US Navy Auxiliary Ships: Admiral W. S. Benson (AP-120) Class

USS Admiral Hugh Rodman (AP-126) circa late 1945
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        ADMIRAL W. S. BENSON (AP-120)
Design:        MC P2-SE2-R1
Displacement (tons):        9,676 light, 20,120 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        608.9' oa, 573.0' wl x 75.5' e x 26.5' lim.
Original Armament:        4-5"/38 4-1.1"Q 16-20mm (AP 120-21)
Later armaments:        4-5"/38 4-40mmT 16-20mm (AP-120, 122-26, 1945)
[none] (AP-127, 1945; all, 1945-46)
Complement:        --
Speed (kts.):        19
Propulsion (HP):        18,000
Machinery:        G.E. turbo-electric, 2 screws

Construction:

AP	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
120	ADMIRAL W. S. BENSON	23 Aug 44	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	10 Dec 42	28 Nov 43	23 Aug 44
121	ADMIRAL W. L. CAPPS	18 Sep 44	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	15 Dec 42	20 Feb 44	18 Sep 44
122	ADMIRAL R. E. COONTZ	21 Nov 44	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	15 Jan 43	22 Apr 44	21 Nov 44
123	ADMIRAL E. W. EBERLE	24 Jan 45	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	15 Feb 43	14 Jun 44	24 Jan 45
124	ADMIRAL C. F. HUGHES	31 Jan 45	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	29 Nov 43	27 Aug 44	31 Jan 45
125	ADMIRAL H. T. MAYO	24 Apr 45	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	21 Feb 44	26 Nov 44	24 Apr 45
126	ADMIRAL HUGH RODMAN	10 Jul 45	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	24 Apr 44	25 Feb 45	10 Jul 45
127	ADMIRAL W. S. SIMS	27 Sep 45	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	15 Jun 44	4 Jun 45	27 Sep 45
128	ADMIRAL D. W. TAYLOR	--	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	28 Aug 44	23 Jun 46	--
129	ADMIRAL F. B. UPHAM	--	Bethlehem Steel, Alameda	Nov 44	24 Nov 46	--

Disposition:

AP	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
120	ADMIRAL W. S. BENSON	1968	9 Oct 69	31 Aug 69	MA	11 Jun 87
121	ADMIRAL W. L. CAPPS	1968	26 Oct 93	16 Jun 00	Tgt.	--
122	ADMIRAL R. E. COONTZ	26 May 70	20 Aug 90	1 Jul 71	MA	4 Jun 01
123	ADMIRAL E. W. EBERLE	24 Mar 70	20 Aug 90	25 Mar 70	MA/R	27 Jun 97
124	ADMIRAL C. F. HUGHES	1968	9 Oct 69	31 Aug 69	MA/R	--
125	ADMIRAL H. T. MAYO	1968	15 Jan 81	1 Jul 71	MA/R	13 Sep 04
126	ADMIRAL HUGH RODMAN	1967	20 Aug 90	1 Jul 71	MA/R	27 Jun 97
127	ADMIRAL W. S. SIMS	1967	26 Oct 93	1 May 99	MA/T	13 Sep 04
128	ADMIRAL D. W. TAYLOR	--	--	16 Dec 44	Canc.	4 Aug 54
129	ADMIRAL F. B. UPHAM	--	--	16 Dec 44	Canc.	4 Aug 54

Class Notes:
FY 1945. In late 1941 the Maritime Commission produced two designs for passenger and cargo ships, one to be built by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co, Kearny, N.J. in facilities then producing C2 cargo ships, and the other to be built by the Bethlehem Steel Co. at a new yard it would build at Alameda, Calif. The probable need for troop transports was given first consideration in the design, but provision was also made for the Federal ships to be operated by the Grace Line or Moore McCormack to South America and for the Alameda ships to be operated by the American President Line to the Orient. The former had a 25 foot and the latter a 29 foot draft, as was appropriate for the two routes. The Federal ships received standard C3 geared turbines, while the Alameda ships were given turbo electric drive. All of the ships had a design speed of 19 knots, two screws, and two turbines in divided machinery spaces, which were necessary for safety in a troop transport but less economical in commercial operation. On 16 Jan 42 the Alameda yard received contracts for 10 P2-SE2-R1 transports as part of an Army program for 50 transports (the future AP 110-159).

