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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Hanover (APA-116)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Papa - Bravo
 NZPB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Bayfield Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down (date unknown) as a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 878) at Ingalls Shipbuilding Co., Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 18 August 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy and commissioned USS Hanover (APA-116), 31 March 1945, CDR. James Hugh Henderson USNR in command
  • During and following World War II USS Hanover (APA-116) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Hanover was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 September to 11 October194518 November to 2 December 1945
    13 to 27 January 1946 

  • Decommissioned, 11 May 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 12 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 23 May 1946
  • Merchant Service
    Towed, 13 January 1947, by Moran Towing and Transportation Co. under a General Agency Agreement, from Lee Hall, VA., to East Boston, MA.
    Custody transferred, 18 January 1947, to Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, East Boston, MA. for reconversion for merchant service
    Sold, 23 December 947 to Matson Navigation Co., renamed SS Hawaiian Wholesaler
    Sold, 25 March 1961, to Oceanic Steamship Co, a Matson Navigation Co. subsidiary, renamed SS Ventura
    Sold, 21 January 1971, to Pacific Far East Lines, name retained
    Sold, 6 April 1972, to Excelsior Marine Corp., renamed SS Entu
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 30 June 1972, to Yung Tai Steel & Iron Works., Ltd., Taiwan
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,760 t.(lt) 16,100 t.(fl)
    Length 492'
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 25'
    Speed 18.4 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 41
    Enlisted 437
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 91
    Enlisted 1470
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 4,500 DWT
    non-refrigerated 180, 530 cu ft
    Boats
    twelve LCVPs
    four LCM (Mk-6)s
    three LCP(L) (MK-IV)s
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 8,510 Bbls
    Diesel 750 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine
    two Foster and Wheeler D-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gear
    four 250Kw 250V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Hanover (APA-116)
    Hanover 26k USS Hanover (APA-116) under way, date and location unknown. Russ Padden, courtesy John Trudeau
    Hanover 41k USS Hanover (APA-116) at anchor, date and location unknown. Paul Pontoski
    Hanover 62k USS Hanover (APA-116) in San Francisco Bay, CA., in late 1945 or early 1946 returning troops from the Western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation "Magic Carpet.".
    US Navy photo # NH 98727 Donated to the US Naval Historical Center by Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Merchant Service Matson Navigation Co.
    Hanover 130k Ex-USS Hanover (APA-116) in merchant service as the Matson Navigation Co., freighter SS Hawaiian Wholesaler, under way in 1961. Tommy Trampp
    Hanover 245k The Matson Navigation Co., freighter SS Hawaiian Wholesaler under way, date and location unknown
    ©Matson collection    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Hanover (APA-116)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Henderson, James Hugh, USNR31 March 1945 - 20 October 1945
    02CAPT. Callaghan, Joseph Anthony, USN, (USNA 1924)20 October 1945 - 11 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 7 April 2017