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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Prentiss (AKA-102)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Charlie - Charlie
 NECC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 21 June 1945)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Andromeda Class Attack Cargo Ship
  • Laid down, 10 October 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1699), at North Carolina Shipbuilding, Wilmington, N.C.
  • Launched, 6 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS Prentiss (AKA-102), 11 February 1945, LCDR. P. Walker, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Prentiss was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 21 to 27 June 1945
  • Decommissioned, 31 May 1946
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 1 June 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946
  • Commercial History
    Sold by the Maritime Commission, 15 October 1947, for commercial service to Alcoa Steamship Co., and renamed SS Alcoa Ranger
    Sold to Cortez Shipping Corp. in February 1967, renamed SS Cortez
    Sold to Crest Overseas Shipping Co., Inc., 13 May 1969
    Renamed SS Jody RE, 26 November 1969
    Ran aground, 18 December 1969, off Nicaragua while enroute from Lake Charles, LA. to Saigon, South Vietnam
    Severely damaged and later towed to Mobile, AL. for possible repair, repairs found to be uneconomical
    Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 18 March 1970, to Hierros Ardes Societa Anonima, Bilbao, Spain
  • USS Prentiss received one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 13,900 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 247
    Cargo Capacity 4,450 dwt
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Boats
    eight LCMs
    one LCP(L)
    fifteen LCVPs
    Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Prentiss (AKA-102)
    Prentiss 54k Broadside view of USS Prentiss (AKA-102) underway on the Cooper River off Charleston, S.C., 17 February 1945.
    US Navy Yard Charleston, S.C. photo #469-46    		 Robert Hall
    Prentiss 72k USS Prentiss (AKA-102) at anchor, date and location unknown. Brian Forget for his Father Francis W. Forget EM3/c USS Prentiss
    Prentiss 73k USS Prentiss (AKA-102) at anchor, date and location unknown. Brian Forget for his Father Francis W. Forget EM3/c USS Prentiss
    Prentiss 74k USS Prentiss (AKA-102) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Brian Forget for his Father Francis W. Forget EM3/c USS Prentiss
    Prentiss 58k Shrapnel hole in USS Prentiss (AKA-102)'s superstructure from a Japanese Kamikaze attack at Kerama Rhetto, 21 June 1945. Photo by Francis W. Forget USS Prentiss Brian Forget for his Father Francis W. Forget EM3/c USS Prentiss
    Prentiss 125k USS Prentiss (AKA-102) crew members top to bottom, top, Francis W. Forget, Jim Landau?, and Seymour Fishman. Brian Forget for his Father Francis W. Forget EM3/c USS Prentiss
    Prentiss 114k USS Prentiss (AKA-102) crew member Seymour Fishman holding Prentiss life ring. Brian Forget for his Father Francis W. Forget EM3/c USS Prentiss
    Prentiss 98k Decommissioned Prentiss (AKA-102) moored, date and location unknown. Brian Forget for his Father Francis W. Forget EM3/c USS Prentiss
    Commercial Service
    Prentiss 436k Ex-USS Prentiss (AKA-102) underway while in Alcoa Steamship colors as SS Alcoa Ranger, circa 1957, location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    View the USS Prentiss (AKA-102)
    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 11 April 2008