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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Rankin (LKA-103)
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 USS Rankin (AKA-103) (1945 - 1969)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Papa - Yankee
 NEPY
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Citrus Delta
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba) - China Service Medal (extended)
Third Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Fourth Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia and Europe clasps) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Vietnam)
Tolland Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 31 October 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-AJ3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1702), at North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, N.C.
  • Launched, 22 December 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, 25 January 1945, from the Maritime Commission
  • Placed in partial commission as USS Rankin (AKA-103), 25 January 1945, LT. Guyon, Elmer Edward USNR (Aux. Vessel Ferry Crew # 1) in command
  • Decommissioned, 27 January 1945, at Charleston Navy Yard for conversion to naval service
  • Re-commissioned USS Rankin (AKA-103), 25 February 1945, at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C., LCDR. Thomas D. Price USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Rankin was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater;
    TransRon Twenty-Three, COMO. A. S. Witherspoon;
    TransDiv Sixty-Nine CAPT. P. R. Glutting USN (16) and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 11 to 28 June 1945

  • After World War II USS Rankin was assigned to Occupation and China service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    Asia - 18 September to 3 November 194528 October 1946 to 5 January 1947
    Asia - 22 September to 27 October 1946 
    Europe - 20 January to 9 May 1953 
  • Decommissioned, 21 May 1947, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 22 March 1952, at Todd Shipyard, Alameda, CA., CAPT. Bernard H. Meyers, in command
  • Redesignated (LKA-103), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned, 11 May 1971, at Little Creek, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1977
  • USS Rankin earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration
  • Final Disposition, sunk as an artificial reef 6 miles off Stuart Fl. in 1988. Laying on her starboard side at a depth of 130 feet
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,635 t.(lt) 14,160 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 38
    Enlisted 387
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Boats
    fourteen LCVP
    eight LCM
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    Cargo Capacity 5,275 DWT
    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 boilers, 450psi 750°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Rankin 136k USS Rankin (AKA-103) under way on the Cooper River near Charleston Navy Yard, 2 March 1945 Note Cooper River Bridge.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-78669, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Mike Green
    Rankin 136k USS Rankin (AKA-103), date and location unknown.  
    Rankin 33k USS Rankin (AKA-103) under way, March 1945. Louis F. Sander
    Rankin 51k USS Rankin (AKA-103) probably arriving at San Francisco, 25 November 1945 from the Far East with returning American soldiers and sailors. Tommy Trampp
    Rankin 475k Amidships plan view of USS Rankin (AKA-103) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 23 July 1946.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 2628-46, 7/23/46    		 Darryl Baker
    Rankin 339k Amidships looking aft plan view of USS Rankin (AKA-103) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 23 July 1946. Photo taken from USS Meriwether (APA-203) which is inboard of Rankin.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 2629-46, 7/23/46    		 Darryl Baker
    Rankin 312k Amidships looking forward plan view of USS Rankin (AKA-103) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 23 July 1946. Photo taken from USS Meriwether (APA-203) which is inboard of Rankin.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 2630-46, 7/23/46    		 Darryl Baker
    Rankin 80k USS Rankin (AKA-103) under way, circa 1953. Louis F. Sander
    Courtesy CDR Peter A. Trinca, USN (Ret.)
    USS Rankin, 1952-53 Ops Officer
    Rankin 54k USS Rankin (AKA-103), September 1961, New York. © Richard Leonhardt
    Rankin 62k USS Rankin (AKA-103), September 1961, New York. © Richard Leonhardt
    Rankin 41k USS Rankin (AKA-103), September 1961, New York. © Richard Leonhardt
    Rankin 67k USS Rankin (AKA-103), September 1961, New York. © Richard Leonhardt
    Rankin 109k USS Rankin (AKA-103), July-August 1964, Norfolk, VA
    Note USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) in background.    		 © Richard Leonhardt
    Rankin 42k USS Rankin (AKA-103), July-August 1964, Norfolk, VA. © Richard Leonhardt
    Rankin 105k USS Rankin (AKA-103), July-August 1964, Norfolk, VA. © Richard Leonhardt
    Rankin 77k USS Rankin (AKA-103) under way, circa 1968, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Louis F. Sander
    Rankin 123k USS Rankin (AKA-103) under way date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo by David Hodurski.    		 Robert Hurst
    Graham County
    1016117615    		 420k Carib 1-68 Patrol Caribbean Ready Group steams in formation as it patrols the Caribbean Sea. Commanded by Capt. J. B. Drachnik, USN, Commander Amphibious Squadron Four, its mission is the promotion of peace and goodwill and the protection of U.S. citizens and property ashore in time of crisis. Homeported in Norfolk, VA., the Group has been deployed since March. Ships of the Ready Group are: (l-r)
    Attack Cargo Ship USS Rankin (AKA-103);
    Dock Landing Ship, USS Fort Snelling (LSD-30);
    Amphibious Assault Ship, USS Boxer (LPH-4);
    Tank Landing Ship, USS Graham County (LST-1176); and
    High Speed Transport, USS Kirwin (APD-90).
