USS Mark (AG-143)
Encyclopedia
| U.S. Army service: | |
| U.S. Navy service: |
USS Mark (AG-143), was built as the Aircraft Repair variant, Design 427,http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/smallships/armyfreighters.htm | Shipbuilding History: U.S. Army Coastal Freighters - F, FS and T Boats of the Army FS types as FS-214 for use by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. She was built at Higgins Industries, New Orleans, Louisiana, completed in December 1944. The ship was designed with the well deck covered to provide shop space for the work of repairing aircraft by an embarked Aircraft Maintenance Unit (Floating)See the description of the 16 Aircraft Maintenance Unit (Floating) deployment in the 801 SPECIAL OPERATIONS AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE SQUADRON (AFSOC) factsheet at A.F. Historical Research Agency for sister ship FS-215.
The ship suffered a casualty when the ship's starboard engine exploded on 13 April 1945. Albert M. Boe, the civilian Chief Engineer, stayed at his post to shut down engines despite burns that were fatal. He was awarded the posthumous Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal
Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal
The Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Merchant Marine . The decoration is the highest award which can be bestowed upon members of that service and is the service’s equivalent of the Medal of Honor; since mariners serving in the United State Merchant...
. Later a ship
SS Albert M. Boe
SS Albert M. Boe was a liberty ship laid down on 11 July 1945 at the East Yard of New England Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Maine, as a boxed aircraft transport. The ship is notable as the final liberty ship built. She was named after Chief Engineer Albert M...
was named in his honor.
Toward the close of the war the vessels were assigned names and the ship was renamed Colonel Raymond T. Lester, an Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
officer.
The ship was acquired by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
at Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
, Philippine Islands, on 30 September 1947; and placed in service on 2 December 1947.
Service history
Mark served as a unit in the SubicU.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. It was the largest U.S...
–Sangley
U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point
Naval Station Sangley Point was a communication and hospital facility of the United States Navy which occupied the northern portion of the Cavite City peninsula and is surrounded by Manila Bay, approximately eight miles southwest of Manila, the Philippines. The station was a part of the Cavite...
Ferry Service until reclassified AKL-12 on 13 March 1949. Then, as a light cargo ship
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...
attached to Service Force, 7th Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
, she carried cargo and passengers to various units of that fleet operating in the Philippines area. The ship was placed 'Out of Service' in 1956, but continued operations out of Subic Bay.
With the escalation of U.S. Forces activities in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
in 1963-64, the range of her resupply missions were extended to include frequent cruises to the Republic of Vietnam. As a result of these trips, she was placed in a commissioned status on 1 October 1965, Lt. F. R. Sanderlin in command. For the next eight months she continued to operate from Subic Bay; but with each passing month, the length of her visits was increased. In June 1966 she commenced full-time operations in the combat area. In addition to supply missions the ship surveyed waters critical to operations in the Dinh River, Dong Nia River and Bassac River of the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
. From 1966 to 1969 Mark, with only one interruption for overhaul, kept vital supplies moving from Saigon and Vung Tau
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
to the riverine and coastal surveillance forces conducting operations "Game Warden
Operation Game Warden
Operation Game Warden, Task force 116, was an operation to deny Viet Cong access to the resources in the Mekong Delta which was conceived of in December 1965. U.S. naval forces, backed by Marine artillery on the ground, launching a rapid surprise attack on the dozens of small Viet Cong ports which...
" and "Market Time
Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
".
On 1 July 1971 Mark was transferred to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
where she served in the Republic of China Navy
Republic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
as the intelligence gathering ship
Spy ship
A spy ship or reconnaissance vessel is a dedicated ship intended to gather intelligence, usually by means of sophisticated electronic eavesdropping. In a wider sense, any ship intended to gather information could be considered a spy ship....
Yung Kang (AKL 514).
External links
- Mobile Riverine Force Association: History of The USS Mark (AKL-12) (Vietnam period with photos)
- Photo gallery at navsource.org