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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Rockdale (AK-208)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - November - Romeo
NXNR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Alamosa Class Cargo Ship

Laid down, 15 January 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (C1-M-AV1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2162), at Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, WI.

Launched, 1 October 1944

Acquired by the US Navy, 5 June 1945

Commissioned, USS Rockdale (AK-208), 26 June 1945, at Galveston, TX., LCDR. Robert F. Mendler, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Rockdale was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II USS Rockdale was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 17 October to 1 November 1945

Decommissioned, 22 March 1946, at Norfolk, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 12 April 1946

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 26 June 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.;

Sold, 11 February 1947, to Nerlof Andersens A/S, for 693,862ドル.00, reflagged Norway, renamed SS Apollo

Resold in 1952 to Cie des Messageries Maritimes, reflagged France, renamed SS Thabor

Resold in 1960 to Cie de Navigation Denis Fr鑽es, renamed renamed SS ノtienne Denis

Resold in 1962 to to Atlantic Far East Lines Inc., renamed SS Hong Kong Pioneer, reflagged Liberia

Final Disposition, sold to Taiwan shipbreakers, arrived at Kaohsiung, 9 April 1970 for scrapping

Specifications:
Displacement 2,382 t.(lt) 7,450 t.(fl)
Length 338' 6"
Beam 50'
Draft 21' 1"
Speed 11.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 15

Enlisted 70

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity non refrigerated 177,515 Cu ft., 3,945 DWT

Armament

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

six single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity Diesel 6,300 Bbls

Propulsion

one Nordberg TSM6 Diesel engine

two Diesel-drive 250Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 1,700shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
USS Rockdale (AK-208)
Rockdale 0913020801	34k	Rockdale (AK-208) launching, 1 October 1944, at Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, WI. Bowling Green University - Historical Collection of the Great Lakes	John Spivey
Merchant Service France
Rockdale 0913020802	175k	SS Thabor (ex- Rockdale (AK-208) taking on or discharging cargo in a Mediterranean port, date and location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
Rockdale 0913020803	408k	SS Thabor underway in the Mediterranean Sea, date and location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
Rockdale 0913020804	314k	SS Hong Kong Pioneer (ex-SS Thabor) underway, date and location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus

USS Rockdale (AK-208)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers

01 LCDR. Mendler, Robert Frederick, USNR 26 June 1945 - 22 March 1946

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Rockdale (AK-208) War Diary, June 1945 to November 1945
MARAD Vessel History Database

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Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster. This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
All pages copyright NavSource Naval History Last Updated 7 February 2025