    The original photograph and caption was released by USS Boxer in 1968. .
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 97284 by PH2 A. P. Gonthier, Jr..    		 Mike Smolinski
    Rankin 27k USS Rankin (AKA-103) under way in the harbor at Valletta, Malta, in 1969.
    Photo courtesy A. & J. Pavia.    		 Robert Hurst

    For more photos and information about USS Rankin, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • USS Rankin (AKA-103) War Diaries February 1945 to October 1945 and History
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
  • USS Rankin (AKA-103)
  • Miscellaneous
    • Commanding Officers
     LT. Guyon, Elmer Edward USNR (Aux. Vessel Ferry Crew # 1)25 January 1945 - 27 January 1945
    01LCDR. Price, Thomas Davis, USNR (USNA 1930)25 February 1945 - 25 November 1945
    02CAPT. McDonald, William Lawrence, USNR25 November 1945 - May 1946
    03LCDR. Tepper, Robert, USNR (temporary)May 1946 - 20 May 1946
    04CAPT. Atkins, Griswold Terry, USN (USNA 1930)20 May 1946 - 10 March 1946
    05CDR. Arntz, George Donald, USN10 March 1946 - 22 May 1947
     Decommissioned22 May 1947 - 22 March 1952
    06CAPT. Meyer, Bernard Henry, USN (USNA 1933)22 March 1952 - 11 April 1953
    07CAPT. Ramage, Lawson Paterson (Red) USN (USNA 1931) :VADM Biography11 April 1953 - 19 July 1954
    08CAPT. Munger, Malcolm Townsend, USN (USNA 1932)19 July 1954 - 20 July 1955
    09CDR. Ferguson, James DuGué, USN (USNA 1933)20 July 1955 - 4 October 1956
    10CAPT. Wendt, Waldemar Frederick August, USN (USNA 1933) :ADM Biography4 October 1956 - 9 November 1957
    11CAPT. Harllee, John, USN (USNA 1934)9 November 1957 - 19 February 1959
    12CAPT. Gabbert, John Sterett Crittenden (Gabby), USN (USNA 1935)19 February 1959 - 10 February 1960
    13CAPT. Harmon, Leonard Edward, USN (USNA 1938)10 February 1960 - 10 March 1961
    14CAPT. Howe, Thomas Francis, USN10 March 1961 - 29 May 1962
    15CAPT. Leidel, John Sinclair, USN (USNA 1941)29 May 1962 - 16 July 1963
    16CAPT. Cook, George Carlton, USN16 July 1963 - 22 August 1964
    17CAPT. Rapp, William Theodore (Barney), USN (USNA 1943) :VADM22 August 1964 - 6 August 1965
    18CAPT. Hurst III, Thomas Charles, USN (USNA 1943)6 August 1965 - 8 August 1966
    19CAPT. Lampman, Lester Boggess, USN8 August 1966 - 26 September 1967
    20CAPT. Exum, John Dryden, USN (USNA 1946)26 September 1967 - 14 April 1969
    21CAPT. Pierozzi, Constantino Nello, USN14 April 1969 - 9 August 1970
    22CAPT. Becker, Jerry Thomas, USN (USNA 1948-B)9 August 1970 - 2 February 1971
    23LCDR. Given, Philip Given USN (USNA 1958)2 February 1971 - 11 May 1971
    Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Courtesy USS Rankin (AKA-103)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 3 April 2020