USS Muskingum

Cargo ship of the United States Navy

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|

* Hull symbol: AK-198
* Code letters: NEOO

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
Fate| Scrapped 1982
General characteristics [2]
Class & 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|

* 1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine
* 1,750 shp (1,300 kW)

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|

* 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun (DP)
* 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons

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.

## Construction

[edit]

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.[4]

## Service history

[edit]

### World War II-related service

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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]

The ship was scrapped in 1982.

## Honors and awards

[edit]

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

* American Campaign Medal
* Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
* World War II Victory Medal
* Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
* National Defense Service Medal
* Vietnam Service Medal [dubious – discuss]
* Philippines Liberation Medal
* Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal[dubious – discuss]

## Notes

[edit]

Citations

1. ^ a b c C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
2. ^ a b c NavSource 2014.
3. ^ a b c MARAD.
4. ^ a b c d e f DANFS.
5. ^ "Transportation and Communications: Maritime Transportation". Trust Territory of Pacific Islands. 31st Annual Report—October 1, 1977 to September 30, 1978 (PDF). United States Department of Interior. May 1979. p. 74\. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 9, 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018 – via Education Resources Information Center.
6. ^ "South Pacific". SHIPS for passengers WORLDWIDE. 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2018.

## Bibliography

[edit]

Online resources

* "Muskingum (AK-198)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 20 November 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
* "C1 Cargo Ships". Shipbuilding History. 28 August 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
* "USNS Muskingum (T-AK-198)". NavSource. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
* "Muskingum (AK-198)". United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 21 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.

## External links

[edit]

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

* v
* t
* e

Alamosa-class cargo ships

* Alamosa
* Alcona
* Amador
* Antrim
* Autauga
* Beaverhead
* Beltrami
* Blount
* Brevard
* Bullock
* Cabell
* Caledonia
* Charlevoix
* Chatham
* Chicot
* Claiborne
* Clarion
* Codington
* Colquitt
* Craighead
* Doddridge*
* Duval*
* Fairfield
* Faribault
* Fentress
* Flagler
* Gadsden
* Glacier
* Grainger
* Gwinnett
* Habersham
* Hennepin
* Herkimer
* Hidalgo
* Kenosha
* Lebanon
* Lehigh
* Lancaster
* Marengo
* Midland
* Minidoka
* Muscatine
* Muskingum
* Nicollet
* Pembina
* Pemiscot
* Pinellas
* Pipestone
* Pitkin
* Poinsett
* Pontotoc
* Richland
* Rockdale
* Schuyler
* Screven
* Sebastian
* Somerset / Coastal Sentry
* Sussex
* Tarrant
* Tipton
* Traverse*
* Tulare*
* Washtenaw** / Sgt. George Peterson
* Westchester*
* Wexford† / Coastal Crusader
* Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien
* Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson
* Short Splice
* Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca

* * = Canceled August 1945
* ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide
* † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader

* List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

* v
* t
* e

Type C1-M ships

Type C1-M-AV1|

* Alamosa
* Alcona
* Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley
* Amador
* Anchor Bend
* Anchor Hitch
* Antrim
* Autauga
* Beaverhead
* Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson
* Becket Hitch
* Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson
* Beltrami
* Bight Knot
* Blackwall Hitch
* Blount
* Boatswain's Hitch
* Bowline Knot
* Brevard
* Bullock
* Buntline Hitch
* Cabell
* Cable Splice
* Caledonia
* Cape Somerset
* Cape Stanhope
* Capstan Knot
* Carrick Bend
* Cat's Paw
* Chain and Crown
* Charlevoix
* Chatham
* Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller
* Chicot
* Cinch Knot
* Claiborne
* Clarion
* Clove Hitch
* Coastal Captain
* Coastal Charger
* Coastal Courser
* Coastal Crusader
* Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson
* Coastal Mariner
* Coastal Monarch
* Coastal Monitor
* Coastal Rambler
* Coastal Ranger
* Coastal Telegrapher
* Codington
* Colquitt
* Craighead
* Crossing Hitch
* Crown and Diamond
* Crown Knot
* Diamond Hitch
* Diamond Knot
* Doddridge
* Double Loop
* Dragon Fly
* Duval
* Elmer J. Burr
* Emerald Knot
* Fairfield
* Faribault
* Fentress
* Fiador Knot
* Fisherman's Bend
* Flagler
* Flemish Knot
* Gadsden
* Glacier
* Grainger
* Grass Knot
* Gunner's Knot
* Gwinnett
* Habersham
* Half Hitch
* Half Knot
* Harold W. Roberts
* Hawser Bend
* Hawser Eye
* Hawser Splice
* Hennepin
* Herkimer
* Hickory Bay
* Hickory Beck
* Hickory Bourne
* Hickory Brae
* Hickory Brook
* Hickory Burn
* Hickory Cairn
* Hickory Cape
* Hickory Coll
* Hickory Crest
* Hickory Dale
* Hickory Dell
* Hickory Dyke
* Hickory Ghyll
* Hickory Glen
* Hickory Isle
* Hickory Knoll
* Hickory Lake
* Hickory Mount
* Hickory Stream
* Hickory Tarn
* Hickory Tor
* Hidalgo
* Honda Knot
* Hook Hitch
* Horseshoe Splice
* Jacob's Ladder
* Jumper Hitch
* Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer
* Kenosha
* Knob Knot
* Lancaster
* Lanyard Knot
* Leader Loop
* Lebanon
* Lehigh
* Lever's Bend
* Lewis Hall
* Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley
* Lock Knot
* Long Eye
* Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca
* Loop Knot
* Magnus Hitch
* Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien
* Mainsheet Eye
* Manrope Knot
* Marengo
* Mariner's Splice
* Marline Hitch
* Marlingspike Hitch
* Masthead Knot
* Midland
* Minidoka
* Mooring Hitch
* Mooring Knot
* Muscatine
* Muskingum
* Nicollet
* Ocean Plat
* Pembina
* Pemiscot
* Phoebe Knot
* Pinellas
* Pipestone
* Pitkin
* Poinsett
* Pontotoc
* Reef Knot
* Reeving Eye
* Richland
* Rigger's Eye
* Ring Hitch
* Ring Knot
* Ring Splice
* Roband Hitch
* Rockdale
* Rolling Hitch
* Rose Knot
* Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez
* Running Knot
* Sailmaker's Splice
* Sailor's Splice
* Salmon Knot
* Sampan Hitch
* Schuyler
* Screven
* Sebastian
* Shamrock Knot
* Sheepshank
* Sheet Bend
* Shell Bar
* Short Splice
* Sinnet
* Snakehead
* Snug Hitch
* Somerset / Coastal Sentry
* Span Splice
* Spanish Bowline
* Spar Hitch
* Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup
* Spool Sinnet
* Square Knot
* Square Sinnet
* Star Knot
* Studding Sail
* Sussex
* Sword Knot
* Tag Knot
* Tapir Splice
* Tarrant
* Terminal Knot
* Thimble Eye
* Timber Hitch
* Tipton
* Traverse
* True Knot
* Tucked Bend
* Tulare
* Turk's Head
* Wall Knot
* Water Knot
* Westchester
* William G. Fournier
* William N. Nelson
* Yard Hitch

Type C1-M-AV7|

* Coastal Liberator

Type C1-M-AV8|

* Crossing Knot
* Flat Knot
* Marline Bend
* Persian Knot
* Single Hitch
* Solid Sinnet

Type C1-MT-BU1|

* Arizona Pine
* California Redwood
* Oregon Fir
* Washington Cedar

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