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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS New Hanover (AKA-73)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Golf - Yankee
NHGY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


Tolland Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 31 August 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-AJ3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1403) at North Carolina Shipbuilding Corp, Wilmington, N.C.
  • Launched, 31 October 1944
  • Commissioned USS New Hanover (AKA-73), 22 December 1944, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C., LCDR. John R. Haines, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS New Hanover was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Twenty-One, COMO. J.R. Palmer USN (13);
    TransDiv Sixty-Two, CAPT. H.E. Paddock USN (15) and participated in the following campaign;

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 9 to 19 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS New Hanover was assigned to Occupation service from 23 October to 15 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 30 July 1946, at Norfolk VA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 31 July 1946, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 August 1946
  • USS New Hanover earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold, 31 June 1947, to Waterman SS Corp., renamed SS Alawai
    Resold in February 1955 to Polarus Steamship Co., Inc., renamed SS Franklin Berwis
    Resold in February 1957 to Grace Line Inc., renamed SS Santa Mercedes
    Resold, 22 April 1960, to Central Gulf SS Corp., renamed SS Green Wave, 2 May 1960
    Resold in July 1966 to Victory Carriers Inc., renamed SS Sagamore Hill
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 October 1970, to Li Chong Steel & Irons Works Co., LTD., Taiwan
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,635 t.(lt) 13,910 t.(fl), 14,160 (lim)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 24
    Enlisted 223
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Boats
    fourteen LCVPs
    eight LCMs
    Cargo Capacity 5,275DWT
    non-refrigerated 380,000 Cu ft.
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 10,425 Bbls
    Diesel 805 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine
    two Foster and Wheeler header-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gear
    three Ship's Service Generators 300Kw, 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller, 6,000shp

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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS New Hanover (AKA-73)
    New Hanover 39k New Hanover (AKA-73) immediately after launching at North Carolina Shipbuilding Corp, Wilmington, N.C., 31 October 1944.
    North Carolina Shipbuilding Corp.photo.
    Louis James Muccio
    New Hanover 209k USS New Hanover (AKA-73) under way in Charleston harbor, S. C., circa December 1944. She is about to pass under the Cooper River Bridge. The ship is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 6AO. Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # NH 45479 Mike Green
    New Hanover 51k USS New Hanover (AKA-73) under way, date and location unknown. Note the classic "Dazzle" pattern that has been painted on the ship, revealing the extremes of the various designs prepared for the Measure 32 Medium Pattern System.
    US Navy photo courtesy of Floating Drydock.
    Robert Hurst
    Merchant Service Grace Lines Central Gulf Lines Inc.
    New Hanover 108k Ex-USS New Hanover (AKA-73) moored pierside, circa 1957-60, location unknown, while in merchant service as the Grace Lines freighter SS Santa Mercedes. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    New Hanover 158k Ex-USS New Hanover (AKA-73) underway, circa 1960-66, location unknown, while in merchant service as the Central Gulf Lines freighter SS Green Wave. Photo was originally copyrighted by Alex Duncan. Gerhard Mueller-Debus

    USS New Hanover (AKA-73)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Haines, John R., USNR22 December 1944 - ?

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    USS New Hanover (AKA-73) War Diary and History December 1944 to December 1945
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 8 March 2019