The fifty ships were designed to be manned by civilian crews, either by the War Shipping Administration or by the Army. The Navy's first contact with the program came on 27 May 42 when it participated in a conference that decided on the armament for the ships. Subsequently the Navy agreed to provide landing boat (Welin) davits for the ships in order to facilitate "possible and probable future conversions to combat loaded transports," although while convoy loaded they would carry merchant-type lifeboats. The Army had trouble obtaining manpower for crews, and during April 1943 the Army and Navy agreed that the Navy would man and operate all fifty transports on schedules set by the Army. A conference between the Navy and the Maritime Commission was held on 8 May 43 to discuss the conversion features required to bring the ships up to Navy standards of stability, messing, berthing, and safety features. The Alameda ships all received these modifications during construction. The Auxiliary Vessels Board recommended acquisition of the fifty transports on 24 May 43. On 30 Sep 43 the MC recommended that the ten Alameda ships be named for deceased Navy admirals to help distinguish them from the Federal ships, which were receiving names of Army generals selected by the Army. AP-127 never received her designed armament and fire control equipment, installation of which was cancelled several weeks before commissioning.

On 13 May 43 it was agreed that the Welin davits and boats could be removed from the Alameda ships provided additional life rafts and floats were added in compensation. (The ships retained two pairs of davits and two motor whaleboats.) This change was implemented in all of the ships. On 2 Jan 45 CNO directed that the life boat allowances of the AP-120 and AP-130 classes be substantially increased to better suit the ships for the homebound transportation of sick and wounded personnel. BuShips decided to add eight sets of Welin davits, six on the boat deck amidships and two on the promenade deck aft of the main superstructure. The davits were contacted for in March and April 1945, but the end of the war caused the cancellation of the modification.

On 2 Nov 44 the MC, prompted by Navy objections, asked the Joint Chief of Staff to approve plans it had already made to complete the last two ships at Alameda as passenger and cargo ships (P2-SE2-R3) for postwar commercial operation, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave its approval on 18 Dec 44. The Auxiliary Vessels Board, already aware of the JCS action, recommended approving the cancellation of the ships on 16 Dec 44, CNO approved the Board's recommendation on 23 Dec 44, and he informed the Bureaus of it on 28 Dec 44. The two ships served the American President Line until 1973 and one continued to operate for another decade.

Postwar plans called for all eight ships of this class to be transferred to the Army, and the transfers took place between March and June 1946. On 7 May 46 the MC transferred title of 89 ships (including 5 of this class) to the Army but retained title to AP-125, 126, and 127 along with three ships of the former AP-110 class in the belief that they might shortly be wanted for merchant operation. In the meantime the Army was to continue to operate them. On 18 Dec 46 the Army asked again for title to the six ships, pledging to return them if required for commercial operation in the American merchant marine. The MC agreed on 14 Feb 47 but with restrictions that were unacceptable to the Army. On 13 Mar 47 the Army asked for the transfer of the ships without restriction or, if not, that the title to at least three be transferred without restriction and the title to the others with as few restrictions as possible. The MC replied on 15 Apr 47 passing title to AP-126 without restriction but insisting on its terms of 14 Feb 47 for the others. The Army agreed on 17 May 47. The MC apparently removed the restrictions on the titles to AP-125 and AP-127 at the end of 1947.

The Army gave all eight ships quick initial conversions, primarily to fit them for operation by civilian instead of Navy crews, and put them in service in mid-1946. On 14 Aug 47 the Chief of Transportation recommended to the War Department Memorialization Board that the six ships for which the Army held unrestricted titles, AP 120-124 and 126, be renamed USAT BUCKNER, SULTAN, PATTON, PATCH, McNAIR, and STILWELL. The Board on 26 Oct 46 approved three of the names but determined that the proposed magnitude of memorialization was inappropriate for Generals Patton, McNair and Stilwell and substituted other names. The Board also disapproved the recommendation to use last names only for these ships. The ships were formerly renamed by Army General Order #14 of 7 November 1947. On 15 Dec 47 the Chief of Transportation recommended to the Memorialization Board that AP 125 and 127 be renamed for Brigadier Generals Nelson M. Walker and William O. Darby respectively, explaining that the ships had just been obtained from the Maritime Commission under unconditional title and were expected to be a permanent part of the postwar fleet. The two ships were formerly renamed by Army General Order #1 of 9 Jan 48.

