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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AKA-106 / LKA-106 Union

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Charlie - November

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
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 3-Vietnam)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (6) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (10) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal

Tolland Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 27 September 1944, as North Carolina, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-AJ3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1697), at North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, N.C.

Renamed Union and launched, 23 November 1944

Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and towed or ferried to her conversion yard at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co., Hoboken, N.J.

Commissioned USS Union (AKA-106), 25 April 1945, at Hoboken, N.J., CDR. Hartwell T. Doughty in command

During the Korean War Union (AKA-106) participated in the following campaigns:

**Korean War Campaigns**
Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Second Korean Winter 20 to 22 December 1951 19 March to 2 April 1952 30 April 1952	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 1 to 3 May 1952 21 to 23 May 1952

During the Vietnam War Union (AKA / LKA-106) participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 26 to 30 August 1966 15 to 25 September 1966 19 October to 23 November 1966 4 to 11 January 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 2 to 23 July 1968 6 to 12 August 1968
Tet Counteroffensive 2 to 6 March 1968 29 March to 1 April 1968	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 8 September to 22 October 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 2 to 8 April 1968 29 April to 8 May 1968 8 to 16 June 1968	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 4 to 11 November 1969 18 to 21 November 1969

Redesignated (LKA-106), 1 January 1969

Decommissioned, 5 June 1970

Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay. Benecia, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1976

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in September 1977, to National Metals and Steel Corp., Terminal Island, CA.

Union was awarded two battle stars for Korean service and six campaign stars for her Vietnam service.

Specifications:
Displacement 8,635 t.(lt) 13,910 t.(fl)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 26' 4"
Speed 16.5 kts.
Complement

Officers 62

Enlisted 333
Armament

one single 5"/38 DP gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
Boats

14 LCVP

8 LCM
Cargo Capacity 380,000 cu ft, (5,275 t.)
Propulsion GE geared turbine drive, 1 propeller, 6,000 shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
87k	Union (AKA-106)'s LCVPs circle in the transport area off Inchon, prior to going to the line of departure on the first day of the Inchon Invasion, 15 September 1950. An LST, wearing the side number QO-12, is in the center background. US National Archives photo # 80-G-423215, a US Navy photo, now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Scott at LBS Products
72k	Union (AKA-106) moored pierside at Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan in 1951	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
38k	Union (AKA-106) loading CB equipment in 1951, location unknown.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
72k	Union (AKA-106) moored pierside Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan, February 1952.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
32k	Union (AKA-106) drydocked at San Francisco 1952.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
90k	Union (AKA-106) underway off San Diego, date unknown.	Don Garner RM3 Operations Division 12 March 1951 to 13 July 1953
91k	Union (AKA-106) underway off San Diego, date unknown.	Don Garner RM3 Operations Division 12 March 1951 to 13 July 1953
95k	Union (AKA-106) at anchor, San Diego, 5 February 1966	© Richard Leonhardt
43k	Union (AKA-106) at anchor, date and place unknown.	Yves Hubert
101k	Union (AKA-106) underway off San Diego, CA., date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
158k	Union (AKA-106) during towing exercises with Renville (APA-227), place unknown, 1966.	Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville.
105k	Union (AKA-106) during towing exercises with Renville (APA-227), place unknown, 1966.	Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville.
206k	Shimmering Water surrounds Union (LKA-106) and Tripoli (LPH-10) berthed together at White Beach Navy pier, Okinawa. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, May 1970, photo by PH2 R. E. Ziel USN.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
40k	Union (AKA-106) pilot house.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
37k	Union (AKA-106)'s flying bridge.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
17k	One of Union (AKA-106)'s twin 40mm gun mounts.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
39k	Union (AKA-106) lowering one of the ship's LCMs over the side.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
35k	Two of Union (AKA-106)'s "Mike" boats alongside.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union
26k	Lowering one of Union (AKA-106)'s LCVPs over the side at Sasebo, Japan.	Photo by Don Garner USS Union