USS Muskingum (AK-198)

USS Muskingum (AK-198/T-AK-198) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy under a US Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract during the closing period of World War II. She supported the end-of-war Navy effort. On 7 March 1946 Muskingum was placed in service under bareboat charter with the US Army[3] under the Shipping Control Authority for the Japanese Merchant Marine with a Japanese crew. In 1950 she was reactivated and placed into service with the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Muskingum (T-AK-198) until being struck from the Navy list in 1973. She was ultimately transferred to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) and the Republic of Palau.

History
United States
Name: Muskingum
Namesake: Muskingum County, Ohio
Ordered: as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2152[1]
Builder: Globe Shipbuilding Co., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number: 119[1]
Laid down: 28 January 1944
Launched: 30 June 1944
Sponsored by: Mrs. Henry Larson
Commissioned: 24 April 1945
Decommissioned: 7 March 1946
Stricken: 5 June 1946 and 15 June 1973
Identification:
Fate: placed in service with Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 July 1950
Notes: used by the U.S. Army in Japan as USAT Muskingum (V-109) (1946-1950)
United States
Name: Hennepin
Operator: Military Sea Transportation Service
In service: 1 July 1950
Stricken: 15 June 1973
Identification: Hull symbol: T-AK-198
Fate: transferred to the Department of the Interior, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), 4 October 1974
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Name: Fentress
In service: 20 July 1974
Out of service: 7 April 1982
Fate: transferred, 7 April 1982
Republic of Palau
Name: Muskingum
In service: 7 April 1982
Status: fate unknown
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type: C1-M-AV1
Tonnage: 5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement:
  • 2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard)
  • 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length: 388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 1 × propeller
Speed: 11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity:
  • 3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT
  • 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated)
  • 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement:
  • 15 Officers
  • 70 Enlisted
Armament:

Construction

Muskingum, a type C1-M-AV1 cargo ship was laid down under a MARCOM contract, MC hull 2152, by Globe Shipbuilding Co., Superior, Wisconsin, 26 January 1944, and launched on 30 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Henry Larson. Muskingum was then completed at Samuelson Ship Yard, Beaumont, Texas. She was commissioned on 24 April 1945, at Houston, Texas, Lieutenant M. H. Bryant in command.[4]

Service history

After shakedown, she departed Gulfport, Mississippi, 26 May 1945 with cargo for the Pacific Ocean. She arrived at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, 4 August 1945 via the Panama Canal and Manus, the Admiralty Islands. The next few months were spent in carrying passengers and freight between Philippine ports.[4]

She departed Tacloban, Leyte, 24 January 1946, arriving Yokohama 31 January. The ship was decommissioned 7 March 1946 and turned over to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) for transfer to the U.S. Army Transportation Corps on a bareboat charter basis. She was stricken from the Navy List 5 June 1946.[4]

Army service

Muskingum was given the Army designation V-208 and operated between ports in Japan, Korea, and the Mariana Islands under control of the Shipping Control Authority for the Japanese Merchant Marine (SCAJAP) with overall control exercised by Supreme Commander of Allied Forces, Japan. Muskingum was operated by Japanese until 1 July 1950 when title was transferred to Navy.[4]

MSTS service

Muskingum was reinstated on the Navy List for operations under Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) WesPac (Western Pacific). During the Korean War, she carried supplies between Japan and Korea.[4]

In 1951, Muskingum, designated T-AK-198, was under control of MSTS Far East, operating out of Japan. Besides providing logistical support for U.S. forces in Korea, Muskingum carried supplies to American and Allied forces in South Vietnam.[4]

Decommissioning

Muskingum continued with service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) until she was struck from the Navy List on 15 June 1973.[2]

Merchant service

On 4 October 1973 title was returned to the Maritime Administration, successor to the Maritime Commission and loaned to the United States Department of Interior for TTPI use.[3] The ship was operated by the Palau Shipping Company, Inc., a Trust Territory entity, on a time charter basis with a Micronesian crew.[5] On 7 April 1982 Muskingum was permanently transferred to the Republic of Palau.[3] According to the ABC Shipping Guide the ship was operated by Carolineship with a route Palau - Jakarta - Kobe - Palau.[6]

Her subsequent fate is not known.

Honors and awards

Qualified Muskingum personnel were eligible for the following:[2]

Notes
    Citations
    1. C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
    2. Navsource 2014.
    3. MARAD.
    4. DANFS.
    5. United States Department of Interior; United States Department of State (1978). "Trust Territory of Pacific Islands. 31st Annual Report--October 1, 1977 to September 30, 1978" (PDF): 74. Retrieved 25 January 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
    6. "South Pacific". SHIPS for passengers WORLDWIDE. 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2018.

    Bibliography

    Online resources

    • Photo gallery of USS Muskingum (AK-198) at NavSource Naval History


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