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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Polana (AKA-35)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Mike - Quebec
 NHMQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right top to bottom
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
Artemis Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 11 December 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BE1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1896), at Welsh-Kaiser Co. Providence R.I.
  • Launched, 17 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS Polana (AKA-35), 21 February 1945 at Boston Navy Yard, Boston MA., LCDR. Kenneth D. Gallinger USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Polana was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Twenty-One, COMO. J.R. Palmer USN (13);
    TransDiv Sixty-Three, CAPT. F. M. O'Leary USN (20)
  • Following World War II USS Polana was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    9 October to 12 November 194514 to 30 November 1945

  • Decommissioned, 21 March 1946, at Portsmouth, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1946
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 25 June 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Relocated to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C., 26 March 1955
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 August 1966, to Union Metals & Alloys Corp., (PD-X-736 dated 22 July 1966) for $221,250.00 as one of 3 ship sale, delivered, 18 September 1966
    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.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Polana 61k USS Polana (AKA-35) under way off Elizabeth City, N.C., 6 March 1945. Note the heavy quadrupod mainmast, the cut-down quarterdeck, the propeller guard, and the pipe aft, from gasoline stowage (for vehicles) in the stern.
    US Navy photo from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Polana (AKA-35)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Gallinger, Kenneth David USNR21 February 1945 - 15 December 1946
    02CDR. Davis, James White :RADM15 December 1946 - 21 March 1946
    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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 12 April 2013