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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Mendocino (APA-100)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Whiskey - Foxtrot
 NZWF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Bayfield Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 20 September 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull under Maritime Commission (MC hull 866) contract at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 11 February 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, 19 May 1944
  • Placed in reduced commission, 19 May 1944, LCDR. Hans B. Olsen, USNR (APA Ferry Crew # 5), in command for ferrying to her conversion yard, Bethlehem Steel Co., Hoboken, N.J.
  • Decommissioned, 3 June 1944, at Hoboken
  • Converted to an Attack Transport
  • Recommissioned USS Mendocino (APA-100), 31 October 1944, CAPT. Walton R. Read USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Mendocino was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Nineteen (flagship), COMO. C. D. Edgar USN (12);
    TransDiv Fifty-Five and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 5 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS Mendocino was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    12 to 27 October 1945
    4 to 12 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 26 February 1946, at New York, N.Y.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 26 March 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946
  • USS Mendocino earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold, 19 March 1947, to Pope and Talbot Steamship Co,, renamed SS P and T Seafarer
    Sold, April 1957, to Moore-McCormack Lines Inc., renamed SS Mormacwind
    Sold, August 1966, to Grace Lines Inc., renamed SS Santa Eliana Owner remained Prudential-Grace Lines, after merger, 18 December 1969
    Sold, 1 February 1973, to Dolphin Lines Inc., renamed SS Eliana
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 18 April 1973, to Sing Chang Tung Iron and Steel Co. Ltd., Taiwan
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,950 t.(lt), 16,100 t.(fl)
    Length 492'
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 26' 6"
    Speed 18.4 kts.
    Complement
    56 Officers
    532 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    79 Officers
    1,462 Enlisted
    Flag Accommodations
    Officers 43
    Enlisted 108
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 4,800 DWT
    non-refrigerated 180,000 cu. ft.
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 8,510 Bbls
    Diesel 750 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine
    two Foster Wheeler D-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double General Electric Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 400Kw 240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 8,500shp

    US National Archives Photo # NA 19-N-74029 and 19-N-74030, US Navy Bureau of Ships photos.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Mendocino (APA-100)
    Mendocino 34k USS Mendocino (APA-100) at anchor, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Mendocino 284k USS Mendocino (APA-100) underway during her shakedown cruise, circa October 1944, in the Gulf of Mexico. Mendocino is painted in camouflage scheme ds14. John Chiquoine and Dave Schroeder
    Darryl Baker, courtesy Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Mendocino 359k
    Merchant Service Pope & Talbot Steamship Co. Moore McCormack Lines Grace Lines
    Mendocino 203k Ex-USS Mendocino (APA-100) arriving Vancouver, B.C., 2 April 1955, while in commercial service as the Pope & Talbot Co. freighter SS P & T Seafarer.
    Photos by Walter E. Frost    		 City of Vancouver Archives
    Mendocino 17k
    Mendocino 439k Ex-USS Mendocino (APA-100) departing Vancouver, B.C., circa 1957-1966, while in commercial service as the Moore-McCormack Lines freighter SS Mormacwind.
    Photo originally ©A. Duncan.    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Mendocino 366k Ex-USS Mendocino (APA-100) arriving Vancouver, B.C., circa 1969-1973, while in commercial service as the Prudential - Grace Line freighter SS Santa Eliana.
    Photo originally ©M. Cassar.    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Mendocino (APA-100)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
     LCDR, Olsen, Hans Bernard, USNR (Ferry Command)19 May 1944 - 23 June 1944
     Decommissioned3 June 1944 - 31 October 1944
    01CAPT. Read, Walton Runnells, USNR31 October 1944 - 19 June 1945
    02CAPT. Monroe, Jr., Frank, USNR :RADM19 June 1945 - 16 August 1945
    03LCDR. Nissen, Richard D., USNR16 August 1945 - 16 November 1945
    04CDR. MacLeod, Harry B. USNR16 November 1945 - 16 December 1945
    05CAPT. Monroe Jr., Frank, USNR :RADM16 December 1945 - 12 January 1946
    06CDR. MacLeod, Harry B. USNR12 January 1946 - 22 February 1946
    07LCDR. Hughes, George N., USNR22 February 1946 - 26 February 1946
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 26 July 2019