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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4)
ex
 USNS Private Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253) (1950 - 1960)
 USAT Private Joe E. Mann (1947 - 1950)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Yankee - Whiskey
 NPYW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

National Defense Service Medal
Longview Class Missile Instrumentation Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 June 1945, as SS Owensboro Victory, a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 719), at Permanente Metals Corp., Yard #2, Richmond, CA.
  • Launched, 21 July 1945
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission for operation by Coastwise Lines (Pacific Far East Line), 27 August 1945
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission in September 1946 for transfer to the US Army
  • Transferred to the War Department, assigned to the US Army Transportation Corps
  • Commissioned USAT Private Joe E. Mann, 31 October 1947
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission and simultaneously transferred to the US Navy, 7 August 1950, to placed in service by MSTS as USNS Private Joe. E Mann (T-AK-253)
  • Converted to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship in October 1958
  • Renamed USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4), 27 November 1960
  • Placed out of service, and transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA., 21 November 1968
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 March 1976, to Nicolai Joffe, withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and delivered to Nicolai Joffe, 12 April 1976
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,512 t.(lt) 15,589 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 29'
    Speed 15.5kts
    Complement 99
    Propulsion
    one cross compound steam turbine
    two boilers
    single screw, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USAT Pvt. Joe E. Mann
    PVT Joe E. Mann 104k
    Namesake
     Joe Eugene Mann joined the Army from Seattle, Washington in August 1942,[1] and by September 18, 1944 was serving as a private first class in Company H, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. On that day, in Best, the Netherlands, he single-handedly destroyed an enemy emplacement and continued to fire on the enemy from an exposed position until being wounded. Despite his wounds, he insisted on serving guard duty during the night. The next morning, during an enemy attack, Mann smothered the blast of a hand grenade with his body, sacrificing himself to protect those around him. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on August 30, 1945. Mann, aged 22 at his death, was buried in Greenwood Memorial Terrace, Spokane, Washington

    Citation
     He distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. On 18 September 1944, in the vicinity of Best, Holland [sic], his platoon, attempting to seize the bridge across the Wilhelmina Canal, was surrounded and isolated by an enemy force greatly superior in personnel and firepower. Acting as lead scout, Pfc. Mann boldly crept to within rocket-launcher range of an enemy artillery position and, in the face of heavy enemy fire, destroyed an 88mm. gun and an ammunition dump. Completely disregarding the great danger involved, he remained in his exposed position, and, with his M-1 rifle, killed the enemy one by one until he was wounded 4 times. Taken to a covered position, he insisted on returning to a forward position to stand guard during the night. On the following morning the enemy launched a concerted attack and advanced to within a few yards of the position, throwing hand grenades as they approached. One of these landed within a few feet of Pfc. Joe E. Mann. Unable to raise his arms, which were bandaged to his body, he yelled "grenade" and threw his body over the grenade, and as it exploded, died. His outstanding gallantry above and beyond the call of duty and his magnificent conduct were an everlasting inspiration to his comrades for whom he gave his life.    		  
    Pvt. Joe E. Mann 281k USAT Pvt. Joe E. Mann underway, date and location unknown.
    Original copyrighted by the World Ship Society (W.S.S.).    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USNS Pvt. Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253)
    General W A Mann 276k USS General W. A. Mann (T-AP-112) at left, and USNS Pvt. Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253) at right,moored at Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA., 15 February 1960.
    US Navy photo "All Hands" magazine May 1960. p.62.    		 Robert Hurst
    Pvt. Joe E. Mann
    09530403    		 51k USNS Pvt. Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253) moored pierside, circa 1960, location unknown.
    Photo credit: USAF. File:USNS Private Joe. E. Mann 1960.jpg - Wikimedia Commons    		 Robert Hurst
    USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4)
    Richfield
    09530404    		 263k broadside view of the Missile Range Instrumentation Ship USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4) at Northwest Marine iron & Steel Works, Swan Island, Portland, OR., 13 June 1966.
    U.S. National Archives at College Park Identifier 6929755    		 Robert Hurst
    Richfield
    09530405    		 72k Ex-USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4) laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, CA., date unknown.
    Ship Nostalgia.com    		 Robert Hurst
    Richfield
    09530406    		 154k Ex-USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4) being moved cold iron, probably from Mare Island Naval Shipyard to the National Defense Reserve site at Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA. circa November 1968.
    Original photo stampred "Dick Markel Photography, San Pedro, Cal."    		 David Wright
    USNS Private Joe. E. Mann (T-AK-253 / USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4)
    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
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    Last Updated 6 February 2026