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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Camel (IX-113)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Hotel - India
 NJHI
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tanker:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as SS William H. Carruth, a Maritime Commission type (Z-ET1-S-C3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1902), at California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 31 October 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Camel (IX-113), 22 November 1943, at San Pedro, CA., LT. D. Dunham, Jr., USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Camel was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 30 March to 30 June 1945

  • Decommissioned, 22 May 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS Camel earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred, 24 May 1946, to the Maritime Commission James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, VA., for disposal, name reverted to SS William H. Carruth
  • Contract awarded for reconvert for merchant service, 29 January 1948
  • Sold to Albatross Shipping Co. 23 July 1948
  • Resold to Transfuel Corp in September 1948
  • Converted to dry cargo ship in at Savannah, GA. in 1949
  • Sold to Penntrans Co. of N.Y., renamed SS Penn Shipper, in February 1959
  • Resold to Halcyon Steamship Co., 16 January 1962, renamed SS Halcyon Pioneer
  • Title transferred to the Maritime Administration, 30 April 1963
  • Bare bottom charter, Halcyon Steamship Co., 30 April 1963
  • De-activated, 24 May 1963 and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.
  • Final Disposition, sold, 24 September 1963, to Zidell Explorations, Inc. for scrapping at Tacoma, WA.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 14,500 t.
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 13
    Enlisted 103
    Cargo Capacity 8,500DWT
    Oil 63,000 Bbls
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    eight 20mm AA guns
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 13,700 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, 225psi 450°
    three recip-drive 20Kw 120v D.C. Ships' Service Generators
    one 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     		 
    USS Camel (IX-113)
    Camel
    094611303    		 124k
    Namesake
    Camel - an even-toed ungulate that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. Camels have long been domesticated and, as livestock, they provide food (milk and meat) and textiles (fiber and felt from hair). Camels are working animals especially suited to their desert habitat and are a vital means of transport for passengers and cargo.
    Photo from Wikipedia.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Camel 53k USS Camel (IX-113) officers and ship mascot The officer seated in the middle holding the ship's monkey mascot is ENS. Herbert R. Stender, the father of Jock Stender. The photo was taken sometime between 1944 and 1946. Photo courtesy Jock Stender. Robert Hurst
    Merchant Service
    Camel 500k Ex-USS Camel (IX-113) under way as Transfuel Corp. SS William H. Carruth, circa September 1948.
    ©Skyfotos    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Camel (IX-113)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 9 July 2021