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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Talladega (LPA-208)
ex
 USS Talladega (APA-208) (1945 - 1969)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Oscar - Romeo
 NPOR
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
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Quemoy-Matsu, Vietnam)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (3) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (3) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - Philippines Independence Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Haskell Class Amphibious Transport:
  • Laid down, 3 June 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 556) at Permanente Metals Corp.Yard Number 2, Richmond, CA.
  • Launched, 17 August 1944
  • Acquired from the Maritime Commission on loan-charter
  • Commissioned USS Talladega (APA-208), 31 October 1944, CAPT. Edward H. McMenemy USN (20) in command
  • During World War II USS Talladega (APA-208) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Sixteen, COMO J.R. McGovern USN;
    TransDiv Forty-Eight (flagship) CAPT. C. L. Andrews Jr. USN (19) 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, 9 to 14 April 1945

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

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    24 September to 1 November 19451 to 10 July 1946

  • Decommissioned, 27 December 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 8 December 1951, at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco. CA.
  • During the Korean War USS Talladega (APA-208) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Third Korean Winter
    15 December 1952
    4 to 15 January 1953
    26 to 28 March 1953
    9 to 18 April 1953
    24 to 25 April 1953    		 Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    8 to 17 May 1953
    10 July 1953
    17 to 19 July 1953

  • During the Vietnam War USS Talladega (APA-208) participated in the following campaigns:

    Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Advisory Campaign
    27 to 30 May 1965
    11 to 18 June 1965
    29 June to 3 July 1965     		Vietnam Counteroffensive
    22 February to 1 March 1966
    19 to 21 March 1966
    Vietnam Defense
    4 to 21 July 1965
    17 to 25 August 1965
    30 August to 1 September 1965
    10 September to 3 October 1965    		 Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase III
    17 to 25 October 1967

  • Status changed to in commission in reserve in December 1967
  • Designation changed to Amphibious Transport (LPA-208), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned, 15 October 1969
  • Temporary custody assigned to the Maritime Administration, 20 October 1969
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.
  • Permanent custody returned to the Maritime Administration, 1 September 1971
  • Towed to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA. in July 1972
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1976
  • USS Talladega earned two battle stars for World War II service, two battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with three campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by MARAD, 1 October 1982, to C.W. Enterprise and Investment Co., scrapped in Taiwan
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 24' (lim)
    Speed 17.7 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 593
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 87
    Enlisted 1,475
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    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 Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465psi 750°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear
    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
    Talladega 53k USS Talladega (APA-208) at anchor, circa 1945
    US Navy photo # NH 74306 courtesy Donald M. McPherson, 1971    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Talladega 107k Two Soviet Navy officers talking with a member of the boat group from USS Talladega (APA-208) on the beach at Yokohama, 2 September 1945. Talladega was then landing troops from the U.S. Army's First Cavalry Division for occupation duty in Japan. Note pistol holster worn by Soviet officer at left.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-374825 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Talladega 83k USS Talladega (APA-208) arriving at San Francisco, 10 May 1946
    Russ Padden webmaster
    Amphibious Forces WWII Web Site
    Talladega 53k USS Talladega (APA-208) photo taken circa 1945-46, shortly before she decommissioned, or soon after she recommissioned for Korean War service.
    US Navy photo # NH96818    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Talladega 97k USS Talladega (APA-208) underway in the early 1950s. The SR air search radar on the main mast was replaced with SPS-6 in the late 1950s. The curved extensions to the yardarm carry the new UHF ship-to-air radio antennas. Note the drastic reduction in the number of landing craft.
    Text and US Navy photo "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.     		US Naval Historical Center
    Talladega 84k USS Talladega (APA-208) at San Diego, 11 October 1957.
    US Navy photo # NH 96830 courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia. Ted Stone Collection.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Talladega 198k USS Talladega (APA-208) docked pierside at Vancouver, B.C., 26 February 1961.
    City of Vancouver Archives, Photo No. AM1506-S3-3-: CVA 447-8479, by Walter E. Frost.    		 Mike Green
    Talladega 69k USS Talladega (APA-208) about 100 miles away from Hawaii, while en route to Oahu with other amphibious ships to participate in exercise "Dull Knife" in July 1963. Three other attack transports are also in formation. USS Renville (APA-227) is closest to Talladega, and USS Bayfield (APA-33) is next.
    US Navy photo # NH 96820 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    Talladega 108k USS Talladega (APA-208) moored pierside at NavSta Subic Bay, P.I., 18 November 1963. She is embarking Marines of D-1-9, 3rdMarDiv, Camp Hansen, Okinawa. Photo by Walt Williamson
    Talladega 73k USS Talladega (APA-208) during underway replenishment with USS Paricutin (AE-18), date and location unknown. Photo by Jack Dudenhoefer SM3 USN USS Paricutin
    Talladega 58k
    Talladega 91k
    Talladega 121k USS Talladega (APA-208) underway, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Talladega 100k USS Talladega (APA-208) at anchor off South Vietnam, 1965. Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville.
    Talladega 84k USS Talladega (APA-208) underway off San Diego, 8 March 1967.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 96819 by PH1 J.A. Bremner, VC-3.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Talladega
    100320820    		 186k USS Talladega (APA-208) at anchor, date and location unknown. Nicholas Tiberio
    Talladega 196k Memorial honoring the achievements of USS Talladega (APA-208). The memorial stands in the courthouse square of the ship's namesake, Talladega, Alabama. Photo taken, 27 October 2011, by Rivers Langley. Robert Hurst
    USS Talladega (APA-208 / LPA-208)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. McMenemy, Edward Hollister, USN (USNA 1920)31 October 1944 - 3 September 1945
    02CDR. Matheny, James Donald, USNR3 September 1945 - 27 December 1946
     Decommissioned27 December 1946 - 8 December 1951
    03CAPT. Ramsbotham, Robert Johnson, USN (USNA 1929)8 December 1951 - 10 November 1952
    04CAPT. Howell, William Smith, USN (USA 1933)12 October 1954 - 19 September 1955
    056CAPT. McGillis, John Frink, USN (USNA 1934)21 February 1955 - May 1957
    06CAPT. Conkey, George Lissant, USN (USNA 1935)24 July 1958 - July 1959
    07CAPT. Spencer, Edward Clarence, USN1960 - 27 January 1962
    08CAPT. Hanna, Hugh Allen, USN (USNA 1940)27 January 1962 - 9 March 1963
    09CAPT. Nelson, John Blount, USN (USNA 1940)9 March 1963 - 21 April 1964
    10CAPT. Ireland, James Morrison, USN21 April 1964 - 10 April 1965
    11CAPT. Davis, John Franklin, USN (USNA 1944)10 April 1965 - 10 June 1966
    12CAPT. Ingraham, William Floyd, USN10 June 1966 - 15 January 1968
    13LCDR. Poyner, Frederick Franklyn, USN1966 - 1968
    14CAPT. Johnson, Calvin, USN USN15 January 1968 - 15 October 1969
    99CAPT. Ingraham, William Floydno dates
    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
    Talladega APA-208
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
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    Last Updated 11 March 2022