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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Appling (APA-58)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Oscar - Whiskey
 NKOW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Gilliam Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BD1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1851) at Consolidated Steel Corp, Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 9 April 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and commissioned USS Appling (APA-58), 22 August 1944, LCDR. Alexander Lunde Stuart in command
  • During World War II USS Appling was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Thirteen, COMO. M.O. Carlson USN (16);
    TransDiv Thirty-Nine, CAPT. G.E. Maynard and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 11 to 12 January 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 14 April 1945
    Manila Bay-Bicol operation
    Zambales-Subic Bay, Lingayen Gulf landings, 29 to 30 January 1945     		 

  • Following World War II USS Appling was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 31 October to 3 November 1945
  • USS Appling (APA-58) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.2.6 (Target Vessel Group - Merchant Type Units - Transport Division 94 (TRANSDIV 94) for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 20 December 1946, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 4 April 1947
  • USS Appling earned three battle stars for her World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 31 March 1948, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Consigned to Arrow Steamship Co. under a General Agency Agreement, 9 September 1954 (Repair Program)
  • Returned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA., 12 December 1954
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 July 1968, to Northern Metal Co., $65,199.00 (PD-X-803 of 20 June 1968)withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and delivered to Northern Metals, 3 September 1968
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,247 t.(lt), 7,080 t.(fl)
    Length 426'
    Beam 58'
    Draft 16'
    Speed 16.9 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 22
    Enlisted 261
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 47
    Enlisted 724
    Largest Boom Capacity 15 t.
    Cargo Capacity 600 DWT
    non-refrigerated 85,000 cu. ft.,
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,695 Bbls
    Diesel 375 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse steam turbines
    two Babcock & Wilcox D-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 250Kw 450V A.C.
     one turbo-drive 150Kw 450V A.C.
     one turbo-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two propellers, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Appling 1430k Movie star Claudette Colbert christens USS Appling (APA-58) Sunday 9 April 1944. Holding the bouquet of flowers is Maid of Honor, 13 year old, Miss Judith Goetz, daughter of William Goetz, President of International Pictures. Tommy Tramp
    Appling 352k
    Appling 177k USS Appling (APA-58) under way at sea, 12 August 1944, several days before her 22 August 1944 commissioning. Her camouflage scheme is probably Measure 32, Design 4T. Photographed from a blimp of Lighter Than Air Squadron 31 (ZP-31).
    US National Archives, Photo # 80-G-243538 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Mike Green
    Appling 431k USS Appling (APA-58) under way, probably circa August 1944 off the coast of California. Tom Kermen for his father Clarence E. Kermen Chief Pharmacist Mate USNR, USS Appling
    Appling 113k V-Mail from USS Appling (APA-58), November 1944 Tom Kermen for his father Clarence E. Kermen Chief Pharmacist Mate USNR, USS Appling
    Mazapeta 67k USS Appling (APA-58) in San Francisco Bay, circa 29 July 1945 with Mazapeta (YTB-181) alongside. Jason Loger, SF Tugs
    Appling 69k USS Appling (APA-58) pierside at Saipan, 1945. Tom Kermen for his father Clarence E Kermen Chief Pharmacist Mate USNR, USS Appling
    Appling 102k USS Appling (APA-58)church services on the main deck Tom Kermen for his father Clarence E. Kermen Chief Pharmacist Mate USNR, USS Appling
    Appling 37k USS Appling (APA-58), Clarence Kermen, Chief Pharmacists Mate, on the right and Ross Eberle Burke in the center along with another member of the crew taking a smoke break on the fantail, at sea 1945. Tom Kermen for his father Clarence E. Kermen Chief Pharmacist Mate USNR, USS Appling
    Appling 93k USS Appling (APA-58) loading elements of 2nd Marine Division scheduled for occupation duty in Japan, Saipan, 1945
    USMC Photo    		 Tom Kermen for his father Clarence E. Kermen Chief Pharmacist Mate USNR, USS Appling
    Appling 100k USS Appling (APA-58) loading elements of 2nd Marine Division scheduled for occupation duty in Japan, Saipan, 1945 Possibly, Saipan, 1945, Photo marked "C. Rogers - 2nd MAR. DIV. PHOTO" Tom Kermen for his father Clarence E. Kermen Chief Pharmacist Mate USNR, USS Appling
    Appling 65k USS Appling (APA-58) crew photo, circa 1945-46 Pat Koetz for his father, Paul R. "Dick" Koetz, USS Appling 1945-46
    Appling 102k USS Appling (APA-58) arriving at San Francisco, CA., circa 1946.
    US Navy photo.    		 Tom Kermen
    Appling 34k USS Appling (APA-58) docking at Portland, OR. with returning GI's., circa 1946. Photo was taken by a photographer for the "Portland Journal." Pat Koetz for his father, Paul R. "Dick" Koetz, USS Appling 1945-46
    Appling 122k USS Appling (APA-58) docking at Portland, OR. with returning GI's., circa 1946. Pat Koetz for his father, Paul R. "Dick" Koetz, USS Appling 1945-46
    Appling 103k
    Appling 216k Four Gilliam-class attack transports at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Oahu, Hawaii, 27 February 1946, as they are readied for Operation "Crossroads": USS Appling (APA-58) lies outboard (top) of sister ships USS Barrow (APA-61), USS Brule (APA-66) and USS Gasconade (APA-85).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361735, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives from the Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Robert Hurst
    Gasconade 254k View of the wharf area Pearl Harbor Navy Yard from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among ships present are:
    USS Barrow (APA-61),
    USS Brule (APA-66),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85), and
    USS Appling (APA-58);
    USS LST 219,
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361747, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Gasconade 182k Pearl Harbor Navy Yard amphibious ships alongside the wharf, 27 February 1946. Some are being prepared for target service at Bikini. Ships are (1st group):
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63)
    (second group):
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 219,
    third group):
    USS Appling (APA-58),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85),
    USS Barrow (APA-61), and
    USS Brule (APA-66).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361731, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Gasconade 250k Aerial view of Pearl Harbor Navy Yard looking toward the drydock area from over the submarine base, 27 February 1946. Among the ships present are: seven Sims, McCall, Gridley, and Mahan class destroyers;
    USS Barrow (APA-61),
    USS Brule (APA-66),
    USS Gasconade (APA-85), and
    USS Appling (APA-58);
    USS LST 219,
    USS LST 285,
    USS LST 388 and
    USS LST 52 with
    LCT 812 and
    LCT 414 embarked;
    USS Briscoe (APA-65) and
    USS Bladen (APA-63).
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-361740, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Navy History and Heritage Command
    USS Appling (APA-58)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Stuart, Alexander Lunde22 August 1944 - 2 May 1945
    02LCDR. Conlon, Edward Thomas, USNR2 May 1945 - 5 December 1945
    03CDR. Howe, Hamilton Wilcox, :RADM1946
    04LCDR. Keeler, Frederic Seward? - 20 December 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    Action Report - Landing of Occupation Forces, Nagasaki Japan, September 1945
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 26 January 2018