The Army opened bids at New York for full conversions to peacetime transports of AP-122 and AP-126 on 18 Apr 47 and a contract was awarded to the low bidder, Federal SB&DD Kearny. Bids were opened at San Francisco for AP-123, AP-124 and AP-127 on the same date but no awards were made due to much higher prices. After negotiations, contracts were awarded to Newport News SB & DD on 30 Apr 47 for AP-123, on 19 May 47 for AP-124, and on 20 Jun 47 for AP-120. AP-121 and AP-127 were later also awarded to Newport News. In June 1948 the conversion of AP-125 was advertised for bids at San Francisco, and in July the ship entered the Todd Shipyard at San Pedro for a safety-at-sea conversion and partial conversion as a dependent carrier. This conversion was not as extensive as that of her sisters, and AP-125 became the only ship in the class in which the gap between the bridge and forecastle was not filled in to provide more accommodations. Her refit entailed the installation of cabin space for 217 passengers, two lounges, and a children's playroom, well-stocked with toys, and a ship's store, whose foremost item offered for consumption by passengers was a "weird and wonderful concoction" known as "Coca Cola." Following this face-lifting, AP-125 returned to transpacific service on 7 December 1948.

All eight ships returned to the Navy on 1 Mar 50 when they and the other large ships of the Army Transportation Service became civilian-manned units of the newly-created Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS). The seven fully-converted ships served continuously into the late 1960s. The Navy increased the troop capacity of the partially-converted AP-125 in early 1952 by refitting her as an austerity transport with most amenities removed. This ship was placed in ready reserve status in February 1957, was briefly reactivated in July 1958, and was transferred in January 1959 to the Maritime Administration reserve fleet. The Navy reacquired her in August 1965 to support the buildup of U.S. forces in Vietnam. All eight ships were placed in MSTS ready reserve in 1967-68 and transferred to Maritime Administration reserve fleets in 1968-70, ending their service as seagoing transports. A few found some subsequent employment. In June 1976 a proposal to loan AP-176 to the State of Maryland as a prison ship caused the ship to lose her name, becoming simply USS AP-127, but the project was not implemented. In 1978 the Navy reacquired AP-121 for use as a barracks ship for the crews of nuclear aircraft carriers during overhauls at NSY Puget Sound and reclassified her IX-507 (retaining her name). Similarly the Navy reacquired AP-127 in October 1981 and placed her in service in July 1982 as a barracks ship to support the crews of aircraft carriers under overhaul and construction at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., reclassifying her IX-510 (still without a name). AP-125 was stricken from the Navy List in January 1981 to clear her way for her transfer to a private organization for operation as a hospital ship but the transfer did not materialize.

Ship Notes:

