Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Medea (AKA-31)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Bravo - Lima
 NTBL
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 (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Artemis Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 5 August 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BE1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1892) at Welsh-Kaiser Co. Providence, R.I.
  • Launched, 30 November 1944
  • Commissioned USS Medea (AKA-31), 10 January 1945, LCDR. Wesley A. Sherberth in command
  • During World War II USS Medea was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Eighteen, COMO. J.G. Moyer USN (14);
    TransDiv Fifty-Three, CAPT. W.N. Thornton USN and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 10 to 19 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Medea was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    2 to 11 September 1945
    5 to 11 October 1945
    1 to 15 November 1945
    30 December 1945 to 9 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 24 April 1946, at New Orleans, LA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 October 1946
  • USS Medea earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 29 October 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 14 October 1964, to Southern Scrap Material Co. Ltd. (PD-X-677 dated 21 September 1964) for $78,888.88, delivered, 20 November 1964
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,087 t.(lt) 7,080 t(fl)
    Length 426'
    Beam 58'
    Draft 16' (lim)
    Speed 16.9 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 27
    Enlisted 276
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo capacity 980 DWT
    non-refrigerated 110,000 Cu. ft.
    Boats
    one LCP(L)
    twelve LCVPs
    two LCMs
    Troop Capacity 264
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,540 Bbls
    Diesel 365 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse turbo-electric engines
    two Wickes boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    one turbo-drive 150Kw 450V A.C.
    two turbo-drive 250Kw 450V A.C.
    twin propellers, 6,000shp.
    http://usndazzle.com/
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Medea 805k Port view of USS Medea (AKA-31) wearing camouflage scheme 32/4t, under way in the Atlantic, 24 January 1945. The colors should be ocean gray, light gray and dull black, although the black may be lightened to navy blue. Photo taken by an airship from blimp squadron ZP-12 from NAS Lakehurst, N.J.
    US National Archives, Photo # 80-G-301557, a US Navy photo courtesy of C. Lee Johnson, usndazzle.com    		 Mike Green
    Medea 86k USS Medea (AKA-31) ship's officers, circa early-1945, location unknown. Front row third from left is Wesley A. Sherberth Commanding Officer, to his left Jack M Sharp MD Chief Medical Officer, First from right second row is Adolph J. Merkt Gunnery Officer. Roland Sharp for his father LT Jack Merrill Sharp MC USS Media
    Medea 97k USS Medea (AKA-31) Chief Petty Officers, circa early-1945, location unknown. Roland Sharp for his father LT Jack Merrill Sharp MC USS Media
    Medea 97k USS Medea (AKA-31) ship's officers, circa early-1945, location unknown. LT Jack Merrill Sharp, MC, ship's Medical Officer, top row 4th from left. Commanding Officer CDR. Wesley Sherberth, 3rd from left top row. Roland Sharp for his father LT Jack Merrill Sharp MC USS Media
    Medea 65k USS Medea (AKA-31) probably off Okinawa, circa June 1945. Roland Sharp for his father LT Jack Merrill Sharp MC USS Media
    Medea 104k USS Medea (AKA-31) with her decks crowded with troops, probably upon arrival in San Francisco Bay, CA., circa late 1945 or early 1946.
    US Navy photo # NH 78150 courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.    		 Fred Weiss
    USS Medea (AKA-31)
    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
    USS Medea Miscellaneous
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 23 November 2018