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USS Ancon file photo [20786]

Ancon

CountryUnited States
Hull NumberAGC-4
BuilderBethlehem Fore River Shipyard
Launched24 Sep 1938
Commissioned12 Aug 1942
Decommissioned25 Feb 1946
Displacement10,021 tons standard; 14,150 tons full
Length493 feet
Beam64 feet
Draft26 feet
MachineryTwo Bethlehem Steel steam turbine engines, two Yarrows boilers, double Falk main reduction gears
Bunkerage10,245 barrels Navy Special Fuel Oil, 275 barrels diesel
Power Output9,166 shaft horsepower
Speed18 knots
Crew707
Armament2x130mm guns, 4x2x40mm guns, 14x20mm guns

Contributor:

ww2dbaseAncon was built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts, United States in 1938. Her initial role was that of a civilian cargo and passenger ship operated by the Panama Railroad Company.

ww2dbaseAncon was acquired by the US Army Transport Service in Jan 1942. USAT Ancon made two voyages to Australia, ferrying Army Air Corps units and elements of the 32nd Infantry Division.

ww2dbaseIn Aug 1942, USAT Ancon was acquire by the US Navy. USS Ancon transported cargo and passengers from Norfolk, Virginia, United States, to Baltimore, Maryland, United States, then conducted trials and exercises in the nearby Chesapeake Bay. After taking on troops and equipment at Norfolk, she departed in Oct 1942 for North Africa as a member of Transport Division 9 of the Amphibious Force of the Atlantic Fleet for the Operation Torch invasion of North Africa. On 8 Nov 1942, during the Fedala invasion, she dispatched boats to rescue survivors of transports sunken near her; these transports were victims of French coastal guns. She received repairs at New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York, United States, and then transported cargo and troops to French Algeria in Jan 1943. Between Feb and Apr 1943, she was at Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia for conversion work, changing her role from a cargo and passenger ship to a combined headquarters and communications ship. Her post-conversion trials and exercises were held in the Chesapeake Bay in May and early Jun 1943.

ww2dbaseAs the flagship of the commanding officer of the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Forces, USS Ancon set sail for Oran, French Algeria as a member of Task Force 85 for preparations for Operation Husky against Sicily, Italy. During that invasion, she had Task Force 85 commander Admiral Alan Kirk on board. She disembarked troops off Scoglitti, Sicily on 10 Jul, and remained in place as a communications ship until 12 Jul. Her next action was the invasion of the Italian mainland, Operation Avalanche, as the flagship of the commanding officer of the Amphibious Forces of the 8th Fleet, which took place on 6 Sep 1943. Like Operation Torch, she would remain for some time to serve as a communication ship; off Salerno, Italy she was attacked by German aircraft a number of times while serving in this role.

ww2dbaseIn Nov 1943, USS Ancon arrived in the United Kingdom. As the flagship of the 11th Amphibious Force, she prepared for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandie, France. During that invasion in Jun 1944, she served as the flagship for the assault forces at Omaha Beach until US Army headquarters was transferred ashore.

ww2dbaseUSS Ancon arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, United States in Oct 1944 and was assigned to the Amphibious Training Command. In Dec 1944, she received repairs at Charleston Navy Yard before departed her the Pacific Ocean, arriving in San Diego, California, United States in Jan 1945 before moving on to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. As a member of Amphibious Group 5 of the Pacific Fleet, she conducted exercises in Hawaiian waters in early Feb 1945 before sailing to Saipan, Mariana Islands, arriving there late that month.

ww2dbaseOn 1 Apr 1945, USS Ancon, a part of Task Group 51.2, operated in waters southeast of Okinawa, Japan in support of the invasion. Later in that month, after a trip to Saipan, she operated in waters west of Okinawa. She would remain there in support of the invasion until Jun 1945. Between Jun and Aug 1945, she served as the flagship of the commanding officer of 7th Amphibious Force in preparation of the invasion of the Japanese home islands, which would not take place. When she would sailed to Japan, her mission would be to serve as a press release ship for the surrender ceremony, instead.