AP	Name	MC#	Notes
120	ADMIRAL W. S. BENSON	678	Decomm, to MC, and to Army 3 Jun 46, stk. 3 Jul 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion begun by Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco ca. June 1946. Renamed USAT GENERAL DANIEL I. SULTAN 7 Nov 47, full Army conversion awarded to Newport News SB & DD 20 Jun 47 and completed 24 Jun 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL DANIEL I. SULTAN. To NDRF 7 Nov 68. To buyer 9 Aug 87, scrapped by 3 Dec 87.
121	ADMIRAL W. L. CAPPS	679	Decomm., to MC, and to Army 8 May 46, stk. 21 May 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion by Todd SYs, Hoboken, May-August 1946. Renamed USAT GENERAL HUGH J. GAFFEY 7 Nov 47, full Army conversion by Newport News SB & DD completed 19 Aug 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL HUGH J. GAFFEY. To NDRF 14 Nov 68, to MA 31 Aug 69, stk. 9 Oct 69. Reacq. 7 Nov 78 as barracks ship for CVN overhauls at NSY Puget Sound beginning with ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) and reclassified IX-507. Navy scrap sale contract of 25 Oct 95 cancelled, ship sunk as target 16 Jun 2000 during RIMPAC exercise.
122	ADMIRAL R. E. COONTZ	680	Decomm, to MC, and to Army 25 Mar 46, stk. 12 Apr 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion by Bethlehem 56th St., Brooklyn, 29 Apr 46 to 27 Jun 46. Renamed USAT GENERAL ALEXANDER M. PATCH 7 Nov 47, full Army conversion awarded to Federal SB & DD, Kearny, in April 1947 and completed 15 Oct 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL ALEXANDER M. PATCH. To MSTS ready reserve 1967 at Craven Point, N.J. To NDRF 26 May 70, title to MA 5 Mar 93. Departed NDRF 23 Oct 01, scrapped by 28 Aug 02.
123	ADMIRAL E. W. EBERLE	681	Decomm, to MC, and to Army 8 May 46, stk. 21 May 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion begun by Todd SYs, Los Angeles in May 1946. Renamed USAT GENERAL SIMON B. BUCKNER 7 Nov 47, full Army conversion awarded to Newport News SB & DD 30 Apr 47 and completed 12 Feb 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL SIMON B. BUCKNER. To MSTS ready reserve 1967 at Craven Point, N.J. To NDRF 24 Mar 70, title to MA 14 Jul 93. Departed NDRF for scrapping 8 Jul 97.
124	ADMIRAL C. F. HUGHES	682	Decomm, to MC, and to Army 3 May 46, stk. 21 May 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion by Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco, ca. May-July 1946. Renamed USAT GENERAL EDWIN D. PATRICK 7 Nov 47, full Army conversion awarded to Newport News SB & DD 19 May 47 and completed 29 Apr 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL EDWIN D. PATRICK. To NDRF 30 Sep 68, title to MA 28 Sep 92. Still in the MA Suisun Bay reserve fleet in disposal status 30 Jun 2009.
125	ADMIRAL H. T. MAYO	683	Decomm, to MC, and to Army 26 May 46, stk. 19 Jun 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion by Todd SYs, Brooklyn, ca. June-July 1946. Renamed USAT GENERAL NELSON M. WALKER 9 Jan 48, safety at sea conversion and partial conversion to dependent carrier by Todd SYs, San Pedro, July 1948 to 7 Dec 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL NELSON M. WALKER. To MSTS ready reserve Feb 57 and to NDRF (Hudson R.) in ready status 18 Jun 57, from NDRF to Navy 5 Jun 58 for inactivation but on 19 Jul 58 ordered reactivated for the Lebanon crisis. Back to ready status 6 Sep 58. To MA and stk. 20 Jan 59. From MA 14 Aug 65. To MSTS reserve at Craven Point, N.J., 20 Feb 68. To NDRF 16 Apr 70, title to MA 23 Dec 94. Departed NDRF 4 Jan 05, scrapped by 9 Feb 06.
126	ADMIRAL HUGH RODMAN	684	Decomm, to MC, and to Army 29 May 46, stk. 19 Jun 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion by Bethlehem 56th St., Brooklyn, ca. June-August 1946. Renamed USAT GENERAL MAURICE ROSE 7 Nov 47, full Army conversion awarded to Federal SB & DD, Kearny, in April 1947 and completed in late Dec 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL MAURICE ROSE. To MSTS ready reserve 1967 at Craven Point, N.J. To NDRF 8 Jun 70, title to MA 17 Sep 92. Departed NDRF for scrapping 10 Jul 97.
127	ADMIRAL W. S. SIMS	685	Armament cancelled 4 Sep 45. Decomm, to MC, and to Army 21 Jun 46, stk. 3 Jul 46. Initial Army peacetime conversion by Bethlehem Terminal Is., San Pedro, ca. July-August 1946. Renamed USAT GENERAL WILLIAM O. DARBY 9 Jan 48, full Army conversion by Newport News SB & DD 15 Jan 48 to 14 Oct 48. From Army to MSTS 1 Mar 50, reinstated on list 28 Apr 50 as USNS GENERAL WILLIAM O. DARBY. To MSTS ready reserve 1967 at Craven Point, N.J. To NDRF 30 Jun 70, to MA 1 Jul 71, name cancelled 6 Jul 76, reacquired 27 Oct 81 as barracks ship for CVN overhauls at Newport News, reclassified IX-510 1 Jul 82. To NDRF 23 Apr 91, title to MA 1 May 99. Departed NDRF 16 Feb 05, scrapped by 11 Sep 06.
128	ADMIRAL D. W. TAYLOR	686	Completed 15 Dec 47 as merc. PRESIDENT CLEVELAND (MC type P2-SE2-R3). Became Panamanian ORIENTAL PRESIDENT 9 Feb 73, scrapped 1974.
129	ADMIRAL F. B. UPHAM	687	Completed 27 Apr 48 as merc. PRESIDENT WILSON (MC type P2-SE2-R3). Became Panamanian ORIENTAL EMPRESS 27 Apr 73, to Liberian flag Jun 73, scrapped 1984.