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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

IX-510
ex
AP-127 (1976 - 1981)
USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127) (1950 - 1967)
USAT General William O. Darby (1946 - 1950)
USAT Admiral William S. Sims (1946)
USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127) (1945 - 1946)

International Radio Call Signs,
USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127) NJAC November - Juliet - Alpha - Charlie	USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127) NBMU November - Bravo - Mike - Uniform

USS Admiral William S. Sims Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

USNS General William O. Darby Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Europe clasp)
Second Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (1)
Third Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Commendation Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal

Admiral W. S. Benson Class Transport:

Laid down, 15 June 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (P2-SE2-R1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 685) at Bethlehem-Alameda Shipbuilding Corp., Alameda, CA.

Launched, 4 June 1945

Commissioned USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127), 27 September 1945, CAPT. Edward C. Holden, USNR, in command

Following World War II USS Admiral William S. Sims was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

(Asia clasp) Navy Occupation Service Medal
16 to 22 February 1946
10 to 17 April 1946
10 to 17 April 1946

Decommissioned, 21 June 1946, at San Francisco, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 3 July 1946

Simultaneously returned to the Maritime Commission for assignment to the US Army Transportation Service

Commissioned, USAT Admiral William S. Sims in 1946

Renamed, USAT General William O. Darby in 1946

Christened USAT USAT General William O. Darby, 8 July 1949 at San Francisco Port of Embarkation

Reacquired by the US Navy, 1 March 1950

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service, 28 April 1950, as USNS General William 0. Darby (T-AP-127)

USNS General William O. Darby performed Occupation service in Europe during the following periods:

(Europe clasp) Navy Occupation Service Medal
27 February to 1 March 1954
24 to 29 March 1954
21 to 24 April 1954
14 to 22 May 1954
11 to 13 June 1954
5 to 7 July 1954
28 to 30 July 1954
25 to 27 August 1954
17 to 19 September 1954
10 to 12 October 1954
6 to 8 November 1954
15 to 17 December 1954
14 to 16 January 1955
7 to 9 February 1955
4 to 6 March 1955
9 to 12 April 1955
4 to 5 May 1955

During the Vietnam War USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127) participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaign
Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase II 20 to 30 November 1966 15 to 23 January 1967

Placed out of service in 1967 at Caven Point Army Depot, N.Y.

Name withdrawn in June 1976, designation retained as AP-127

Returned to the Maritime Administration in July 1971 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Name canceled, 6 July 1976

Redesignated Miscellaneous Unclassified IX-510, October 1981

Placed in service at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA, 1 July 1982, to provide berthing and messing facilities

Placed out of service in April 1991 and returned to the James River Reserve Fleet

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 October 1993

USNS General William 0. Darby (T-AP-127) earned one battle star for Vietnam War service

Title transferred to the Maritime Administration, 1 May 1999

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, contract signed, 13 September 2004, to Marine Metals Inc, Brownsville, TX., and removed from the James River National Defense Reserve Fleet, 16 February 2005, for scrapping. Scrapping completed, 11 September 2006

Specifications:
Displacement 9,676 t(lt) 20,120 t.(fl)
Length 608' 11"
Beam 75' 6"
Draft 26' 6" (lim)
Speed 19 kts.

Complement

Officers - 33

Enlisted - 462

Troop Accommodations

Officers - 270

Enlisted - 4,715

Cargo Capacity 100,006 cu. ft.

Armament (Authorized but never installed)

four single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

fourteen twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO - 25,600 Bbls

Diesel - 350 Bbls

Propulsion

two General Electric turbines

four Combustion Engineering D-type boilers, 600psi 840°
Ship's Service Generators
four turbo-drive 500Kw 450V A.C.
four turbo-drive 240Kw 120V/240V D.C.

two propellers, 18,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127)
	91k	*Namesake* William S. Sims, born in 1858 in Ontario, Canada, was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1876 and graduated in 1880. Seventeen years of sea duty were followed by assignments as Naval Attaché to Paris, St. Petersburg, and Madrid. Sims next served as Inspector of Target Practice; and, under his supervision, the naval gunnery system increased the rapidity of hits 100 percent and the general effectiveness of fire 500 percent. He also served as Naval Aide to President Theodore Roosevelt for two and one-half years. On 11 February 1917, Sims became President of the Naval War College. In March 1917, he was designated by the Secretary of the Navy as Representative of the Navy Department in London. With the entry of the United States into World War I in April, he was ordered to assume command of all American destroyers, tenders, and auxiliaries operating from British bases. In May, he was designated as Commander of United States Destroyers Operating from British Bases, with the rank of Vice Admiral; and, in June, his title was changed to Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters. On 10 December 1917, he assumed additional duty as Naval Attaché, London, England. The North Sea Mine Barrage was laid under his direction. Admiral Sims again became President of the Naval War College in April 1919 and served in that capacity until his retirement on 15 October 1922. He died at Boston, Mass., on 25 September 1936. Image from The Life of Admiral Hahan, Charles Carlisle Taylor, 1920, London	Bill Gonyo
	243k	*USS Admiral William S. Sims* (AP-127) moored pierside Floating Dock Pier 15, Manila Republic of the Philippines. Admiral William S. Sims** sailed for the Philippines twice in 1945, 20 October with 222 passengers, arriving at Manila, 6 November, and departing with 4,980 troops and passengers, arriving at San Francisco, 25 November. Her second voyage departed San Francisco, 7 December and arrived at Manila, 22 December. She sailed for home two days after Christmas reaching San Pedro with 4,973 passengers on board, 11 January 1946.	Raymond Cvetovich, Ph.D.
	75k	*USS Admiral William S. Sims* (AP-127)** at anchor, date and location unknown. Photo from the collection of LTjg Edwin H. Klump Jr. USS Russell, courtesy Mrs. Rebecca Klump Cottrell.	James Madson
	46k	*USS Admiral William S. Sims* (AP-127)** probably in San Francisco Bay, circa 1945. US Navy photo # NH 104638 copied from the book "Troopships of World War II", by Roland W. Charles. From the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	Mike Green
	95k	*USS Admiral William S. Sims* (AP-127)** at anchor, probably in San Francisco Bay, circa 1945. US Navy photo	David Wright
	185k	Views of *USS Admiral William S. Sims* (AP-127)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay 9 May 9, 1946. US Naval Shipyard Mare Island photos - File name: AP 127 1171-46, Navy Photo, 5/9/46 now in the collections of the Vallejo Naval and History Museum.	Darryl Baker
	232k		Darryl Baker
USAT Admiral William S. Sims
	64k	USAT Admiral William S. Sims underway, circa 1946, location unknown.	Ron Cheshire
092212739	220k	USAT Admiral William S. Sims outbound to sea from San Francisco Bay, circa 1946. Note Angel Island in the background. U.S. Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
092212740	245k	USAT Admiral William S. Sims outbound to sea from San Francisco Bay passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, circa 1946. Note Marin County coastline in the background. U.S. Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	64k	USAT Admiral William S. Sims underway In San Francisco Bay, 9 January 1947. US Navy photo # NH 98770 a US Army photo now in the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
USAT General William O. Darby
	64k	*Namesake* William Orlando Darby, born 8 February 1911 at Fort Smith, Ark., graduated from the U.S. Military Academy 13 June 1933 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery, Prior to the beginning of World War II, he served with the 82d, 3d, and 80th Field Artillery Divisions and with the 1st Cavalry - In 1942 he assumed command of the 1st Ranger Battalion and distinguished himself during operations in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Promoted to Colonel 11 December 1943, he returned to the United States in April 1944 for duty with the Army Ground Forces and later with the Operations Division, War Department General Staff. He returned to Europe in March 1945, and became Assistant Commander of the 10th Mountain Division the following month. He was killed by an exploding shell 30 April 1945 and was posthumously promoted to Brigadier General. Photo from U.S. Army Combined Arms Center	Bill Gonyo
	294k	USAT General William O. Darby aground in Yokohama Bay in 1947. US Army Signal Corps photo	Daniel Harris
	96k	USAT General William O. Darby at anchor, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127)
	104k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Richard Leonhardt
	41k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from the United States Naval Institute Processing, Vol. 83 No. 8, August 1957.	Tommy Trampp
	140k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** under way, date and location unknown, US Navy photo	William Zarkas, Retired MSC Boatswain President, MSC Retiree Association
	37k	USNS General William O. Darby under way circa 1950s, location unknown. US Navy photo # NH 104019 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	65k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** under way circa 1950s, location unknown. US Navy photo # NH 104178 from the Military Sealift Command collection at the US Naval Historical Center..	US Naval Historical Center
	68k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** testing her Atomic, Biological and Chemical (ABC) water wash down system circa the 1950s, location unknown. US Navy photo # NH 104179 from the Military Sealift Command collection at the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	188k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** under way in the early 1950s. Photo from a US Navy photo post card dated March 1953.	Tommy Trampp
092212737	284k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** underway, date and location unknown	Nicholas Tiberio
	109k	Military dependents wait to board *USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127) at New York in 1958 for transportation to Europe. Theresa Turner with her infant daughter Debbie, boarded General William O. Darby** at New York in 1958 to join her husband in Augsburg, Germany. US Navy photo.	Debbie Turner Smith
	56k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127) pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany, in 1963. Underway on the left is USNS Geiger (T-AP-197), and in the distance in the center is one of Darby's sisters, most likely either USNS General Alexander M. Patch (T-AP-122) or USNS General Simon B. Buckner (T-AP-123)*. . US Navy photo # NH 104180* from the Military Sealift Command collection at the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	752k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** departing the US Army Port of Embarkation, Bremerhaven, Germany in the spring/summer 1963.	Photos by Heinz-Georg Ernst, submitted in his memory by his son Kai-Peter Ernst, Bremen, Germany
	512
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	104k	*USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)** underway, circa 1966, location unknown. US Navy photo	Ron Titus,196th Light Infantry Brigade
	50k	Hard hat diver preparing to dive to inspect the under water hull of *USNS General William O. Darby* (T-AP-127)*, date and location unknown. US Navy photo # i04182/MSC*	Robert Hurst
	70k	Four MSTS Atlantic Fleet transports in Ready Reserve at Caven Point Army Depot, New York, circa early 1967. The ship in the right foreground is *USNS General Simon B. Buckner* (T-AP-123), with USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127) on the far side of the pier. Ahead of them respectively are USNS General Alexander M. Patch (T-AP-122) and USNS General Maurice Rose (T-AP-126)*. . US Navy photo # NH 104181* from the Military Sealift Command collection at the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
IX-510
	80k	*IX-510* in service as a barracks ship for *USS Nimitz* (CVN-68) during her 1983-84 refit at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA. Note the merchant LNG (natural gas) carrier alongside IX-510**	Bob Royes
092212738	120k	*IX-510* sits at Berth 42. Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA., being used to provide berthing and messing facilities during ship repairs at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 7 July 1998. U.S. Navy photo by Don S. Montgomery, US Navy (Ret)	Brian Baird
	114k	*IX-510* moored at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Newport News, VA., where she served as a barracks ship to house the crews of aircraft carriers being overhauled. US Defense Visual Information Center Photo # DN-ST-90-09605 a US Navy photo by Don S. Montgomery, USN (Ret.)	Mike Green
	434k	Aerial view of Unit 7 of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 28 January 1999. From bottom to top; unidentified, *Santa Cruz* Vulcan (AR-5), Redstone (T-AGM-20), 2 unidentified APs, GEN. N.M. Walter (T-AP-125), GEN. Wm. O. Darby (IX-510), Waccamaw (T-AO-109), Canisteo (AO-99), Caloosahatchee (AO-98), Mississinewa (T-AO-144), Pawcatuck (T-AO-108), Truckee (T-AO-147), Neosho (T-AO-143), Benjamin Isherwood (T-AO-191) and Henry Eckford (T-AO-192). These two oilers were both lay-berthed incomplete.

USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127) / USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Holden Jr., Edward Clarence, USNR :VADM	27 September 1945 - 28 November 1945
02	CAPT. Phleger, Charles Clayton	28 November 1945 - 21 June 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
USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127) Commissioning Program
USAT William O. Darby Christening Ceremony Program
USNS William O. Darby 16 October 1954 Captain's Farewell Dinner menu

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 26 January 2024

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

IX-510ex AP-127 (1976 - 1981) USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127) (1950 - 1967) USAT General William O. Darby (1946 - 1950) USAT Admiral William S. Sims (1946) USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127) (1945 - 1946)

IX-510
ex
AP-127 (1976 - 1981)
USNS General William O. Darby (T-AP-127) (1950 - 1967)
USAT General William O. Darby (1946 - 1950)
USAT Admiral William S. Sims (1946)
USS Admiral William S. Sims (AP-127) (1945 - 1946)