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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Lost to enemy action, 13 August 1943, off Lunga Point Guadalcanal

USS John Penn (APA-23)
ex
 USS John Penn (AP-51) (1942 - 1943)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (13 August 1943) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
John Penn Class Transport:
  • Laid down, 25 October 1930 SS Excambion for the American Export Line at New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden. N.J.
  • Launched, 28 May 1931
  • Delivered to American Export Line, 4 August 1931
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 8 January 1942, and converted to a Naval Transport
  • Commissioned USS John Penn (AP-51), 6 April 1942, CAPT. Harry W. Need in command
  • During World War II USS John Penn was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later reassigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign;

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    North African occupation
    Algeria-Morocco landings, 8 to 17 November 1942     		.
  • Reclassified Attack Transport (APA-23), 1 February 1943
  • Final Disposition, lost to enemy action, 13 August 1943, off Lunga Point Guadalcanal
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS John Penn received one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
  • Displacement 9,360 t.
  • Length 475' 4"
  • Beam 62' 9"
  • Speed 18 kts.
  • Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
  • Propulsion steam turbine
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    John Penn 222k
    Namesake

    John Penn was born in Virginia 6 May 1740. He was admitted to the bar in 1761; and, after practicing in Virginia, moved in 1774 to Granville County, N.C. There Penn became active in public affairs, served for a brief time in the Provincial Congress, and was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775. Serving in Congress until 1780, he voted for and signed the Declaration of Independence. Penn became a member of the North Carolina Board of War in 1780 and returned to the practice of law in 1781. He died 14 September 1788.
    Image: http://www.thedeclarationofindependence.org    		 Bill Gonyo
    John Penn 94k USS John Penn (AP-51) underway, 13 September 1942, location unknown.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-10847, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US National Archives
    View the USS John Penn (AP-51 / APA-23)
    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
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    Last Updated 25 April 2008