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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Monongahela (T-AO-42)
ex
USS Monongahela (AO-42) (1942 - 1956)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Victor - Charlie
NIVC

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 16 April 1945) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (10)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (2) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Mattaponi Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down in 1942, for Keystone Tankship Corp. as SS Elkay, a Maritime Commission type (T2-A-MC-K) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 158) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.

Acquired by the US Navy, 31 July 1942

Launched, 30 May 1942

Commissioned USS Monongahela (AO-42), 11 September 1942, at Norfolk, VA., CAPT. Thomas M. Dell in command

During World War II USS Monongahela was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Consolidation of Solomon Islands Consolidation of the southern Solomon Islands, 16 June 1943	Western Caroline Islands operation Assault on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944
Hollandia operation (Aitape Humboldt Bay-Tanahmerah Bay), 21 to 24 April 1944	Leyte operation Luzon attacks, 18 to 19 October and 20 to 23 November 1944
Asiatic-Pacific Raids - 1944 Truk, Satawan, Ponape raid, 29 April to 1 May 1944	Luzon operation Formosa attacks, 15 and 21 January 1945 China Coast attacks, 16 January 1945 Nansei Shoto attack, 22 January 1945
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 29 April to 1 May 1944 2d Bonins raid, 24 June 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 12 July to 15 August 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 to 25 February 1945
Tinian capture and occupation, 24 July to 1 August 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 24 March to 30 June 1945 5th and 3d Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 28 March to 22 May 1945

Between 1945 and 1954 USS Monongahela was assigned to Occupation service in both the Asiatic-Pacific and European areas for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
Asiatic-Pacific	Europe
15 July to 14 August 1946	8 November 1951 to 6 May 1952
23 April to 1 May 1947	21 November 1952 to 28 September 1953
8 to 25 June 1947	9 May to 12 November 1954

Decommissioned, 9 June 1950, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 9 January 1951 and assigned to MSTS

During the Korean War USS Monongahela participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
First UN Counter Offensive, 19 to 20 March 1951	Communist China Spring Offensive, 24 to 27 May 1951

Decommissioned, 9 June 1955, at Philadelphia, PA.

Placed in service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS Monongahela (T-AO-42), 28 December 1956

Placed out of service, 22 August 1957

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX., 13 September 1957

Custody transferred to the Maritime Commission, 10 December 1958

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 February 1959

USS Monongahela earned ten battle stars for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean War service

Final Disposition, on 19 March 1982 traded-out to Farrell Lines together with three other vessels for SS Export Banner, immediately resold to Andy Machinery Co., Brownsville, Tx. for scrapping in Brownsville. (Contract MA-10732 dated 19 March 1982) scrapping completed 12 May 1982

Specifications:
Displacement 6,809 t.(lt) 22,325 t.(fl)
Length 520'
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 9" (lim)
Speed 17.t kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 23

Enlisted 254

Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.

Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 15,000 DWT

Oil 117,400 Bbls

Gasoline 585,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity

9,800 Bbls NSFO

Propulsion

one General Electric geared turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 742°
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
one turbo-drive 50Kw 230V A.C.

single propeller, 12,800shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
091904206	154k	*Namesake* Monongahela - The Monongahela River is a 130-mile-long river in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. The river flows from the confluence of its west and east forks in north-central West Virginia northeasterly into southwestern Pennsylvania, then northerly to Pittsburgh and its confluence with the Allegheny River to form the Ohio River. (Wikipedia) *Photo* - The Monongahela River at Fairmont, West Virginia, 2006. ©Tim Kiser *Map* - Monongahela River basin ©Pfly (real name unknown)	Tommy Trampp
	87k	*YTM-721* along with several smaller tugs are assisting Monongahela (AO-42) into her outfitting berth after launching at Sun Shipbuilding, Chester, PA., 30 May 1942. *Monongahela* is painted camouflage scheme 32/6AO. US Navy photo	Ernest "Pops" Schram WT2/c USS Monongahela
	33k	*USS Monongahela* (AO-42)** at anchor, 24 September 1942, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	83k	*USS Monongahela* (AO-42)** under way, circa 1952. Note the much-reduced armament of four 40mm twin and two 20mm twin AA mounts. US Navy Photo # Unknown, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	116k	*USS Monongahela* (AO-42) refueling USS Harrison (DD-573) and USS Hornet (CV-12), 4 April 1945, in TG58.1 during the Okinawa operation. Hornet** is launching a Grumman TBF Avenger. Photo by T.J. McCann, USS Harrison (DD-573)	John Chiquoine
091904207	90k	*USS Monongahela* (AO-42)** underway, date and location unknown. Auk Visser's Famous T-Tankers Pages	Robert Hurst

USS Monongahela (AO-42) / USNS Monongahela (T-AO-42)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Dell, Thomas Mediary	11 September 1942 - 30 October 1943
02	CDR. Ilsemann, Frederick Joseph	30 October 1943 - 1 August 1945
03	LT. Millar, Harold Francis. USNR	1 August 1945 - 22 March 1946
04	CAPT. Wyatt, Joe Earle, USN (USNA 1928)	22 March 1946 - 1947
05	CAPT. Mullaney, Baron Joseph, USN (USNA 1928) :RADM	1947 - 1948
06	CAPT. Ambruster, Stephen Henry, USN (USNA 1930)	1948 - ?
	Decommissioned	9 June 1950 - 9 January 1951
07	CDR. Lowndes, Thomas Pinckney	9 January 1951 - June 1952
08	LCDR. Bergeron, Ameda Joseph (acting)	June 1952 - July 1952
09	CDR. Nelson Jr., Edward Robert, USN (USNA 1933)	July 1952 - November 1952
10	CDR. Dusinberre, Henry Warner	November 1952 - December 1952
11	CDR. Nelson Jr., Edward Robert	December 1952 - ?
12	CAPT. Veth, Kenneth LeRoy :RADM	July 1954 - June 1955
13	CAPT. Nelson, Jr., Edward Robert	June 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
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 9 August 2024

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Monongahela (T-AO-42)ex USS Monongahela (AO-42) (1942 - 1956)

USNS Monongahela (T-AO-42)
ex
USS Monongahela (AO-42) (1942 - 1956)