- USS Herkimer (AK-188)
USS "Herkimer" (AK-188) was an "Alamosa"-class
cargo ship that served theU.S. Navy during the final months ofWorld War II . Post-war she served in thePacific Ocean theatre of operations for some time with theU.S. Army as USAT "Herkimer", and then as USNS "Herkimer" (T-AK-188), with theMilitary Sea Transportation Service from 1950 to 1973. She was then transferred to the navy of theTrust Territory of the Pacific Islands and later returned to the U.S. and sold.Built in Superior, Wisconsin
"Herkimer" (AK-188) was laid down under
U.S. Maritime Commission contract by Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc.,Superior, Wisconsin ,10 April 1944 ; launched2 July 1944 ; sponsored by Miss Ann Farley; acquired by the Navy25 June 1945 ; and commissioned atNew Orleans, Louisiana ,14 July 1945 , Lt. Carlton W. Crocker, Jr., in command.World War II-related service
After shakedown in the
Gulf of Mexico , "Herkimer" loaded cargo atGulfport, Mississippi , then departed22 August for the WesternPacific Ocean . She reachedSubic Bay ,Luzon ,7 October ; unloaded refrigerated cargo; and sailed the 13th carryingU.S. Army equipment for occupation forces stationed in Japan.She arrived
Sasebo, Japan ,20 October and operated there until30 December when she departed forYokosuka . Following her arrival2 January 1946 , she was stripped of Navy gear. She then steamed to Yokohama16 January , decommissioned1 February , and transferred to theU.S. Army .Reacquired from the U.S. Army
"Herkimer" was operated by a Japanese merchant crew for the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Japan until
1 July 1950 when she was reacquired by the U.S. Navy. After refitting, she was assigned to theMilitary Sea Transportation Service (MSTS)28 February 1951 and designated "T-AK 188".Korean War support
Manned by a civilian crew, she participated in the
Korea n supply run from Japan supporting the repulse of Communist aggression inSouth Korea . Operating out ofMoji ,Kure , andYokohama , she transported vital military cargo to American-held South Korean ports during the remainder of the conflict. Following the establishment27 July 1953 of an uneasy truce, "Herkimer" continued supply runs between Japan and South Korea. In response to the scheduled transfer ofNorth Vietnam to Communist control, she departed Yokohama6 November 1954 to provide support forOperation Passage to Freedom . She reachedHaiphong , North Vietnam,15 November ; and during the next 2 months she transported cargo southward to St. Jacques andSaigon . After completing three runs toSouth Vietnam ese ports, she departed Saigon23 January 1955 and arrivedKobe ,Japan ,1 February . Resuming cargo runs out of Japanese ports, "Herkimer" remained in the Western Pacific since 1955. Cargo operations have sent her primarily toInchon ,Pusan , and other South Korean ports; and she has made numerous cargo runs along the Japanese coast fromWakkanai andHakodate ,Hokkaido , toKagoshima and Nagasaki,Kyushu . In addition she has steamed from Korea to SoutheastAsia while supporting America's determination to maintain peace and contain Communism in the Far East. She has steamed from ports in Japan and thePhilippine Islands , transporting military supplies toFormosa between 1961 and 1965.Vietnam Crisis support
And in response to American efforts to protect the integrity and independence of South Vietnam from external Communist aggression, she resumed intermittent cargo runs to South Vietnam in February
1962 . She remained in the Western Pacific, serving the forces of freedom in the Far East as a veteran carrier of vital military cargo.Final dispositioning
"Herkimer" continued to support MSTS operations in the Pacific theatre until
15 July 1973 when she was placed out of service and struck from theNavy list . She was then transferred for use with theTrust Territory of the Pacific Islands navy. She was eventually returned to the U.S. and sold for commercial service.Her subsequent fate is not known.
ee also
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United States Navy
*World War II References
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* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/130188.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-188 Herkimer]
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