ww2dbaseUSS Ancon served in Japan, Guam, and Saipan before sailing to New York Navy Yard for deactivation work. She was decommissioned in Feb 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Administration, a US government entity, which then returned her to her original owner. Some years later, the Maritime Administration again gained control of the ship. In 1962, she was transferred to the Maine Maritime Academy, which operated her under the name TS State of Maine. In 1973, she was returned to the Maritime Administration once again. She was scrapped later in the same year.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Apr 2018

Ancon (AGC-4) Interactive Map

Photographs

Cargo-passenger ship Ancon underway, circa 1939-1941USS Ancon at San Francisco, California, United States, 31 Jan 1942
See all 36 photographs of Ancon (AGC-4)

Ancon Operational Timeline

24 Sep 1938 Ancon was launched at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. She was sponsored by the wife of Secretary of War Harry Woodring.
16 Jun 1939 Ancon was delivered to the Panama Railroad Company.
22 Jun 1939 Ancon began cargo and passenger service between New York, New York, United States and Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone.
11 Jan 1942 The United States Army Transport Service acquired civilian ship Ancon.
31 Jan 1942 USAT Ancon departed San Franciso, California, United States with US military personnel for Brisbane, Australia.
23 Apr 1942 USAT Ancon departed San Franciso, California, United States with US military personnel for Adelaide and Sydney in Australia.
18 Jun 1942 USAT Ancon arrived in San Francisco, California, United States.
7 Aug 1942 US Army transport Ancon was acquired by the US Navy.
12 Aug 1942 USS Ancon was commissioned into service at the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, United States under the command of Lieutenant Commander David H. Swinson.
10 Sep 1942 Captain Paul L. Mather was named the commanding officer of USS Ancon.
12 Sep 1942 USS Ancon departed Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, United States.
6 Oct 1942 USS Ancon arrived at Baltimore, Maryland, United States and disembarked passengers she had embarked in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
25 Oct 1942 USS Acnon departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
8 Nov 1942 USS Ancon arrived off Fehala, French Morocco and began disembarking invasion troops at about 0630 hours. During this day, she sent out boats to rescue survivors of sinking transports sunken by French coastal guns.
12 Nov 1942 USS Ancon departed waters off Fedala, French Morocco.
15 Nov 1942 USS Ancon arrived at Casablanca, French Morocco. Later on the same day, she departed as a part of a convoy sailing for Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
14 Jan 1943 USS Ancon departed the United States for French Algeria, with cargo and troops on board, as a member of the Naval Transport Service.
26 Jan 1943 USS Ancon arrived at Oran, French Algeria.
31 Jan 1943 USS Ancon departed Oran, French Algeria.
13 Feb 1943 USS Ancon arrived at New York, New York, United States. Later that day, she was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Forces.
16 Feb 1943 USS Ancon entered Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States to be converted to a combined headquarters and commications command ship.
26 Feb 1943 USS Ancon's designation was officially changed from AP-66 to AGC-4 while undergoing conversion work at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
13 Mar 1943 Captain Mead S. Pearson was named the commanding officer of USS Ancon.
21 Apr 1943 USS Ancon's conversion work from cargo-passenger ship to combined headquarters and communications ship was completed at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States.
8 Jun 1943 USS Ancon departed the United States for Oran, French Algeria.
22 Jun 1943 USS Ancon arrived at Oran, French Algeria.
5 Jul 1943 USS Ancon departed from Oran, French Algeria for Operation Husky with Admiral Alan Kirk and Lieutenant General Omar Bradley on board.
10 Jul 1943 USS Ancon arrived off Scoglitti, Sicily, Italy and disembarked troops.
11 Jul 1943 USS Ancon operated off Scoglitti, Sicily, Italy as a commications ship.
12 Jul 1943 USS Ancon departed off Scoglitti, Sicily, Italy.
29 Jul 1943 USS Ancon arrived at Mostaganem, French Algeria.
6 Sep 1943 USS Ancon departed Algiers, French Algeria for the invasion of Italy with Lieutenan General Mark Clark on board.
15 Sep 1943 USS Ancon arrived off Salerno, Italy and transferred naval ammunition she had taken on in Palermo, Italy to nearby ships.
