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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Mellette (APA-156)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Kilo - Golf
 NQKG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia/Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 3 June 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 122) at Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 4 August 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and commissioned USS Mellette (APA-156), 27 September 1944, CDR. F. H. Spring, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Mellette (APA-156) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Fifteen; CAPT. W. S. Popham USN (14);
     TransDiv Forty-Three (flagship) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 25 February 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 11 April 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    2 to 27 September 1945
    2 to 11 December 1945

  • Decommissioned, 31 July 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Yorktown, VA.
  • Recommissioned, 18 October 1950
  • USS Mellette was assigned to Occupation service in Europe from 20 September 1953 to 24 January 1954
  • Decommissioned, 18 June 1955, at Charleston S.C.
  • USS Mellette earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston Group
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 17 March 1960 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Permanent transfer to MARAD, 30 June 1960
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1960
  • Sold, 29 June 1987, to C.J.W. Shipping and Trading Co., San Francisco, CA., for $528,000
  • Final Disposition, resold, 3 June 1988, to Chi Shun Hua Steel Co. Ltd., Kaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 12,450 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Speed 17.7 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 480
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 80
    Enlisted 1,440
    Largest Boom Capacity 35t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWT
    non-refrigerated 150,000 Cu. ft
    Boats
    two LCMs
    one open LCPL
    one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)
    two LCPRs
    eighteen LCVPs
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual-purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    10 single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 7,780 Bbls
    Diesel 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465psi 750°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Mellette 46k USS Mellette (APA-156) at anchor, location unknown, 1945 Russ Padden,
    Courtesy Dick Osborn, Secretary Mellette Reunion Group
    Mellette 264k USS Mellette (APA-156) moored to a buoy off New York City, 7 May 1951.
    Photo by Ted Stone
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Catalog #: NH 66829. Courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News, VA., Ted Stone Collection.    		 US Naval History and Heritage command
    Mellette 152k USS Mellette (APA-156) moored pierside showing collison damage to bow, circa 1950s, location unknown. Dave West
    Clinton 21k APAs moored in the James River Group of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, VA.. From left to right: USS Crockett (APA-148), USS Deuel (APA-160), USS Mellette (APA-156) and USS Clinton (APA-144), date unknown. USS Deuel Association
    USS Mellette (APA-156)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Spring Francis H.27 September 1944 - 5 September 1945
    02CAPT. Beasley, Charles Black :RADM5 September 1945 - 3 February 1946
    03LCDR. Breault, David Thomas3 February 1946 - 31 July 1946
     Decommissioned31 July 1946 - 18 October 1950
    04CAPT. MacMillan, Duncan Calvin :RADM18 October 1950 - September 1951
    05CAPT. Andrews, Richard Stottke, USN (USNA 1931) :RADMSeptember 1951 - August 1952
    06CAPT. Harper Jr., John Frank :RADMAugust 1952 - 13 September 1953
    07CAPT. Dornin, Marshall Edgar (Skinny), USN (USNA 1930) :RADM13 September 1953 - 1954
    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
    USS Mellette (APA-156)
    Action Report - Landing of Occupation Forces, Nagasaki Japan, September 1945
    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 16 November 2018