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USS Livingston (AP-163)
Encyclopedia
USS Livingston (AP-163/AK-222) was a Crater-class cargo ship
built for the U.S. Navy during World War II
. She served in the Pacific Ocean
theatre of operations, provided valuable services to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and returned home after the war with two battle stars to her credit.
, Wilmington, California, under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract; launched 16 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. D. W. Fernhout; acquired by the Navy 25 October 1943; renamed Livingston 30 October 1943; and commissioned 10 November 1943, Lt. Cmdr. Leroy J. Alexanderson in command.
, 22 November 1943 for Pearl Harbor
, where she prepared for the Marshall Islands
campaign. Departing Pearl Harbor 25 January 1944 with U.S. Marines and Seabee
s, the transport arrived off Majuro
3 February to reinforce that island. Majuro, with its spacious lagoon
, was ideal base for the mobile supply force under Capt. Worral R. Carter. After unloading her cargo, Livingston returned Pearl Harbor 21 February to prepare for the next assignment.
Following another cruise to Majuro in March the transport remained in the Hawaiian Islands
, rehearsing with the 27th Infantry Division for the Saipan
invasion. Preparations complete, she departed Pearl Harbor 29 May, touched Kwajalein
briefly, and arrived off Saipan 20 June. Needed “to secure control of sea communications through the central Pacific,” Saipan
was the scene of a bitter battle in which 24,000 Japanese
lost their lives futilely attempting to stop the American offensive. Livingston remained off Saipan supporting the fighters ashore until she sailed for Eniwetok 2 July.
Throughout the summer, she transported troops and equipment among the Allied-occupied islands in the Marshall Islands
, the Gilbert Islands
, and the Mariana Islands
. Reclassified AK-222 on 20 August, she returned to Pearl Harbor 6 days later for additional supplies. Livingston returned to the advance bases 30 September, arriving at Eniwetok. For the next 4 months, she made cargo runs to the occupied islands before departing Saipan 26 January 1945 for San Francisco, California
.
Following a stateside overhaul, the cargo ship resumed operations in mid-April. After a round-trip cruise to Pearl Harbor, she sailed again from San Francisco, California, 15 May for Tarawa, Gilbert Islands
. From arrival 12 June, she continued servicing American island forces in Micronesia
throughout the rest of the war. Remaining in the western Pacific Ocean
after the Japanese surrender
, Livingston shuttled troops and cargo among the islands until late November. Departing Manus
on the 29th, she arrived Seattle, Washington
, 19 December.
(WSA) the same day. She entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet
and was berthed at Suisun Bay, California until sold for scrapping on 13 February 1973, physically departing the reserve fleet on 27 March 1973.
Qualified Livingston personnel were eligible for the following:
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
built for the U.S. Navy during 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...
. She served in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
theatre of operations, provided valuable services to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and returned home after the war with two battle stars to her credit.
Liberty ship built in California
Livingston (AP-163) was laid down as Josiah D. Whitney 22 March 1943 by California Shipbuilding CorporationCalifornia Shipbuilding Corporation
California Shipbuilding Corporation built 467 Liberty and Victory ships during World War II, including Haskell-class attack transports. California Shipbuilding Corporation was often referred to as Calship...
, Wilmington, California, under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract; launched 16 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. D. W. Fernhout; acquired by the Navy 25 October 1943; renamed Livingston 30 October 1943; and commissioned 10 November 1943, Lt. Cmdr. Leroy J. Alexanderson in command.
World War II service
After loading cargo, Livingston departed Port Hueneme, CaliforniaPort Hueneme, California
Port Hueneme is a small beach city in Ventura County, California surrounded by the city of Oxnard and the Pacific Ocean. The name derives from the Spanish spelling of the Chumash wene me, meaning "Resting Place". The area was discovered by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in the mid 16th century...
, 22 November 1943 for Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, where she prepared for the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
campaign. Departing Pearl Harbor 25 January 1944 with U.S. Marines and Seabee
Seabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
s, the transport arrived off Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
3 February to reinforce that island. Majuro, with its spacious lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
, was ideal base for the mobile supply force under Capt. Worral R. Carter. After unloading her cargo, Livingston returned Pearl Harbor 21 February to prepare for the next assignment.
Following another cruise to Majuro in March the transport remained in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, rehearsing with the 27th Infantry Division for the Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
invasion. Preparations complete, she departed Pearl Harbor 29 May, touched Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
briefly, and arrived off Saipan 20 June. Needed “to secure control of sea communications through the central Pacific,” Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
was the scene of a bitter battle in which 24,000 Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
lost their lives futilely attempting to stop the American offensive. Livingston remained off Saipan supporting the fighters ashore until she sailed for Eniwetok 2 July.
Throughout the summer, she transported troops and equipment among the Allied-occupied islands in the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
, and the Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
. Reclassified AK-222 on 20 August, she returned to Pearl Harbor 6 days later for additional supplies. Livingston returned to the advance bases 30 September, arriving at Eniwetok. For the next 4 months, she made cargo runs to the occupied islands before departing Saipan 26 January 1945 for San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
.
Following a stateside overhaul, the cargo ship resumed operations in mid-April. After a round-trip cruise to Pearl Harbor, she sailed again from San Francisco, California, 15 May for Tarawa, Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
. From arrival 12 June, she continued servicing American island forces in Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
throughout the rest of the war. Remaining in the western Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
after the Japanese surrender
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, Livingston shuttled troops and cargo among the islands until late November. Departing Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
on the 29th, she arrived Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, 19 December.
Post-war decommissioning
On 6 January 1946 the cargo ship arrived San Francisco where she decommissioned 27 February and was returned to the War Shipping AdministrationWar 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....
(WSA) the same day. She entered the 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...
and was berthed at Suisun Bay, California until sold for scrapping on 13 February 1973, physically departing the reserve fleet on 27 March 1973.
Honors and awards
Livingston received two battle stars for World War II service:- Marshall Islands operation - Occupation of KwajaleinKwajaleinKwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
and Majuro Atolls, 3 February 1944 - Marianas operation - Capture and occupation of SaipanSaipanSaipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, 20 June to 2 July 1944
Qualified Livingston personnel were eligible for the following:
- American Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalThe American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalThe Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
(1) - World War II Victory MedalWorld War II Victory MedalThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
- Navy Occupation Service MedalNavy Occupation Service MedalThe Navy Occupation Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was issued to Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel who participated in the European and Asian occupation forces following the close of the World War II. The decoration was also bestowed to personnel who...
(with AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
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