacity 980 DWT
    non-refrigerated 110,000 Cu. ft.
    Boats
    one LCP(L)
    twelve LCVPs
    two LCMs
    Troop Capacity 264
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,540 Bbls
    Diesel 365 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse turbo-electric engines
    two Wickes boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    one turbo-drive 150Kw 450V A.C.
    two turbo-drive 250Kw 450V A.C.
    twin propellers, 6,000shp.
    +
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Mellena (AKA-32)
    Mellena
    100203206    		 44k USS Mellena(AKA-32) at anchor, circa 1945, location unknown.
    U.S. Navy photo from the U.S. Naval Institute collections    		 Robert Hurst
    Mellena 126k Bow view of ex-USS Mellena(AKA-32) as the California Maritime Academy training ship TS Golden Bear moored outboard of USS Lubbock (APA-197) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 19 August 1946.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 3017-46, 8/19/46    		 Darryl Baker
    TS Golden Bear
    Mellena 268k Broadside view of TS Golden Bear in her berth at the California Maritime Academy in South Vallejo, CA. on the Carquinez Strait , 11 May 1947. Note the WWII temporary housing on the hill in the background above the CMA campus.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 928-47, 5/11/47    		 Darryl Baker
    Mellena 75k TS Golden Bear during her 1948 cruise to the Mediterranean where she delivered a sizable cargo of milk to orphanages in Italy, the milk having been donated by agencies within the state of California. CAPT. Joe A. Baker USN Ret. and the California Maritime Academy Historical Archives
    Mellena 90k TS Golden Bear moored in an Italian port to deliver her cargo of milk during her 1948 cruise to the Mediterranean. Tommy Trampp
    Mellena 373kTS Golden Bear moored in her berth at the California Maritime Academy, Vallejo, CA., date unknown.
    Photo courtesy California Maritime Academy    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Mellena (AKA-32)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Modin, Benny C.20 January 1945 - 26 May 1945
    02LCDR. Gald, Peder USNR26 May 1945 - 11 June 1946
    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 Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) 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 15 December 2023