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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Gratia (AKS-11)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Whiskey - Whiskey
 NCWW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Acubens Class General Stores Issue Ship:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as SS John W. Draper a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCE 2823) at Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched, 21 October 1944
  • Completed and acquired by the Navy, 20 November 1944
  • Commissioned USS Gratia (AKS-11), 20 November 1944, LCDR. William Joneli, USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 23 November 1944, at Galveston, TX.
  • Recommissioned, 5 May 1945, LCDR. William Joneli USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Gratia was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II Gratia was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for 21 January to 6 March 1946
  • Decommissioned, 1 July 1946 at Pearl Harbor
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1946
  • All ships of the Acubens class were meant to be used as Bikini Assets, in 'C' test and were kept at Pearl Harbor until a decision was made in 1947 to transfer custody of these ships to the Maritime Commission
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 22 July 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 23 October 1964, to Nicolai Joffe Corp. for $111,226.00, in a two ship sale (PD-X-678 dated 28 September 19640, delivered 4 November 1964
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,240 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 12.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 24
    Enlisted 194
    Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.
    Cargo Capacity 3,230 DWT
    non-refrigerated 219,018 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,640 Bbls
    Diesel 2,010 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Iron Fireman vertical reciprocating steam engine
    two Wickes header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Gratia 57k USS Gratia (AKS-11) commissioning ceremony, 5 May 1945 Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Gratia 249k USS Gratia (AKS-11) under way, off San Francisco, CA., in 1945-46.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo NH 77390, Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, Corte Madera, California, 1973.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS Gratia (AKS-11)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Joneli, William, USNR5 May 1945 - 8 April 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 April 2018