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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Pondera (APA-191)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Whiskey - Hotel
 NDWH
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
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 28 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull MCV 659) at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp, Vancouver, WA.
  • Launched, 27 July 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and Commissioned USS Pondera (APA-191), 24 September 1944, CAPT. Lawrence J. Hasse USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Pondera was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Fourteen, COMO. D. L. Ryan USN (16);
     TransDiv Forty-One, CAPT. H.J. Wright USN and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 25 April to 8 May 1945

  • Following World War II USS Pondera was assigned to Occupation and China service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    9 September to 25 October 19457 to 28 November 1945
    1 to 9 December 1945 
    25 to 29 January 1945 
  • Decommissioned, 6 April 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission the same day for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946
  • USS Pondera earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 June 1974, to Andy International Inc., (PD-X-978 dated 30 April 1974 three ship sale) for $726997.00, Delivered 24 July 1974
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t (fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 24' (lim)
    Speed 17.7 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 480
    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
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 7,780 Bbls
    Diesel 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Allis-Chalmers geared turbine
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465psi 750°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ships' Service Generators
    one propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Pondera 135k USS Pondera (APA-191) keel in the building ways at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp, Vancouver, WA. Mary Williams
    Pondera 122k USS Pondera (APA-191) in the building ways at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp, Vancouver, WA. Mary Williams
    Pondera 157k USS Pondera (APA-191) launching ceremony program. Mary Williams
    Pondera 108k USS Pondera (APA-191) christening, 27 July 1944, by Miss Elinor Carol Gottlieb at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp., Vancouver, WA.. Mary Williams
    Pondera 121k USS Pondera (APA-191) launching, 27 July 1944, at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp, Vancouver, WA. Mary Williams
    Pondera 106k USS Pondera (APA-191) at the fitting out dock at Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp, Vancouver, WA. Mary Williams
    Pondera 52k USS Pondera (APA-191) under way, date and location unknown. Mary Williams
    Pondera 66k USS Pondera (APA-191) in San Francisco Bay, in late 1945 or early 1946. She is returning troops from the Western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation "Magic Carpet."
    US Navy photo # NH 98742 donated by Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003 to the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Pondera 143k USS Pondera (APA-191) Ports of Call. Mary Williams
    USS Pondera (APA-191)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Hasse, Lawrence John, USNR24 September 1944 - 2 August 1945
    02CAPT. Seavey, Morris, USNR2 August 1945 - 24 December 1945
    03CAPT. Taylor Jr., Edwin James, USN (USNA 1924)24 December 1945 - 6 April 1946
    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 5 May 2017