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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Left contributed by Mike Smolinski Right contributed by Wolfgang Hechler

USNS Sgt. Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171)
ex
 USNS Sgt. Joseph E. Muller (T-APC-118) (1950 - 1957)
 USAT Sgt. Joseph E. Muller (1948 - 1950)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Sierra - Quebec
 NTSQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (9) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Sgt. Jonah E. Kelly Class Coastal Transport:
  • Laid down, 30 December 1944, as M/V Check Knot, a Maritime Commission type (C1-M-AV1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2485) at Southeastern Shipbuilding Corp., Savannah, GA.
  • Launched, 17 February 1945
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 9 June 1945 under contract to the Waterman SS. Co. for operations
  • Laid up, 4 November 1946, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay , Benecia, CA.
  • Withdrawn from reserve, 30 June 1948 and transferred to the US Army Transportation Service (ATS)
  • Renamed and commissioned USAT Sgt Joseph E. Muller
  • Decommissioned and transferred to the US Navy, 1 July 1950
  • Placed in service as USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-APC-118)
  • During the Korean War USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression8 July to 38 October 1950 Second Korean Winter 28 November 1951 to 8 April 1952
    Communist China Aggression 13 December 1950 to 24 January 1951 Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 16 July to 29 November 1952
    First UN Counter Offensive 25 January to 12 April 1951 Third Korean Winter 1 December 1952 to 27 April 1953
    Communist China Spring Offensive 26 April to 8 July 1951 Korean Summer-Fall 1953 1 May to 20 July 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive 15 July to 27 November 1951  

  • Temporarily placed out of service, 7 December 1956, in a ready status in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River, New York
  • Returned to the Navy,19 September 1957
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 October 1957 and returned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • USNS Joseph E. Muller earned nine battle stars during the Korean War
  • Withdrawn from reserve and re-acquired by the US Navy, 20 September 1962
  • Converted to a Miscellaneous Auxiliary (Technical Research Ship) at Maryland Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Baltimore MD. in October 1962
  • Placed in service as USNS Sgt. Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) in April 1963
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 16 September 1969
  • Transferred to MARAD, 13 November 1969, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for non transportation use, 3 October 1972, to Union Minerals & Alloy Corp. (probably for scrapping) (PD-X-947 dated 29 August 1972) for $25,000.00, withdrawn from the James River Reserve Fleet and delivered to Union Minerals & Alloy Corp, 7 December 1972
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,382 t.(lt) 7,450 t.(fl)
    Length 338' 6"
    Beam 50'
    Draft 21' 1"
    Speed 11.5 kts.
    Complement unknown
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity non refrigerated 177,515 Cu ft., 3,945 DWT
    Armament none
    Fuel Capacity Diesel 6,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Nordberg TSM6 Diesel engine
    two Diesel-drive 250Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 1,700shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USNS Joseph E. Muller (T-APC-118)
    Muller 107k
    Namesake

    Sgt. Joseph E. Muller, Company B, 305th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division, was killed in action on 16 May 1945 near Ishimmi, Okinawa. On the 15th, when his platoon had been halted by heavy enemy fire from a strongly defended ridge, he directed his men to positions from which they could cover his charge. With grenades, he drove the enemy out into the open where his squad caught them. Enemy survivors attempted to re-man a machine gun, but Sgt. Muller attacked and prevented them from turning the gun on his squad. Prior to dawn on the 16th, the Japanese counterattacked in an effort to retake the position. Sgt. Muller crawled forward through heavy fire to a position from which he again successfully launched a single-man grenade and rifle-fire attack. He then returned to his three-man foxhole, into which a lone enemy, who had feigned death, threw a grenade. Seeing the danger, Sgt. Muller threw himself over the grenade; absorbed the impact of the explosion with his body; and saved the lives of his two companions. For his actions on the 15th and 16th, and for his sacrifice on the 16th, Sgt. Muller was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Muller
    094917111    		 242k USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-APC-118) at anchor, circa 1950s, location unknown. Her modifications for troop carrying included the portholes in her hull side, the low deckhouse amidships, and a probable refrigeration unit with vents just forward of the bridge house.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file), courtesy of Shipscribe.com    		 Bill Valashinas
    Muller 62k USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-APC-118) underway, date and location unknown. Bill Valashinas
    USNS Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171)
    Muller 117k USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) underway, date and location unknown. John Adams via Dennis Clouse
    Muller 61k USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) moored pierside at Port Everglades, date unknown. John Adams via Dennis Clouse
    Muller 64k USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) moored pierside at Port Everglades, date unknown. John Adams via Dennis Clouse
    Muller 58k USNSSgt Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) moored pierside at Port Everglades, date unknown. Cameron C. Cook, CTR2 USN 1965-69 USNS Joseph E. Muller
    Muller 55k USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) moored pierside at Port Everglades, date unknown. Cameron C. Cook, CTR2 USN 1965-69 USNS Joseph E. Muller
    Muller 51k USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) moored pierside probably at Port Everglades, date unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Muller
    K-45397    		 273k Starboard bow and stern quarter views of USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-AG-171) underway off Key West, FL., 19 August 1968.
    US National Archives, Photo #'s K-56397, and K-56398 US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Mike Green
    Muller
    K-56398    		 195k
    USNS Sgt Joseph E. Muller (T-APC-118 / T-AG-171)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    US Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association
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    Last Updated 14 June 2024