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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Goshen (APA-108)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Tango - Papa
NZTP

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
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Bayfield Class Attack Transport:

Laid down, 31 January 1944, as SS Sea Hare, a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1553) at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA.

Launched, 29 June 1944

Acquired by the Navy and commissioned USS Goshen (APA-108), 13 December 1944, CAPT. Carroll T. Bonney USN (20) in command

During World War II USS Goshen was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Twenty-Two, COMO. S.P. Jenkins;
TransDiv Sixty-Five, CAPT. E.C. Rogers USN (18); and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 17 to 22 March 1945

Following World War II USS Goshen was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
5 to 15 September 1945
29 September to 17 November 1945	29 September to 17 November 1945
30 November to 11 December 1945

Decommissioned, 20 April 1946, at Norfolk, VA.

Returned to the War Shipping Administration, 2 May 1946

Struck from the Naval Register, 8 May 1946

Merchant Service

Sold, 14 June 1947 to American Mail Lines Ltd., renamed SS Canadian Mail

Renamed SS California Mail, 12 December 1963

Sold to Waterman Steamship Co., 19 November 1968, renamed SS Lafayette

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 14 August 1973, to Chi Shun Hua Steel Co. Ltd, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

USS Goshen earned one battle star for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 8,100 t.(lt) 16,100 t.(fl)
Length 492'
Beam 69' 6"
Draft 25'
Speed 18.4 kts (trial)

Complement

Officers 41

Enlisted 437

Troop Accommodations

Officers 92

Enlisted 1470

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity 4,500 DWT

non-refrigerated 180,500 cu ft

Boats

twelve LCVPs

four LCM (Mk-6)s

three LCP(L) (MK-IV)s

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

two twin 20mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 8,510 Bbls

Diesel 750 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric geared turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox D-type boilers, 465psi 765°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gear

three 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

one propeller, 8,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
SS Sea Hare (War Shipping Administration)
	156k	SS Sea Hare (MC hull 1553), Western Pipe & Steel Hull No. 130, launching, 29 July 1944, at Western Pipe & Steel Co., San Francisco. CA.	Tommy Trampp
	144k	SS Sea Hare (MC hull 1553), Western Pipe & Steel Hull No. 130, fitting out at San Francisco, July and August 1944.	Tommy Trampp
	130k
	113k
	119k	SS Sea Hare under way probably in San Francisco during builders trials in December 1944.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
USS Goshen (APA-108)
	83k	*USS Goshen* (APA-108)** at anchor, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Michael Skeen for William G. Hanley, USS Goshen
Merchant Service American Mail SS Co. Waterman SS Corp.
	286k	SS California Mail [ex-*USS Goshen* (APA-108)]** in the livery of the American Mail SS. Co. entering the port of Vancouver. B.C., Canada, date unknown. Photo ©Ship Photo International.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	199k	SS Lafayette [ex-*USS Goshen* (APA-108)]** in the livery of the Waterman SS. Co. entering the port of Durban, South Africa, date unknown. Photo ©Ship Photo International.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus