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Photo # NH 97886:  USS President Jackson in March 1947

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

USS President Jackson (AP-37, later APA-18 and T-APA-18), 1942-1973

USS President Jackson, a 16,000 ton transport, was built at Newport News, Virginia, in 1939-40 for commercial employment. The Navy acquired her in June 1941, converted her to a transport and placed her in commission in January 1942. She worked up on the west coast and went to the South Pacific in July 1942. In early August, she took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi, landing her Marines on the latter Island. During the rest of 1942 and into 1943, she supported the long and difficult Guadalcanal campaign, bringing in fresh troops and supplies and evacuating casualties. In February 1943, the month the Japanese evacuated Guadalcanal, she was reclassified as an attack transport and given the new hull number APA-18.

During the rest of 1943 and into 1944, President Jackson took part in the Allied onslaught up the Solomons chain and beyond, landing troops on Rendova, Bougainville, Emirau Island and New Britain. She was hit by a Japanese bomb in November 1943, but it did not explode, so damage was slight. In mid-1944, the ship moved into the central Pacific to participate in the invasion of Guam. Her next major operation was the amphibious assault at Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. A month later, while putting Marines ashore on Iwo Jima, she was hit by a small coastal artillery shell. President Jackson performed logistics missions for the rest of the World War II and beyond. Her Pacific Fleet service, which included tours of duty in the Far East, lasted nearly to the end of the 1940s.

In October 1949, President Jackson was assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service as T-APA-18. She continued to perform passenger-carrying duties in the Pacific, with a brief return to the amphibious warfare role during the Inchon Invasion in September 1950. President Jackson was placed out of service at San Francisco, California, in July 1955. Transferred to Maritime Administration custody in 1958, she remained in the National Defense Reserve Fleet until sold for scrapping in 1973.

This page features, or provides links to, all the views we have relating to USS President Jackson (AP-37, later APA-18 and T-APA-18).

For more images related to USS President Jackson, see:

  • USS President Jackson -- Actions and Activities.


    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 #: 80-G-K-559 (Color)

    USS President Jackson (AP-37) (in the distance)

    Alongside an oiler, probably at Noumea, New Caledonia, as seen from USS Wasp (CV-7) on the eve of the Guadalcanal-Tulagi invasion. Photo is dated 4 August 1942.
    Ship in the foreground is an as-yet little modified "flush-deck" destroyer, with no hull number showing.

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

    Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 600 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: NH 97886

    USS President Jackson (APA-18)


    Photographed on 8 March 1947, probably in the Elizabeth River below the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia.
    Note the snow on the ship.

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

    Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97887

    USS President Jackson (APA-18)


    Photographed on 8 March 1947, probably in the Elizabeth River below the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia.
    Note the snow on the ship and on buildings ashore.

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

    Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97888

    USS President Jackson (APA-18)


    Photographed on 8 March 1947, probably in the Elizabeth River below the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, with a harbor tug alongside.
    Note the snow on buildings ashore and on the old ferry boats at right.

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

    Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97889

    USS President Jackson (APA-18)


    Photographed on 8 March 1947, probably in the Elizabeth River below the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, with a harbor tug alongside.
    Note the snow on the ship and on buildings ashore.

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

    Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97890

    USS President Jackson (APA-18)


    Photographed from a Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, aircraft, 12 March 1947.

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

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97891

    USS President Jackson (APA-18)


    Photographed from a Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, aircraft, 12 March 1947.

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

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS President Jackson (AP-37 and APA-18). 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-15973
    USS President Jackson (AP-37) at anchor in a harbor, circa early 1942.
    Surface view, taken from directly off the ship's stern.

  • Photo #: 80-G-15974
    As 80-G-15973, but starboard broadside view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-15975
    As 80-G-15973, but taken from directly off the ship's bow.

  • Photo #: 80-G-15976
    As 80-G-15973, but port quarter view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-15977
    As 80-G-15973, but port bow view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-31841
    USS President Jackson (AP-37) underway at low speed, 4 May 1942.
    Port bow aerial view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-367675
    USS President Jackson (APA-18) arriving at Apra Harbor, Guam, 5 April 1946.
    Starboard bow surface view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-279194
    USS President Jackson (APA-18) at sea, probably off Norfolk, Virginia, 12 March 1947.
    Aerial view, taken from directly off the ship's bow.

  • Photo #: 80-G-279196
    As 80-G-279194, but taken from almost directly overhead.

  • Photo #: 80-G-279197
    As 80-G-279194, but port bow view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-279200
    As 80-G-279194, but taken from off the ship's port quarter. Aspect of ship is fairly tight on the stern.

    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 more images related to USS President Jackson, see:

  • USS President Jackson -- Actions and Activities.


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


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    Page made 8 March 2002