- USS Mercury (AK-42)
USS Mercury (AK-42) was an "Mercury"-class
cargo ship commissioned by theU.S. Navy for service inWorld War II . She was responsible for delivering necessary goods and equipment to ships and stations in the war zone.The fifth ship to be named "Mercury" by the Navy, "AK-42" was launched as "SS Lightning" by
Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Go.,Kearny, New Jersey ,15 July 1939 ; sponsored by Mrs. Royal S. Copeland; purchased on the ways byMoore McCormack Lines and placed in operation by them as "SS Mormactern"30 October 1940 ; acquired by the Navy20 June 1941 ; converted, and commissioned as "Mercury"1 July 1942 , Lt. Comdr. G. W. Graber,USNR , in command.World War II Pacific Theatre operations
Throughout her
World War II service, "Mercury" operated in thePacific Ocean , beginning with long runs from the west coast to the South Pacific and ending with underway replenishments for the fast carrier forces. The converted merchantman completed her maiden wartime voyage atSan Francisco, California ,27 September 1942 having carried a mixed cargo, which included drummed petroleum products, landing mats,dynamite , engineering equipment, and food, toNoumea andGuadalcanal . Over the next 15 months she continued to carry essential materiel to the South Pacific, supporting Allied forces as they pushed through theSolomons and theGilberts .Supporting Operation Flintlock operations
On
7 January 1944 , as plans for theMarshall Islands campaign reached completion, she reported for duty with theU.S. 5th Fleet atPearl Harbor . Two weeks later, withU.S. Army assault units and combat cargo, she sailed with TG 51.1, the reserve force forOperation Flintlock . Arriving inKwajalein lagoon 2 February , she remained anchored there, with her passengers and cargo uncommitted, until15 February , when the island hopping pace was stepped up. TheEniwetok assault date was pushed forward and theKwajalein Reserve Force became the expeditionary force forOperation Catchpole . On the 17th, "Mercury" entered thelagoon of strategicEniwetok , which would become the temporary naval and air base needed to take theCarolines andMarianas . The cargo ship landed men and supplies on bothEngebi Island andEniwetok Island and then returned toKwajalein to embark marine casualties for transportation back to theUnited States .Overhauled Stateside
Arriving at San Francisco
17 March , "Mercury" underwent overhaul and then resumed cargo runs betweenPearl Harbor and theU.S. West Coast and among theHawaiian Islands . On7 June she got underway once more for the war zone, anchoring south ofGarapan ,Saipan , on the 26th.Attacked and struck by a Japanese torpedo
Less than 5 hours later, at 2131, a Japanese bomber came through the smokescreen at an altitude of about 92 feet and headed for the ship’s superstructure. The plane’s
torpedo hit theamidships living compartments on the port boat deck and continued on, breaking in two without detonating. The torpedo’s main body was found in the 1st lieutenant’s room and its fuse was located in the engine room, while the explosive components (TNT) of itswarhead were spread over the port boat and bridge decks. The plane itself fell victim to the afterstarboard boom which stood passively in the enemy’s path, knocking the plane out of control upon collision and causing it to crash 500 yards off the starboard quarter.Supporting the invasion of the Philippines
Following repairs at
Pearl Harbor , "Mercury" returned to the western Pacific. She arrived at Manus3 October and 5 days later became a unit of theU.S. 7th Fleet astask force TF 33 became TF 79 for the reconquest of thePhilippines . On the 14th, with Army assault personnel again embarked, she sailed forLeyte Gulf . A week later she discharged her cargo and passengers off theDulag beachhead and then sailed forHollandia . Through November and into December she carried reinforcements toLeyte fromNew Guinea and theAdmiralties . On30 December she got underway for another invasion, this timeLuzon . Arriving inLingayen Gulf 9 January 1945 , she unloaded in 2 days and returned to Leyte to embark units of the38th Infantry Division , assigned to cut off a Japanese retreat into theBataan Peninsula. Completing the mission off the coast ofZambales Province29 January , she steamed forUlithi , joinedServRon 10, and underwent alterations to enable her to transfer cargo at sea. On26 February she completed her first such operation and for the next 51 days remained at sea replenishing the fast carriers offOkinawa . She then proceeded toSan Francisco, California , arriving12 June for conversion to a store-issues ship. She was reclassified AKS 20,31 July and completed conversion in September1945 .Post-war activity
Detached from the
U.S. Pacific Fleet , "Mercury" sailed from San Francisco12 October and transited thePanama Canal to begin operations with Service Force, Atlantic fleet. For the next 4 years she plied between the United States andEurope , supporting ashore and afloat units of naval forces, easternAtlantic Ocean andMediterranean . In1950 she began operating with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean as the on station fleet issue ship with Underway Support Group, alternating tours in that role with "Altair" (AKS-32). Arriving atNorfolk, Virginia ,16 October 1958 , she completed her last mission in that capacity, a 10 month tour during which she set records for underway transfer rates while supporting the 6th Fleet during theLebanon crisis.Post-war decommissioning
"Mercury" remained at Norfolk until March
1959 when she steamed toOrange, Texas . There she decommissioned28 May . Struck from theNaval Register 1 August 1959 , she was transferred to theMaritime Administration 5 April 1960 . She entered theNational Defense Reserve Fleet in February1961 and was berthed inBeaumont, Texas , in1969 .Military awards and honors
"Mercury" received five
battle stars for World War II service:
* Capture and defense of Guadalcanal
* Marshall Islands operation
* Marianas operation
* Leyte operation
* Luzon operationHer crew was eligible for the following medals:
* Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive 26 June 44)
* American Campaign Medal
* Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5 stars)
* World War II Victory Medal
* National Defense Service Medal
* Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Lebanon)References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m9/mercury-v.htm
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/130042.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-42 / AKS-20 Mercury]
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