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USNS Sgt. George D Keathley (T-APC-117)
Encyclopedia
USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley, was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cargo vessel that was used for troop transport and later converted to a survey vessel. She was laid down and launched as MS Alexander R. Niniger, Jr., then renamed MS Acorn Knot. She was put into US Army service as USAT Acorn Knot, then renamed USAT Sgt. George D. Keathley. She was transferred to the US Navy and became USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117), but was later re-designated T-AGS-35. She was leased to the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, where she served as Chu Hwa (AGS-564). Both Nininger
Alexander R. Nininger
Alexander R. Nininger Jr. was a Second Lieutenant of the Philippine Scouts who received the Medal of Honor during World War II.-Biography:...
and Keathley
George D. Keathley
George Dennis Keathley was a staff sergeant in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II.-Biography:...
were posthumous Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients.
History
The ship, a C1-M-AV1 design, was built under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2247), was laid down as Alexander R. Niniger, Jr., on 16 June 1944 by Walter Butler Shipbuilders Inc., Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
; launched on 7 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. G.A. Meyer; renamed Acorn Knot in February 1945; and delivered to the War Shipping Administration
War Shipping Administration
The War Shipping Administration was a World War II emergency war agency of the US Government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the US needed for fighting the war....
on 30 March 1945.
United States service
Operated initially by Grace Lines in the Atlantic and the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Acorn Knot was returned to the Maritime Commission and transferred to the Army Transportation Corps on 28 July 1946 and assigned to the Ryukyus Command as an inter-island cargo carrier. On 6 May 1948, she departed the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; and, in July, she entered the Moore Dry Dock Company
Moore Dry Dock Company
Moore Dry Dock Company was a ship repair and shipbuilding company in Oakland, California. It was started in San Francisco in 1905 as the Moore & Scott Iron Works, but was destroyed by fire in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It reopened soon and in 1909 purchased the Boole Shipyard in Oakland....
's yard at Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
for conversion to a cargo-troop-passenger ship. During the eight-month conversion, spaces for troop and cabin passenger accommodations and for hospital facilities were constructed. The work was completed in early March 1949; and, on the 15th, she was renamed USAT Sgt. George D. Keathley.
On 19 April, Sgt. George D. Keathley sailed for Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where, in May, she resumed her Army Transportation Service on a schedule which included Japan, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the Marianas, Okinawa, and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. When war broke out in the latter country in June 1950, Sgt. George D. Keathley was at Yokohama awaiting transfer to the Navy for service in the newly established Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS). Within 24 hours of receipt of the news of the Communist crossing of the 38th parallel
38th parallel north
The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean...
, she had taken on a full cargo of ammunition and a deck load of guns. On 27 June, she sailed for Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
, whence, with , she continued on to Pusan. On 1 July, she became the USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117); and, on the fourth, her civil service crew got her underway back to Japan to take on Army Signal Corps units and their equipment and' transport them to Korea.
With the completion of that run, the APC was assigned to shuttle service between Korea and Japan-evacuating hospital patients to Hakata
Hakata
Hakata may refer to:*Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, a ward in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.**Hakata ningyō , traditional Japanese clay dolls, originally from Hakata*Hakata Station, a large train station in Fukuoka...
and carrying troops and cargo to Pusan. In September, hospital ships took over that duty, and Sgt. George D. Keathley resumed cargo and troop operations out of Yokohama. During October, she carried cargo to the east coast of Korea, as far north as Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
. During November and early December, she carried troops and cargo to Inchon. Then, as the Chinese Army
Chinese Army
Two modern armies have been known in English as the Chinese Army:* People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China* Republic of China Army , which succeeded the National Revolutionary Army in 1947For Chinese armies before 1912, see:...
added men and equipment to the Communist effort and pushed back down the peninsula, she assisted in the evacuation of that port-carrying Korean nationals to Pusan and cargo and ammunition back to Japan.
From 6 January to 2 March 1951, the APC was at Yokohama for overhaul. She then resumed shuttle runs between Japan and Korea. With November, she commenced runs to Okinawa and Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
; and, in September 1952, after more bunk spaces had been added to her troop quarters, she resumed a Japan-Korea schedule which was alternated with runs to Okinawa and Formosa until February 1953. From then until the signing of the truce in July, she operated primarily between Sasebo and Pusan, with only two runs to Naha and Keelung
Keelung
Keelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport...
.
After the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Sgt. George D. Keathley remained in the Far East and continued to be employed primarily between Sasebo and Pusan for another two years. In 1955, she was transferred to MSTS Atlantic; and, on 11 December 1956, she was placed out of service and transferred, temporarily, to the Hudson River Group of the Maritime Administration's National Defense Reserve Fleet
National Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
(NDRF). Ten months later, on 24 October 1957, her name was struck from the Navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
and her transfer to the NDRF was made permanent.
In late 1966, however, Sgt. George D. Keathley was ordered activated. In November, she was towed to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
for conversion to a survey ship. On 1 December, she was reacquired by the Navy; assigned to MSTS; and given the designation T-AGS-35. The following spring, 1967, Sgt. George D. Keathley, again a United States Naval Ship
United States Naval Ship
United States Naval Ship or USNS is the prefix designation given to non-commissioned ships that are property of the United States Navy.-Overview:...
, manned by a civil service crew, commenced survey operations in the Atlantic for the Oceanographer of the Navy which she continued until December 1971. She then returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for inactivation.
Republic of China service
On 29 March 1972, she was transferred, on lease, to the Republic of ChinaRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, where she was named Chu Hwa (AGS-564).
Fate
On 15 April 1976, she was struck from the US Naval Vessel RegisterNaval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
. She was struck from the China Naval Register on August 1988 and returned to US custody. She was ultimately sunk as a target.