USNS Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley

	USNS Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley
History
United States
Name	USNS Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley
Namesake	Jonah Edward Kelley
Owner	United States Navy
Operator	Military Sealift Command
Builder	Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down	29 January 1945
Launched	17 March 1945
In service	1949
Out of service	1969
Fate	Sold for scrap 1972
General characteristics
Class and type	Jonah E. Kelley
Displacement	6,090 tons (full)
Length	338 ft 9 in (103.25 m)
Beam	50 ft 4 in (15.34 m)
Draft	17 ft 7 in (5.36 m)
Speed	11.5 knots
Complement	48; 101, later 81 passengers

Last updated October 17, 2024

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 on 29 January 1945 by the Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation in Savannah, Georgia. She was launched on 17 March 1945, sponsored by Mrs. L. W. Grothaus and delivered to the War Shipping Administration for operation by the Moore McCormack Lines on 28 August 1945.^[1]

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 on 31 October 1947, the ship served the Army Transportation Service as an XAKc until the spring of 1948. Conversion followed; and during her last year of Army service, she carried passengers and cargo.^[1]

In October 1949, the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) was established. Five months later, the converted C1-MK-AV1 was transferred to the US Navy for MSTS use and placed in service as USNS Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley (T-APC-116). Assigned to North 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.^[1] Cargo handling equipment was composed of one 30 ton and two 10 ton booms. The ship could be quickly converted to include passengers with capacity for 81 troops in 21 cabins.^[2]

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 the James River unit of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.^[1] On 3 October 1972 the ship was sold for scrapping to Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation for $25,000. On 6 December the ship was delivered to the company for scrapping.^[3]

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References

1 2 3 4 5 Naval History And Heritage Command (September 9, 2015). "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History And Heritage Command. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
↑ "A Special 17th Anniversary Salute to the Ships That Do the Job — Cargo Ships". Sealift. Vol. 16, no. 10. Washington, D.C.: Military Sea Transportation Service. October 1966. p. 11. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
↑ Maritime Administration. "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley (T-APC-116)". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 17 April 2021.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .

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[DANFS-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Naval History And Heritage Command (September 9, 2015). "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History And Heritage Command. Retrieved 17 April 2021.

[2] "A Special 17th Anniversary Salute to the Ships That Do the Job — Cargo Ships". Sealift. Vol. 16, no. 10. Washington, D.C.: Military Sea Transportation Service. October 1966. p. 11. Retrieved 17 April 2021.

[MARAD-3] Maritime Administration. "Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley (T-APC-116)". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 17 April 2021.

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v t e Type C1-M ships
Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch
Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator
Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet
Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar