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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Mink (IX-123)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Lima - Mike
 NJLM
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 (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tanker:
  • Laid down, 20 October 1943, as SS Judah Touro, a Maritime Commission type (Z-ET1-S-C3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1927) at Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, LA.
  • Renamed Mink 27 October 1943
  • Launched, 4 December 1943
  • Acquired by the Navy 17 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS Mink (IX-123), 17 January 1944, LT. William J. Meagher, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Mink was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 13 October to 29 November 1944     		Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 4 to 18 January 1945

  • Decommissioned, 26 June 1946, at Newport News, VA.
  • Delivered to the WSA, 27 June 1946, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, VA. for disposal, renamed SS Judah Touro
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1946
  • USS Mink earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Sold by the Maritime Administration, 23 January 1951, to Orion Shipping and Trading Corp.
  • Repurchased by Cape Horn Shipping Corp, 13 April 1951, at Savannah, GA.
  • Resold foreign, September 1952 to Isla Verde Compania Naviera S. A., reflagged Panama, renamed SS Seavalor
  • Ex-Mink was renamed several more times during her commercial career carrying the names SS Apukia, and SS Eleni V
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in September 1967 at Sakaide, Japan
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,665 t.(lt), 14,500 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement 105
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    three twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 8,500 DWT
    Oil 63,000 Bbls
    Fuel CapacityNSFO 13,700 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two 220psi boilers
    one three cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    three recip-power 20Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one 4 blade, 18' 6" propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    United States Maritime Commission
    Gemsbok
    094611702    		 140k United States Maritime Commission Tanker Design Z-ET-1-S-C3.
    US National Archives photo thanks to Auke Visser's Famous T-Tanker Pages     		 
    War Shipping Administration
    Mink 51k SS Judah Touro launching, 4 December 1943, at Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, LA. Touro Infirmary, New Orleans, LA.
    Mink
    094612304    		 201k SS Judah Touro undergoing builders trials, 9 January 1945, at Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, LA. prior to delivery to the US Navy on 17 January 1945. Jay Massie
    USS Mink (IX-123)
    Mink
    094612307    		 150k
    Namesake
    Mink - is a dark-colored, semiaquatic, carnivorous mammals of the genera Neogale and Mustela and part of the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, otters, and ferrets. There are two extant species referred to as "mink": the American mink and the European mink. The extinct sea mink is related to the American mink but was much larger. (Wikipedia)    		 Tommy Trampp
    Mink
    094612306    		 46k USS Mink (IX-123) at anchor at Morotai, Philippine Islands, July 1945 Jay Massie
    Merchant Service
    Mink 111k Panama flagged SS Eleni V underway in harbor, date and location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Mink 91k SS Eleni V in harbor, date and location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Mink (IX-123)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Meagher, William J. USNR17 January 1945 - 26 June 1946
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 July 2021