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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Samuel Chase (APA-26)
ex
 USS Samuel Chase (AP-56) (1942 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Golf - Juliet
 NIGJ

USS Samuel Chase was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, North Africa, Okinawa)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe, Africa, Middle East Campaign Medal (5) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Arthur Middleton Class Transport:
  • Laid down, 31 August 1940, as SS African Meteor, a Maritime Commission type (C3-P&C) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 107) at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 23 August 1941
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 5 February 1942
  • Commissioned USS Samuel Chase (AP-56), 13 June 1942, CDR. Roger C. Heimer, USCG, in command
  • Redesignated Attack Transport (APA-26), 1 February 1943
  • During World War II USS Samuel Chase was first assigned to the European-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns;
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North African occupation
    Algerian-Morocco landings, 8 to 11 November 1942     		Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 7 June 1944
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 12 July 1943 Invasion of Southern France,, 15 August 1944
    Salerno landings. 9 to 10 September 1943 .

  • Decommissioned, 26 February 1947, at Norfolk. VA.
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1958
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 11 February 1959
  • Final Disposition, sold by MARAD to Consolidated Steel Corp, Brownsville TX. in 1973 for scrapping
  • Samuel Chase received 5 battle stars for her World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,000 t.(lt) 16,725 t.(fl)
    Length 491'
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 26' 6"
    Speed 18.4 kts.
    Complement 578
    Troop Accommodations 1,304
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    eight 20mm AA gun mounts
    four .50 cal AA machine gun mounts
    Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Samuel Chase 24k
    Namesake

    Samuel Chase, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born on 17 April 1741 in Princess Anne, Somerset County, Md. He was admitted to the bar in 1761 and was a member of the Maryland Assembly from 1764 to 1784. In 1774, he became a member of the Maryland Committee of Correspondence and a delegate to the first Continental Congress, and served Congress intermittently until 1788 during which time he was a member of many important committees. After several years in private business, he became a judge in Maryland in 1788 and was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1796. Justice Chase died on 19 June 1811.
    Photo: Constitution.org    		 Bill Gonyo
    Samuel Chase 44k USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) at anchor, date and place unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 US Coast Guard Historian's Office
    Samuel Chase 114k USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Coast Guard photo    		 CAPT. Jerry Mason, USN Ret.
    Samuel Chase 56k USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) recovering troops and vehicles after a landing exercise, late in 1943. A forward boom is lifting a 2½-ton truck from an LCM, while troops climb a cargo net from another LCM abaft the superstructure. Other troops have an easier ascent from an LCVP near the stern, boarding by an accommodation ladder. The LCVP is marked as one of USS Samuel Chase's boat complement, the PA26-24 on her bow identifying her as Boat 24 from APA-26. USS Samuel Chase is painted in what was called a graded pattern, dark blue below a hypothetical horizon line and haze gray above. One or more radar antennas have been carefully airbrushed out by a censor.
    US Navy photo    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the USS Samuel Chase (APA-26)
    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
    US Coast Guard Historian's Office - USS Samuel Chase, AP-56 / APA-26
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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 25 April 2008