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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 in command
  • During World War II USS Bandera was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • 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
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 23 January 1974, to Consolidated Steel Corp. Brownsville, TX.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Speed 19 kts.
    Complement
    56 Officers
    480 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    86 Officers
    1,475 Enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 150,000 cu. ft, 2,900 tons
    Boats
    2 LCM
    12 LCVP
    3 LCPU
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual-purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion
    1 Westinghouse geared turbine
    2 Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers
    1 propeller, design shaft horsepower 8,500
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Bandera 32k USS Bandera (APA-131) at anchor on the Wangpoo 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)
    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 17 October 2008