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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Quebec - Whiskey
 NYQW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (3)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Elizabeth C. Stanton Class Transport
  • Laid down in 1940 as SS Mormacsun, a Maritime Commission type (C3) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 137) at Moore Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 28 April 1940
  • Completed and delivered to Moore McCormack Lines in May 1941
  • Acquired from Moore Mc Cormack by the War Shipping Administration, 20 December 1941
  • Turned over to the US Navy from the War Shipping Administration, 13 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70), 17 September 1942, CAPT. Edwin D. Graves, Jr., in command
  • During World War II USS Florence Nightingale was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    North African occupation
    Algeria-Morocco landings, Port Lyautey, Morocco, 8 to 11 November 1943     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 3 to 8 May 1945
    Sicilian occupation, 9 to 15 July 1943  
    Invasion of southern France, 15 August to 25 September 1944  

  • Following World War II USS Florence Nightingale was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 29 September to 5 November 1945
  • Decommissioned and returned to Moore McCormack Lines, 1 May 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 May 1946
  • USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) earned four battle stars for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold by Moore McCormack Lines in July 1953 to Pacific Transport Lines, renamed SS Japan Transport
    Sold to States Steamship Co. in August 1957, renamed SS Texas
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 25 July 1969, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA. Group
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 2 November 1970, to Zidell Explorations Inc., Portland, OR. (PD-X-886) $433,899.99 in a six ship deal
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,980 t.(lt) 14,400 t.(fl)
    Length 492'
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 24'
    Speed 18.4 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 40
    Enlisted 356
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 110
    Enlisted 2,017
    Cargo Capacities
    Non refrigerated 336,582 Cu. ft.
    Refrigerated 13,149 Cu. ft.
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 26,100 Bbls
    Diesel 315 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one De Laval steam turbine
    two Foster and Wheeler d-type boilers, 465psi, 765°
    double De Laval Main Reduction Gear
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 350Kw 120V/240V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 300Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 8.500hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Pre WWII Merchant Service
    Florence Nightingale 106k SS Mormacsun ready for launching, 28 April 1940, at Moore Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Oakland, CA. This was the first night launching of a ship in the bay area since WWI. Tommy Trampp
    USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70)
    Florence Nightingale 225k
    Namesake

    Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing, was born in Florence, Italy, 12 May 1820. Against the wishes of her family, she entered the profession of nursing, at that time not considered a possible occupation for a gently raised young lady. She organized nursing service in the field in the Crimean War, and throughout her life made notable humanitarian contributions to the advancement of both military and civilian hospital and public health services. Immortalized by Longfellow as the "Lady with the Lamp," Miss Nightingale died 13 August 1910.
    Digital ID: cph 3a09175 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    Florence Nightingale 81k USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) underway on 1 October 1942, location unknown. Although converted to an attack transport for the North African invasion, she was never redesignated as an APA. Instead, she was referred to informally as an XAP, a dual-purpose AP/APA. Unlike a full APA, she had two rather than four sets of triple Welin davits, stowing virtually all of her landing craft on deck.
    US Navy photo. Text and photo from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman    		 Robert Hurst
    Florence Nightingale 44k USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Florence Nightingale 116k USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) photographed, 8 June 1943, by a blimp from NAS Weeksville, N.C. The ship has a full load out of landing craft and has been rearmed.
    US National Archives, RG-80-G, Photo # 80-G-71263, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Florence Nightingale 93k USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) docked at Yokosuka, Japan, in September 1945. Note the Japanese miniature submarines on the dock in the foreground.
    Photo by Harris T. Remley.    		 Richard Remley in honor of his father Harris T. Remley S1/c USS LSM-471
    Florence Nightingale 107k USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) at anchor, date and location unknown. Note the Cleveland Class cruiser in the anchorage. Abram Joslin
    Florence Nightingale 105k
    Florence Nightingale 93k
    Florence Nightingale 93k
    Florence Nightingale 111k
    Florence Nightingale 165k USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) underway on the Columbia River at Portland, OR., 15 September 1945, bring service member home from the Far East during operation "Magic Carpet." Abram Joslin
    USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Graves Jr., Edwin D.17 December 1942 - 1943
    02CAPT. McColl Jr., Joseph William1943 - 24 November 1943
    03CAPT. Nelson, Frederick Jens :RADM24 November 1943 - 1 June 1945
    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 Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Transport (AP) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 May 2022