USS Gadsden (AK-182)

USS "Gadsden" (AK-182) was an "Alamosa"-class cargo ship acquired by the U.S. Navy during the final months of World War II. She served the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations for a short period of time before being decommissioned and returned to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Built in Superior, Wisconsin

"Gadsden" was launched 8 April 1944 under Maritime Commission contract by Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin; sponsored by Mrs. Morgan Murphy of Superior; acquired by the Navy on loan-charter basis 26 December 1944; and commissioned at New Orleans, Louisiana, 28 February 1945, Lt. W. J. Sattel in command.

World War II service

After shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico, "Gadsden" departed New Orleans 31 March 1945 with a cargo of frozen meat and ammunition for Ulithi, Western Caroline Islands, where she arrived on 11 May after 34 days at sea. From there she proceeded to Kossol Roads, Palau Islands for a 3-day stay marked by alerts for enemy suicide swimmers.

She was convoyed by way of Leyte to Morotai Island, Netherlands East Indies, where she spent 3 months as ammunition ship for units of the U.S. 7th Fleet. At times she serviced six to eight ships a day as she handled much of the ammunition used by fleet units for the Brunei Bay-Balikpapan invasions of Borneo. "Gadsden" arrived at Leyte 31 July 1945 with about one-third of her cargo. She served as ammunition ship there until announcement of the Japanese capitulation. On 21 August 1945 she departed Leyte on a shuttle cargo run to Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, and Hollandia, New Guinea; thence back to Leyte and was routed onward to Manila, Philippine Islands.

Post-war decommissioning

"Gadsden" put to sea from Manila 26 November 1945; transited the Panama Canal 8 January 1946; and reached Norfolk, Virginia, on the 19th for inactivation. She decommissioned 31 January 1946 and was redelivered to the U.S. Maritime Commission on 1 February 1946 for layup in the Maritime James River fleet. She was subsequently sold to the Korean Shipping Corp. and renamed "Yosu". Her current disposition is not known.

Honors and awards

Qualified "Gadsden" personnel were eligible for the following:
* American Campaign Medal
* Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
* World War II Victory Medal
* Philippines Liberation Medal

Note

DANFS lists the name of this ship as "Gadsen", while other sources, including Lloyd's Shipping Register 1958/59, Vol. One) indicate her name as "Gadsden" which appears to be the corect spelling as the Navy named the ship after Gadsden County, Florida.

ee also

* United States Navy
* World War II

References

*
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/130182.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-182 Gadsden]