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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117)
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 USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) (1944 - 1946)


International Radio Call Signs

USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117)
1944 International Radio Call Sign
Nan - King - Love - Xray
 NKLX
USS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117)
1951 International Radio Call Sign
Nan - Peter - Zulu - Item
NPZI

USS General Walter H. Gordon was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
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 - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (2)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
General John Pope Class Transport:
  • Laid down, 2 November 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (P2-S2-R2) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 675) at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J.
  • Launched, 7 May 1944
  • Commissioned USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117), 29 June 1944, CAPT. Russell E. Wood, USCG, in command
  • During World War II USS General Walter H. Gordon operated in both the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters
  • Following World War II USS General Walter H. Gordon was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    24 October to 5 November 1945
    11 to 18 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 11 March 1946, at the US Army Terminal Oakland, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 March 1946
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission for assignment
  • Chartered by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) to American President Lines (APL) in mid-1946 for postwar operation as a troopship
  • Custody reassigned to the Navy Department, 1 March 1950
  • Activated and place in service by the US Navy, 8 November 1951 with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117)
  • During the Korean War USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Second Korean Winter
    16 to 17 March 1952    		 Third Korean Winter
    2 to 4 January 1953
    12 to 13 February 1953
    5 to 6 April 1953
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    30 to 31 October 1952    		 Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    16 to 17 May 1953

  • Placed out of service and laid up reserve at the Hudson River National Defense Reserve Fleet, 20 June 1957
  • Custody transferred to Maritime Administration, 20 June 1958, and struck from the Naval Register the same day
  • Withdrawn from the Hudson River National Defense Reserve Fleet, 7 May 1958
  • Assigned to the James River Reserve Fleet, 20 June 1958
  • Assigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont TX., 22 October 1958
  • Re-acquired by US Navy in May 1961 and again placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC)
  • During the Vietnam War USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    17 to 23 December 1967
    29 December 1967 to 29 January 1968    		 Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 3 March 1968

  • Placed out of service, struck from the Naval Register and transferred to the Maritime Administration, 31 March 1968, for lay up in the James River National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • USNS General Walter H.Gordon earned four battle stars for Korean War service and two campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 6 April 1987, by the Maritime Administration for $1,005,050, scrapped in Taiwan in 1987
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,450 t.(lt) 20,175 t.(fl)
    Length 622' 7"
    Beam 75' 6"
    Draft 25' 6"
    Speed 20.6 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 43
    Enlisted 464
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 397
    Enlisted 4,882
    Cargo Capacity 2,700 DWT
    Non-refrigerated 99,542 Cu. ft.
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    four single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    twenty 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 19,600 Bbls
    Diesel 410 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two De Laval steam turbines
    four Foster Wheeler "D"-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double De Laval Main Reduction Gears
    four turbo-drive Ship's Service Generators, 400Kw 120/240V D.C.
    twin propellers, 17,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117)
    General Walter H Gordon 243k
    Namesake

    Walter Henry Gordon, born at Artonish, Miss., 24 June 1863, graduated from the Military Academy and was commissioned in the infantry in 1886. During the early part of this century, after fighting in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection, Gordon served on the General Staff and in the Philippines. In 1917 he commanded the 15th Infantry in China, and, following America's entry into World War I, he commanded the 10th Brigade in France. General Gordon participated in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, and ended the war as commanding officer, 6th Division. Following the war, for which he received the Distinguished Service Medal, Gordon commanded Infantry units in the United States, and, prior to his retirement in 1924, served as Deputy Chief of Staff. Major General Gordon died in Washington, D.C., 26 April 1924.
    Digital ID: ggbain 28942 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division    		 Bill Gonyo
    General Walter H Gordon 774k General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J. just prior to launching, 7 May 1944. Dale Hargrave
    General Walter H Gordon 111k Mrs. Claire McNair, wife of LT. General McNair christens General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117), 7 May 1944. Dale Hargrave
    General Walter H Gordon
    092211722    		 514k USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117), in San Francisco Bay, 9 August 1944.
    U.S Coast Guard photo    		 Darryl Baker
    General Walter H Gordon 96k USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) docked at Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 11 November 1944.
    U.S. Army photo # HR-869 produced by US Army Signal Corps, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation. Photo now in the collections of the US Army Signal Corps Photograph Collection of the Library of Virginia. Image No. C2:2/23/090.    		 Ron Titus
    General Walter H Gordon 38k USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    General Walter H Gordon 235k USS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117) at anchor in New York Harbor. circa 1945. Note Castle Clinton visible to the right.
    US Maritime Commission photo    		 David Wright
    War Shipping Administration Charter American President Lines
    General Walter H Gordon 188k SS General Walter H. Gordon moored pierside, date and location unknown. General Walter H. Gordon was chartered by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) to operate as a troop transport following World War II. Jim Kurrasch
    Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
    USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117)
    General Walter H Gordon 80k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) at anchor soon after joining the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in late 1951 and before beginning her modernization in 1953. She still has all ten of her wartime Welin boat davits.
    US Navy photo # NH 104836 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 77k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) being assisted by harbor tugs soon after joining the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in late 1951 and before beginning her modernization in 1953. She still has all ten of her wartime Welin boat davits.
    US Navy photo # NH 104837 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 72k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) underway, date and location unknown. MSTS souvenir Post Card.
    US Navy photo    		 Military Sea Transportation Service Society
    General Walter H Gordon 107k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) moored pierside, circa 1950s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # i04844/MSC.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 103k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) under way in 1953, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Tommy Trampp
    General Walter H Gordon 58k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) under way after her modernization, probably between 1954 and 1957. She has eight new emplacements for 3"/50 twin gun mounts: two forward, two aft, two between the stacks, and two at the after end of the main superstructure. The guns were never installed.
    US Navy photo # NH 104838 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 71k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) under way after her 1953 modernization. her wartime Welin boat davits have been replaced with standard davits.
    US Navy photo # NH 104839 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 177k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) moored pierside at Pusan, South Korea, 15 June 1967.
    US Navy photo # i04846/MSC    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 45k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) moored pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany, August 1961. Photo by Gerhard L. Mueller-Debus
    General Walter H Gordon 113k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) moored pierside at La Pallice, France, 11 August 1962.
    US Navy photo # i04841/MSC.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 67k USNS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) under way in San Francisco Bay in October 1967.
    US Navy photo # NH 104712 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    General Walter H Gordon 64k USS General Walter H. Gordon (T-AP-117) under way while transporting troops to South Vietnam in the mid or late 1960s. Note the UH-1 "Huey" helicopters overhead .
    US Navy photo # NH 104845 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS / USNS General Walter H. Gordon (AP-117 / T-AP-117)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Wood, Russell Ernest, USCG (USCGA 1925) :VADM26 June 1944 - 4 October 1945
    02CAPT. Carlstedt, George Carl, USCG (USCGA 1925)4 October 1945 - 11 March 1942
    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
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 1 November 2024