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Photo # NH 98754:  USS Haven in San Francisco Bay between July 1945 and May 1946

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Haven (AH-12), 1945-1967

USS Haven, an 11,141-ton hospital ship, was built in 1944 at Chester, Pennsylvania, as the U.S. Maritime Commission's C4-S-B2 freighter Marine Hawk. She was acquired by the Navy in June 1944 and commissioned, after conversion, in May 1945. Haven reached Pearl Harbor in July 1945 and carried patients back to San Francisco, arriving just before the Japanese surrender in August 1945. She then sailed to Nagasaki, Japan, where in September she received on board a group of Allied ex-prisoners of war, some of whom were suffering from the effects of the atomic blast there. During the rest of 1945 Haven transported patients from various Pacific locations to San Francisco. During much of 1946 she supported the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, operating for part of this period as a transport for the evacuation of wounded personnel under the temporary designator APH-112. She resumed duties as a regular hospital ship (AH-12) in late 1946, carrying patients from the Western Pacific to California, but began inactivation in February 1947 and decommissioned at San Diego that July.

In September 1950, following the sinking in a collision of her sister, USS Benevolence (AH-13), in August, Haven recommissioned to help respond to the great need for hospital ships during the Korean War. Ten days after commissioning she sailed from the west coast for Inchon, Korea, where she remained until advancing Chinese Communist forces forced her to move south in January 1951. For the next three years she supported U.S. forces in Korea, primarily from Pusan and Inchon, with maintenance periods in the United States between October 1951 and January 1952, between September 1952 and January 1953 when a helicopter flight deck was fitted aft, and between September 1953 and January 1954. With Korea in an uneasy state of truce, Haven sailed for French Indochina in September 1954 to support the withdrawal of French troops after the partitioning of the former colony. She delivered French personnel to Oran and Marseille before returning to Long Beach, California, in November 1954.

After supporting the Pacific Fleet in California during 1955 and 1956, Haven decommissioned at Long Beach in June 1957. She remained there as a stationary floating hospital until stricken from the Navy List in March 1967, In June of that year she was transferred to the Maritime Administration reserve fleet. C4 cargo ships of her type were then in demand for commercial service because of their relatively large size and engines-aft configuration, and Haven was sold by the Maritime Administration in 1968, lengthened by 145 ft., and converted into the chemical carrier Clendenin. Renamed Alaskan upon completion of conversion, she served the Union Carbide Corpoation until scrapped in 1987.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS Haven (AH-12).

For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Haven (AH-12) -- On Board and Distant Views.


    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 98754

    USS Haven
    (AH-12)

    In San Francisco Bay, California, between July 1945 and May 1946.
    Note the hospital ship markings with a single red cross and a horizontal bar the length of the ship.

    Donation of Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 550 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98791

    USS Haven
    (AH-12)

    Underway between 1946 and 1952.
    Note the postwar hospital ship markings consisting of three red crosses connected by a horizontal bar.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98792

    USS Haven
    (AH-12)

    At Pearl Harbor on 9 October 1950, soon after reactivation for the Korean War.
    Photographed by Journalist 3rd class T. H. Sholes, USN.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98794

    USS Haven
    (AH-12)

    At anchor at Inchon, South Korea, on 15 December 1950.
    Photographed by C. K. Rose, AF2.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98793

    USS Haven
    (AH-12)

    Receiving wounded from the front lines, while anchored off Inchon, South Korea, in August 1952.
    Note the Marine HRS-1 helicopter approaching the landing float to starboard. A second float was moored to port. These were replaced in late 1952 by a helo deck on the fantail.

    Photographed by R. J. Franks, CCGT-3702.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98795

    USS Haven
    (AH-12)

    Underway circa 1953.
    Note the new helicopter deck on the fantail.

    Courtesy of The Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia. Ted Stone collection.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-16519 (Color)

    USS Haven (AH-12)

    Anchored in Inchon harbor, Korea, 14 June 1953.
    Photographed by PHAN L.R. Dylina.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 615 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 98796

    USS Haven
    (AH-12)

    Photographed on 19 January 1954, by Dick Bavier.
    Note the new hospital ship markings, without horizontal bars between the three red crosses.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 57KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Haven (AH-12). The following list features some of these images:

    The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
    DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".



  • Photo #: 80-G-445542
    USS Haven (AH-12) awaiting Marine helicopters bringing wounded from the front lines in Korea, August 1952. Taken by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class R.J. Franks
    Aerial view, taken from nearly directly ahead. Haven has helicopter landing floats on both sides of the ship.

  • Photo #: 80-G-445546
    As 80-G-445542, but starboard broadside (somewhat toward the stern) low aerial view. A HRS-1 helicopter is passing over Haven's stern, approaching the starboard landing float.

  • Photo #: 80-G-445550
    As 80-G-445542, but starboard broadside (rather toward the bow) high aerial view. This view shows the helicopte landing floats especially well.

  • Photo #: 80-G-449053
    As 80-G-445542, but starboard broadside aerial view, cropped to emphasize the ship's midship's area. Dated 7 August 1952. A Marine HRS-1 helicopter from HMR-161 is on the starboard landing float

  • Photo #: 80-G-449057
    As 80-G-449053, but starboard bow surface view (rather tight on the bow), showing the the whole ship.

  • Photo #: 80-G-449058
    As 80-G-449053, but starboard broadside surface view, showing only part of the ship and emphasizing the helicopter landing float.


  • Photo #: USN 1046308
    USS Haven (AH-12) underway, circa late 1952 with helicopter deck aft.
    Port bow aerial view.


    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Haven (AH-12) -- On Board and Distant Views.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 24 April 2005