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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Talladega (LPA-208)
ex
 USS Talladega (APA-208) (1945 - 1969)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Oscar - Romeo
 NPOR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (7-Quemoy-Matsu, 3-Vietnam)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (3) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (3) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - Philippines Independence Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Haskell Class Amphibious Transport:
  • Laid down, 3 June 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 556) at Permanente Metals Corp.Yard Number 2, Richmond, CA.
  • Launched, 17 August 1944
  • Acquired from the Maritime Commission on loan-charter
  • Commissioned USS Talladega (APA-208), 31 October 1944, CAPT. Edward H. McMenemy USN (20) in command
  • During World War II USS Talladega (APA-208) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Sixteen, COMO J.R. McGovern USN;
    TransDiv Forty-Eight (flagship) CAPT. C. L. Andrews Jr. USN (19), and participated in the following campaigns;
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 25 February 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 9 to 14 April 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    24 September to 1 November 19451 to 10 July 1945

  • Decommissioned, 27 December 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 8 December 1951, at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco. CA.
  • During the Korean War USS Talladega (APA-208) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Third Korean Winter
    15 December 1952
    4 to 15 January 1953
    26 to 28 March 1953
    9 to 18 April 1953
    24 to 25 April 1953    		 Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    8 to 17 May 1953
    10 July 1953
    17 to 19 July 1953

  • During the Vietnam War USS Talladega (APA-208) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    4 to 21 July 1965
    17 to 25 August 1965
    30 August to 1 September 1965
    10 September to 3 October 1965    		 Vietnam Counteroffensive
    22 February to 1 March 1966
    19 to 21 March 1966
    Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase III
    17 to 25 October 1967    		  

  • Status changed to in commission in reserve in December 1967
  • Designation changed to Amphibious Transport (LPA-208), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned in July 1969
  • Temporary custody assigned to the Maritime Administration, 20 October 1969
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.
  • Permanent custody returned to the Maritime Administration, 1 September 1971
  • Towed to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA. in July 1972
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1976
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by MARAD, 1 October 1982, to C.W. Enterprise and Investment Co., scrapped in either Texas, Spain or Taiwan
  • USS Talladega received two battle stars for World War II, two battle stars for Korean War service and three campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 24' (lim)
    Speed 17.7 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 593
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 87
    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
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    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, 465psi 750°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Talladega 53k USS Talladega (APA-208) at anchor, circa 1945
    US Navy photo # NH 74306 courtesy Donald M. McPherson, 1971    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Talladega 83k USS Talladega (APA-208) arriving at San Francisco, 10 May 1946
    Russ Padden webmaster
    Amphibious Forces WWII Web Site
    Talladega 53k USS Talladega (APA-208) photo taken circa 1945-46, shortly before she decommissioned, or soon after she recommissioned for Korean War service.
    US Navy photo # NH96818    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Talladega 97k USS Talladega (APA-208) underway in the early 1950s. The SR air search radar on the main mast was replaced with SPS-6 in the late 1950s. The curved extensions to the yardarm carry the new UHF ship-to-air radio antennas. Note the drastic reduction in the number of landing craft.
    Text and US Navy photo "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.     		US Naval Historical Center
    Talladega 84k USS Talladega (APA-208) at San Diego, 11 October 1957.
    US Navy photo # NH 96830 courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia. Ted Stone Collection.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Talladega 69k USS Talladega (APA-208) about 100 miles away from Hawaii, while en route to Oahu with other amphibious ships to participate in exercise "Dull Knife" in July 1963. Three other attack transports are also in formation. USS Renville (APA-227) is closest to Talladega, and USS Bayfield (APA-33) is next.
    US Navy photo # NH 96820 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    Talladega 108k USS Talladega (APA-208) moored pierside at NavSta Subic Bay, P.I., 18 November 1963. She is embarking Marines of D-1-9, 3rdMarDiv, Camp Hansen, Okinawa. Photo by Walt Williamson
    Talladega 73k USS Talladega (APA-208) during underway replenishment with USS Paricutin (AE-18), date and location unknown. Photo by Jack Dudenhoefer SM3 USN USS Paricutin
    Talladega 58k
    Talladega 91k
    Talladega 121k USS Talladega (APA-208) underway, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Talladega 100k USS Talladega (APA-208) at anchor off South Vietnam, 1965. Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville.
    Talladega 84k USS Talladega (APA-208) underway off San Diego, 8 March 1967. Photographed by PH1 J.A. Bremner, VC-3. 8 March 1967
    US Navy photo # NH 96819 photo from the collections of the Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS Talladega (APA-208 / LPA-208)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. McMenemy, Edward Hollister31 October 1944 - ?
     Decommissioned27 December 1946 - 8 December 1951
    02CAPT. Ramsbotham, Robert Johnson10 October 1951 - 10 November 1952
    05CAPT. Howell, William Smith12 October 1954 - 19 September 1955
    07CAPT. McGillis, John Frink21 February 1955 - May 1957
    09CAPT. Conkey, George Lissant24 July 1958 - July 1959
    11CAPT. Spencer. Edward Clarence1960 - 1961
    12CAPT. Hanna, Hugh Allen1961 - 13 September 1963
    13CAPT. Nelson, John Blount13 September 1963 - ?
    14CAPT. Davis, John FranklinApril 1965 - 1966
    15CAPT. Ingram, William Floyd1966 - 1968
    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
    Talladega APA-208
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 17 August 2012