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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Bondia (T-AF-42)
ex
 USAT Flemish Bend (1947 - 1951)
 USS Bondia (AF-42) (1945 - 1946)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Victor - November - Foxtrot
 NVNF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Adria Class Stores Ship:
  • Laid down, 18 September 1944, as M/V Flemish Bend, a Maritime Commission type (R1-M-AV3) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2204) at Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc, Beaumont, TX.
  • Launched, 9 November 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, 31 March 1945
  • Commissioned, USS Bondia (AF-42), 17 April 1945, LT. Milton L. Austin, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Bondia was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Bondia was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    22 April to 13 June 194622 April to 13 June 1946

  • Decommissioned, 29 July 1946, and returned to the Maritime Commission the same day, name reverted to SS Flemish Bend
  • Leased To Matson Navigation Co., 29 July 1946
  • Leased to the War Department 30 July 1947 and commissioned USAT Flemish Bend
  • Re-acquired from the Maritime Commission, 27 July 1951, assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS Bondia (T-AF-42)
  • Placed out of service, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1973
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for disposal, 9 November 1973
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 9 November 1973 to Chi Shun Hua Steel Co. (LTD.), Taiwan
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,139 t.(lt) 7,435 t.(fl)
    Length 338' 6"
    Beam 50'
    Draft 18'
    Speed 12 kts. (max)
    Complement
    Officers 10
    Enlisted 78
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Cargo Capacity 3,170 DWT
    Non-refrigerated - 47,610 Cu ft
    Refrigerated - 114,580 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity - Diesel 6,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Nordberg Diesel TSM engine
    three 250Kw 120V/240V Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,700shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Bondia 102k USNS Bondia (T-AF-42) moored pierside at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 1971 ©Richard Leonhardt
    Bondia 84k USNS Bondia (T-AF-42) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Carl R. Friberg Jr.
    Bondia 67k USNS Bondia (T-AF-42) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1958-59 Edition.    		 Robert Hurst
    Bondia 92k USNS Bondia (T-AF-42) underway in 1965, location unknown.
    Photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1966-67, courtesy of Skyfotos.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Bondia (AF-42)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Austin, Milton L., USNR17 April 1945 - 4 December 1945
    02LTjg. Rankert, Edward Henry, USN4 December 1945 - 29 July 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Postal Covers related to the ship
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The US Army Ship Index Back To The US Army Cargo Ships Photo Index Back To The US Navy Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The US Navy Stores Ship (AF) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 24 December 2020