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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Menard (APA-201)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - November - Echo
 NPNE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (3) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 12 July 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract, at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp, Vancouver, WA.
  • Launched, 11 October 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission on loan-charter and Commissioned USS Menard (APA-201), 31 October 1944, at Astoria, OR., CDR. James B. Bliss USN, in command
  • During World War II USS Menard was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Eighteen COMO. J.G. Moyer USN (14);
     TransDiv Fifty-Four, CAPT. J.R. Lannom USN (19) and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 14 April 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    16 to 27 September 1945
    6 to 22 October 1945

  • Decommissioned, 14 June 1948, are Mare Island Navy Yard.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Stockton Group
  • Recommissioned, 2 December 1950
  • During the Korean War USS Menard participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    5 to 6 May 1951
    30 June to 5 July 1951     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    11 to 17 October 1952
    14 to 20 Nov 1952
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    29 July 1951
    28 to 31 August 1951     		 

  • During the Korean War USS Menard was also assigned to China Service for the following periods;

    China Service Medal (extended)
    15 to 25 July 1951
    26 October to 1 November 1951

  • Decommissioned, 18 October 1955, at Long Beach CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Long Beach Group
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 20 December 1960 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1961
  • USS Menard earned one battle star for World War II service and three battle stars for Korea service
  • Permanent custody transfer to the Maritime Administration, 1 September 1962
  • Ships' bell dedicated, 30 May 1994, at Veterans Museum of Valor, Fresno, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 17 July 1975 to Dismantlers Inc. Portland, OR., Withdrawn 17 August 1975
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t. (lt) 12,450 t (fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 24'
    Speed 17.7 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 480
    Troop Capacity
    Officers 87
    Enlisted 1,475
    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
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO - 7,780 Bbls
    Diesel - 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Allis-Chalmers geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465psi 750°
    double Falk 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
    Menard 26k USS Menard (APA-201) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Lee Gordon USS Menard APA 201
    Menard 26k USS Menard (APA-201) under way, date and location unknown. Lee Gordon USS Menard APA 201
    Menard 23k USS Menard (APA-201) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Lee Gordon USS Menard APA 201
    Menard 65k USS Menard (APA-201) passes under the Golden Gate Bridge as she sails into San Francisco Bay during Operation "Magic Carpet" with returning Pacific veterans in 1946. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Menard 111k USS Menard (APA-201) moored pierside at Pier 16, Naval Station Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA. Menard has just arrived with returning Pacific veterans completing one of her Operation "Magic Carpet" voyages from the Far East the the west coast of the United States in 1946.
    US Navy photo.    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Menard 52k Undated watercolor painting by Kirby Cockerham of USS Menard (APA-201) at anchor in the lagoon of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands Tommy Trampp
    USS Menard (APA-201)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Bliss, James Bernard, USN31 October 1944 - 15 December 1945
    02LCDR. Mitchell, William Wilson, USNR15 December 1945 - 15 July 1946
    03LT. Palmer, William Griffin, USN15 July 1946 - 25 June 1947
    04LCDR. Weimer, John Brichle, USN25 June 1947 - 14 June 1948
     Decommissioned14 June 1948 - 2 December 1950
    05CAPT. Finnegan, Joseph, USN (USNA 1928)2 December 1950 - 13 May 1952
    06CAPT. Knoll, Denys William, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM13 May 1952 - December 1952
    07CAPT. King, Victor Albert, USN (USNA 1931)December 1952 - 1953
    08CAPT. Ruff, Lawrence Ernest, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM1953 - 1954
    09CAPT. Adair Jr., Noah, USN (USNA 1931)1954 - 18 October 1955
    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
    Action Report - Landing of Occupation Forces, Nagasaki Japan, September 1945
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 3 May 2019