16 Sep 1943 USS Ancon departed Salerno, Italy and arrived in Palermo, Italy.
2 Oct 1943 USS Ancon arrived at Algiers, French Algeria.
25 Nov 1943 USS Ancon arrived in Devonport, Plymouth, England, United Kingdom.
25 May 1944 King George VI of the United Kingdom and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery visited USS Ancon.
5 Jun 1944 USS Ancon departed England, United Kingdom for waters off Baie de la Seine, France.
27 Jun 1944 USS Ancon departed French waters.
28 Jun 1944 USS Ancon arrived at Portland, England, United Kingdom.
9 Oct 1944 USS Ancon arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
21 Dec 1944 USS Ancon completed her repairs at Charleston Navy Yard in South Carolina, United States.
26 Dec 1944 USS Ancon departed Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
31 Dec 1944 USS Ancon transited the Panama Canal.
9 Jan 1945 USS Ancon arrived at San Diego, California, United States.
15 Feb 1945 USS Ancon departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands.
27 Mar 1945 USS Ancon departed the Mariana Islands for the invasion of Okinawa with Transport Squadron 15.
3 Apr 1945 USS Ancon was ordered to move further away from Okinawa, Japan due to dangers from Japanese aircraft.
11 Apr 1945 USS Ancon set sail for Saipan, Mariana Islands.
15 Apr 1945 USS Ancon arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands.
2 May 1945 Captain Wilfred E. Lankenau was named the commanding officer of USS Ancon.
3 Jun 1945 USS Ancon departed Okinawa, Japan for the Philippine Islands.
4 Jun 1945 At 1848/I, USS Ancon's radar captured a clear image of a well-formed tropical storm on a rapid northeasterly track heading directly toward Rear Admiral J.J Clark's 76-ship formation of ships including carriers, battleships, and a replenishment group. Ancon prepared a message for Clark and Fleet Commander Admiral William Halsey but because of coding requirements and a heavy volume of similarly coded weather reports from other sources, Ancon's report was not fully appreciated by Clark or Halsey for over five hours. By then, Clark's ships had already sailed into Typhoon Connie.
22 Aug 1945 USS Ancon made rendezvous with US 3rd Fleet and set course for Tokyo Bay, Japan.
29 Aug 1945 USS Ancon arrived at Tokyo Bay, Japan.
2 Sep 1945 USS Ancon served as a press release ship for the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay, Japan. During the ceremony, she was anchored between USS Missouri and USS South Dakota.
20 Sep 1945 USS Ancon departed Japan.
27 Sep 1945 USS Ancon arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam. Later on the same day, she departed for Saipan, Mariana Islands.
29 Sep 1945 USS Ancon departed Saipan, Mariana Islands.
2 Oct 1945 USS Ancon was assigned to the 5th Fleet as the headquarters ship for a strategic bombing survey.
3 Oct 1945 USS Ancon arrived at Yokohama, Japan.
1 Dec 1945 USS Ancon departed Japan.
14 Dec 1945 USS Ancon arrived at San Francisco, California, United States.
4 Jan 1946 USS Ancon departed San Francisco, California, United States.
14 Jan 1946 USS Ancon transited the Panama Canal.
23 Jan 1946 USS Ancon arrived at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States for deactivation work.
25 Feb 1946 USS Ancon was decommissioned from service at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States.
17 Apr 1946 USS Ancon was struck from the US Navy List.
20 Apr 1961 Ancon was retired by the Panama Railroad Company.
29 Jun 1962 The title of Ancon was turned over by the Panama Railroad Company to the United States Maritime Administration.
29 Jun 1962 The United States Maritime Administration loaned Ancon to the Maine Maritime Academy at Castine, Maine, United States.
14 Jul 1962 Ancon was renamed TS State of Maine.
9 May 1973 Ancon was sold to North American Smelting Company for scrapping.
25 May 1973 Ancon was officially returned by the Maine Maritime Academy to the United States Maritime Administration. Later on the same day, the control of the ship was turned over to North American Smelting Company.
22 Aug 1975 North American Smelting Company had completed the scrapping of Ancon.




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More on Ancon
Event(s) Participated:
» Operation Torch
» Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender
» Operation Avalanche
» Normandy Campaign, Phase 1
» Okinawa Campaign
» Typhoon Connie
» Japan's Surrender

Ancon (AGC-4) Photo Gallery
Cargo-passenger ship Ancon underway, circa 1939-1941USS Ancon at San Francisco, California, United States, 31 Jan 1942
See all 36 photographs of Ancon (AGC-4)


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