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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Bandera (APA-131)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - November - Kilo
 NDNK
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 - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 23 July 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 47) at California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 6 October 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 5 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS Bandera (APA-131), 6 December 1944, CAPT. George C. Miller USN in command
  • During World War II USS Bandera was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Twenty, COMO. H.W. Graf USN (15);
    TransDiv Sixty, CAPT. A.T. Moen USN (18)
  • Following World War II USS Bandera was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 to 12 September 194513 to 28 January 1946
    30 September to 3 October 1945 

  • Decommissioned, 7 May 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 14 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 May 1946
  • Withdrawn from the James River Reserve Fleet, 15 September to 10 November 1954, to A. H. Bull Co., Inc. (Repair Program) General Agency Agreement
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 23 January 1974, as part of a five ship deal to Consolidated Steel Corp. Brownsville, TX., (PD-X-970 dated 14 December 1973), withdrawn from the James River Reserve Fleet, 1 April 1974
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Speed 17.7 kts.
    Draft 24'
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 480
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 86
    Enlisted 1,475
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWT
    non-refrigerated 150,000 Cu ft
    Boats
    two LCMs
    one open LCPL
    one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)
    two LCPRs
    eighteen LCVPs
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual-purpose gun mount
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 7,780 Bbls
    Diesel 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465 psi 750°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
    three 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one propeller, 8,500 shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Bandera
    100313104    		 64k StM2c Rounels welcoming the announcement of Japan's surrender on board USS Bandera (APA-131), 15 August 1945. Bandera was at Ulithi in the Caroline Islands when she received news of the Japanese capitulation.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # 80-G-338668    		 Robert Hurst
    Bandera 32k USS Bandera (APA-131) at anchor on the Whangpoo River at Shanghai, China, 19 January 1946. Keith N. Garner for his father Charles W. Garner, EM1/c USNR USS Bandera
    Bandera 80k USS Bandera (APA-131) moored, date and location unknown. Bill Rose for his grandfather Russell W. Drew MM3/c USS Bandera, March 14, 1945 to Feb 26, 1946.
    Bandera 86k USS Bandera (APA-131) underway in San Francisco Bay, probably between December 1945 and February 1946 returning troops to the United States as part of Operation "Magic Carpet."
    US Navy photo # NH 98705 donated to the US Naval Historical Center by Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the USS Bandera (APA-131)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Miller, George Carl, USN (USNA 1921b)6 December 1944 - 5 April 1945
    02CAPT. Thorington, Alexander Clark USN (USNA 1925)5 April 1945 - 15 March 1946
    03LCDR. Bell, Reginald Henry USN15 March 1946 - 7 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 26 May 2023