- USNS Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley (T-APC-116)
USNS "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley (T-APC-116)", was originally built as "Link Splice" under a
United States Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2489) and was laid down on29 January 1945 by theSoutheastern Shipbuilding Corporation inSavannah, Georgia . She was launched on17 March 1945, sponsored by Mrs. L. W. Grothaus and delivered to theWar Shipping Administration for operation by theMoore McCormack Lines on28 August 1945.Less than a year later, "Link Splice" was returned to the WSA and on
20 June 1946 , she was transferred to the Army for use as a coastal cargo ship. Renamed USAT "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley" on31 October 1947 , the ship served theArmy Transportation Service as an XAKc until the spring of1948 . Conversion followed; and during her last year of Army service, she carried passengers and cargo.In October of
1949 , theMilitary Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) was established. Five months later, the converted C1-MKAV1 was transferred to the US Navy for MSTS use and placed in service as USNS "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley" (T-APC-116). Assigned toNorth Atlantic operations, for almost a decade, she carried passengers and limited cargo from east coast ports, primarily New York, to northern bases, primarily Argentia and St. John's, Newfoundland. In November 1959, her passenger service was discontinued; and she commenced cargo runs between the same ports which, with few interruptions, she continued for another 10 years.In November
1969 , "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley" was replaced by USNS "Mirfak" (T-AK-271); and, on the 24th, she returned to New York for the last time. She was then placed out of service and inactivation was begun. In late December, she was shifted to Norfolk; and, on the 22d, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration for berthing in theJames River unit of theNational Defense Reserve Fleet where she remains into the fall of 1974.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s10/sgt_jonah_e_kelley.htm
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