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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS J. Franklin Bell APA-16)
ex
 USS J. Franklin Bell (AP-34) (1942 - 1943)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Lima - Juliet
 NULJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Harris Class Transport:
  • Laid down, 13 May 1919, for the Emergency Fleet Corp., as the passenger/cargo liner SS Keystone State under USSB contract # 2579 at New York Shipbuilding Corp, Camden, N.J.
  • Launched, 15 May 1920
  • Delivered, 28 May 1921, to the Pacific Steamship Co.
  • Renamed SS President McKinley, 9 June 1922
  • Turned over to the Admiral Orient LIne, 21 December 1922
  • Laid up at Seattle in 1938
  • Purchased by the War Department, 26 October 1940, for conversion to a troopship
  • Renamed USAT J. Franklin Bell
  • Transferred to the Navy, 26 December 1941
  • Converted to a Naval Transport
  • Commissioned USS J. Franklin Bell (AP-34), 2 April 1942, CAPT. H. J. Grassie in command
  • Reclassified an Attack Transport (APA-16), 1 February 1943
  • During WWII USS J. Franklin Bell was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Aleutians operation
    Attu occupation,11 to 16 May 1943     		Tinian capture and occupation
    24 to 27 July 1944
    Gilbert Islands operation
    Tarawa Atoll capture and occupation, 20 to 27 November 1943     		Leyte operation
    Leyte landings (Dulag), 20 to 21 October 1944
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 17 to 22 June 1945
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 16 to 25 June 1944     		.

  • Decommissioned, 20 March 1946, and returned to the US Army
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission by the War Department, 12 February 1947, at Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold by the Maritime Commission 3 April 1948 to Boston Metals Co., Baltimore Md. for scrapping
  • USS J. Franklin Bell received seven battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 13,529 t.(lt), 21,900 t.(fl)
    Length 535' 2"
    Beam 72'
    Draft 31' 6"
    Speed 17 kts.
    Complement
    46 Officers
    637 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    103 Officers
    1,740 Enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 200,000 cu. ft., 2,300 t.
    Armament
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts.
    Propulsion
    four Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers
    one De Laval steam turbine, geared turbine drive
    single propeller
    designated shaft horsepower 9,500
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    J Franklin Bell 176k
    Namesake

    An Army name retained. James Franklin Bell was born at Shelbyville, Ky., and graduated from the Military Academy in 1878. Frontier duty filled most of his years as a junior officer. During the Philippine Insurrection near Porac, Luzon, 11 December 1899, he "charged seven insurgents with his pistol and compelled the surrender of the captain and two privates under a close fire from the remaining insurgents concealed in a bamboo thicket." His heroism on this occasion won him the Medal of Honor. Promoted to major general in 1907, Bell served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army from 1906 to 1910. He died in New York City 8 January 1919.
    Digital ID: ggbain 03396
    Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    J Franklin Bell 81k USS J. Franklin Bell (APA-16) at anchor, date and location unknown. Russ Padden, courtesy Charles Fitch
    J Franklin Bell 69k Broadside view of USS J. Franklin Bell (APA-16) at anchor, date and location unknown. Russ Padden, courtesy Charles Fitch
    J Franklin Bell 62k Stern view of USS J. Franklin Bell (APA-16) at anchor, date and location unknown. Russ Padden, courtesy Charles Fitch
    J Franklin Bell 35k USS J. Franklin Bell (APA-16) underway, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 32/4T. .
    View the USS J. Franklin Bell (APA-16)
    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 Apri l2008