USS Appalachian, a 13,910-ton amphibious force flagship, was built under Maritime Commission contract at Kearny, New Jersey. She was acquired by the Navy in February 1943, about a month after launching. After conversion at Brooklyn, New York, Appalachian was placed in commission in October 1943. Transferred to the Pacific soon after her shakedown cruise, she served as a command ship for the invasion of Kwajalein in January-February 1944. Subsequently, Appalachian supported amphibious assaults at Guam in July, Leyte in October 1944 and Lingayen Gulf in January 1945.
Following a west coast overhaul, Appalachian returned to the combat zone just as the Pacific War was approaching its end. In September-November 1945, she participated in the occupation of Japan, then returned to the United States. During Operation "Crossroads", the atomic bomb tests at Bikini in May-July 1946, she was employed as press headquarters ship. Later in the year, she served as a fleet flagship while based in San Diego, California. USS Appalachian was decommissioned in May 1947. Following almost a dozen years in the Reserve Fleet, she was stricken from the Navy list in March 1959 and sold for scrapping.
This page features all the views we have related to USS Appalachian.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 97722 USS Appalachian (AGC-1) Underway off the New York coast, 18 October 1943. Photographed from a Naval Air Station New York City aircraft. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 150KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 97723 USS Appalachian (AGC-1) Underway off the New York coast, 18 October 1943. Photographed from a Naval Air Station New York City aircraft. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 130KB; 740 x 555 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 82932 USS Appalachian (AGC-1) Photographed circa February 1944, at the time of the Marshalls operation. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 94692 USS Appalachian (AGC-1) Photographed circa 1945-46. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 97724 USS Appalachian (AGC-1) Photographed circa 1946. This view was released on 17 May 1946, in connection with the ship's role as "floating press headquarters" for the Bikini atomic bomb tests. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 570 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-G-386436 Admiral William F. Halsey, USN (center) Outside the wheel house on board USS Appalachian (AGC-1), in the Marshall Islands, 23 February 1944. With him are Rear Admiral George H. Fort, USN, (left) and Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson, USN. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-K-1870 (Color) Invasion of Guam, July 1944 Pre-invasion bombardment of Guam, seen from USS New Mexico (BB-40), 14 July 1944. An amphibious force flagship (AGC), probably Task Force 53 flagship USS Appalachian (AGC-1), is at left. Other ships present include a DD-348 class destroyer (right center), an old fast transport (APD) and two landing craft, infantry (LCI). Photographed by S.C. Rotman. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 94687 Operation "Crossroads", July 1946 Postal cachet commemorating the "Able" Day atomic bomb test at Bikini Atoll, 1 July 1946. The cachet, designed by Gunnery Sergeant Grant Powers, USMC, was used on mail sent from USS Appalachian (AGC-1) on that day. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 89KB; 565 x 765 pixels |
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If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 2 November 2001