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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Muscatine (AK-197)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Oscar - Mike

NEOM
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Alamosa Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 December 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (C1-M-AV1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2151), at Globe Shipbuilding Co., Superior, WI.
  • Launched, 16 June 1944
  • Converted for Naval service at Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc., Beaumont, TX.
  • Acquired by the US Navy 3 April 1945
  • Commissioned USS Muscatine (AK-197), 19 April 1945, at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX., LT. William F. Heyer, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Muscatine was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, Service Squadron 8
  • Following World War II USS Muscatine was assigned to Occupation service from 28 October to 12 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 7 March 1946, at Baltimore, MD.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 12 March 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 20 March 1946
  • Merchant Service
    Sold, 25 February 1947, to J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, Den-Norski Dyd Amerika Lines, Bergen, Norway, for $963,862.00. title passed, 24 February 1947, renamed MV Palma
    Rebuilt in 1952
    Sold in 1953, to Jens Henriksen, D/S A/S Imica, Risor, Norway, renamed MV Avance
    Sold in 1968 to General Navigation Co., Inc, Philippine, Manila owners, reflagged Philippines, renamed MV Duke K.L.
    Sold in February 1972 to Lee Sing & Co., Hong Kong breakers, cut her down in 1973 and converted her to a lighter
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,382 t.(lt) 7,450 t.(fl)
    Length 338' 6"
    Beam 50'
    Draft 29' 2" (limiting)
    Speed 11.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 15
    Enlisted 70
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 3,945 DWT
    non-refrigerated 227,730 Cu ft
    refrigerated 9,830 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 6,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Nordberg Diesel TSM6 engine, 1,750shp
    two Diesel-drive 250Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    USS Muscatine (AK-197)
    Muscatine
    0913019702
    132k USS Muscatine (AK-197) underway, date and location unknown. Dirk Dijksman
    Merchant Service
    Muscatine 155k Ex-USS Muscatine (AK-197) as the Norwegian-owned MV Palma underway, circa 1947-1952, location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Muscatine
    0913019703
    167k Ex-USS Muscatine (AK-197) as the Norwegian-owned MV Avance underway, 6 January 1963, location unknown.
    ©FotoFlite
    Dirk Dijksman

    USS Muscatine (AK-197)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Heyer, William Frederick, USNR19 April 1945 - 7 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
    USS Muscatine (AK-197) War Diary April to November 1945 and History
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 26 February 2021