USS Monitor (LSV-5)

The USS "Monitor" (LSV-5/AN-1/AP-160/MCS-5) was an sclass|Osage|vehicle landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after the original USS|Monitor (the first ironclad warship commissioned by the Navy), and was the second U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Laid down 21 October 1941 as "AN-1" by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation of Pascagoula, Mississippi; launched 29 January 1943; sponsored by Mrs. John A. Terhune; redesignated "AP-160" 2 August 1943; and first commissioned 18 March 1944. Due to delays in construction, the ship was transferred under her own power to Todd Shipyards, Brooklyn, New York for completion, as USS "Monitor" (LSV-5), 2 April. "Monitor" commissioned for service 14 June 1944 with Commander J. B. McVey in command. Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, "Monitor" steamed via the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor, arriving 10 August. Loading troops, cargo and amphibious DUKWs, the ship joined the 3rd Meet off Leyte in October, participating in the landings at Leyte Gulf 20 October and then removing wounded for transport to Morotai. She returned to Leyte with reinforcements 14 November and then sailed for Sansapor where she reloaded troops and equipment for the invasion of Luzon. Steaming for Lingayen Gulf, under air attack much of the way, the vehicle landing ship put her assault force ashore 9 January 1945 and then stood by in support, splashing an enemy plane that night with only 28 rounds of 40mm expended. In the closing days of January, the ship took part in two invasions in support of the Lingayen operation, the landing on San Felipe and La Paz 29 January, and the landing of Army Rangers on Grande Island in Subic Bay on the 30th. "Monitor" then steamed for Guadalcanal where she loaded marines for transport to Okinawa, participating in the "D-Day" landings 1 April and then standing by off that hotly contested island until 10 May when she sailed for the United States. During May, June, and July, the LSV made several trips between Pearl Harbor and the west coast with passengers and cargo and then in August proceeded to Saipan to load medical personnel and supplies, departing on the 15th for Japan. Joining the 3rd Fleet off Tokyo, "Monitor" took on board 1,000 sailors from battleships USS "Missouri" (BB-63), USS "Indiana" (BB-58), USS "Wisconsin" (BB-64), USS "Massachusetts" (BB-59), and USS "Alabama" (BB-60), conducting the first landing on the Japanese homeland on 30 August. The ship then served as a hospital ship to assist in the removal of Allied prisoners of war, over 8,000 repatriates being received on board and helped on their way before the amphibious vessel departed Japan 19 September. Returning to the United States, "Monitor" was assigned to "Operation Magic Carpet," the massive program to bring the troops home. She operated on this long but happy chore until decommissioning in the Reserve Fleet, Galveston, Texas 22 May 1947. Reclassified USS "Monitor" (MCS-5) on 18 October 1956, "Monitor" was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 September 1961 and transferred to the Maritime National Defense Reserve Fleet in Beaumont, Texas. Her final fate is unknown.

"Monitor" earned four battle stars for World War II service.

References

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* cite web|title=AN-1 / AP-160 / LSV-5 / MCS-5 "Monitor"|work=Amphibious Photo Archive
url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/17/1705.htm|accessdate=April 29|accessyear=2007