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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 105094:  USAT Republic underway at sea, circa the 1930s

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

USS Republic (AP-33), 1941-1945.
Also served as USAT and USAHS Republic in 1931-1941 and 1945-1946

In 1924 the inactive passenger liner Republic, which had previously been the USS President Grant and had served as a U.S. Army transport earlier in the decade, was refitted with oil-burning machinery and given a new superstructure that quite markedly changed her appearance. She was then placed in commercial operation by the United States Lines. In August 1931 Republic was transferred to the War Department and resumed service as an Army transport. For the next ten years she was mainly employed on the route from New York to Hawaii, by way of the Panama Canal and San Francisco, California, but on occasion steamed further west to deliver troops and other passengers to the Philippines, China, and Japan.

The Navy took her over in July 1941, placing her in commission as USS Republic (AP-33). Later in that year she made a voyage to Iceland, then went to the Pacific, where she operated out of San Francisco to carry personnel and cargo to Hawaii, the southern Pacific and Australia. In January 1945 Republic was returned to the Army. Converted to a hospital ship, with no change in name, her re-entry into service was delayed by major repairs to her machinery, and she did not begin her next trans-Pacific trip until late 1945 or early 1946. While at sea between Honolulu and Manila in February 1946, she was once again assigned to Army transport service. With her hospital ship markings painted out, she brought war veterans home from the Philippines, arriving at San Francisco in March 1946. USAT Republic was placed in the Olympia, Washington, reserve fleet in May 1949 and sold for scrapping in March 1952.

This page features, and provides links to, all the the views we have concerning USS Republic (AP-33) and the U.S. Army Transport and Hospital Ship Republic.

For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS President Grant (ID # 3014), 1917-1919.


    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 #: USAF 38381 A.C.

    U.S. Army Transport Republic


    Alongside Pier # 9, Honolulu, Hawaii Territory, at 10:40 AM on 22 November 1937.
    Honolulu power plant is in the right center. A 327-foot Coast Guard Cutter (possibly USCGC Taney) is alongside the pier at the far left.

    Official U.S. Air Force Photograph.

    Online Image: 118KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105094

    USAT Republic
    (U.S. Army Transport)

    Underway at sea, circa the 1930s.
    The original image is printed on a postcard mailed at San Francisco, California, on 4 September 1939.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image size: 79KB; 740 x 495 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105103

    USAT Republic
    (U.S. Army Transport)

    In port, circa the 1930s.
    The tug General Aleshire is partially visible in the left foreground.
    The original image is printed on postcard ("AZO") stock.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image size: 76KB; 740 x 470 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103413

    U.S. Army Transport Republic


    Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken by the Army Air Corps prior to World War II, while the ship was near a pilot boat.
    Built in 1907 as the German passenger liner President Grant, this ship served as USS President Grant in 1917-1919. She was S.S. Republic after World War I and became an Army transport in 1931.

    Copied from the book "Troopships of World War II", by Roland W. Charles.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 415 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67847

    U.S. Army Transport Republic


    Transiting the Panama Canal during the 1930s.

    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 460 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103414

    U.S. Army Hospital Ship Republic


    Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken circa 1945-1946.
    This ship was the Army transport Republic from 1931 to 1941 and USS Republic (AP-33) in 1941-1945. She again became an Army Transport in early 1946.

    Copied from the book "Troopships of World War II", by Roland W. Charles.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 390 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 91266

    U.S. Army Transport Republic


    Departing San Francisco Naval Shipyard, California, following a post-World War II overhaul, circa 1946-1949.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 49940

    Convoy to Iceland, September 1941


    Photograph taken from USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), showing USS Republic (AP-33) in the distance.
    View looks aft on the cruiser's starboard side, with two of her midships' 5"/25 guns in the foreground.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 545 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 47010

    Convoy to Iceland, September 1941


    A Signalman aboard USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) uses a "long-glass" telescope to read communications from another ship, as Task Force 15 was en route to Iceland. Note signal lamp mounted next to the telescope and electrical hookup at left.
    Ships in the distance include USS Vincennes (CA-44) in the center and USS Republic (AP-33) further to the left.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 58KB; 740 x 520 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 84008

    USS Republic
    (AP-33)

    Arriving at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 15 August 1942, with officers, troops and nurses embarked.
    The photograph looks forward along Republic's starboard side.
    Note the Marine sentry in the center foreground, and people crowding the ship's decks.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of The Honorable James V. Forrestal.

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

    Online Image: 118KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103415

    USS Republic
    (AP-33)

    U.S. Army troops, nurses and Navy officers arriving at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, on 5 August 1942.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. Album donated by the Estate of James V. Forrestal, September 1949.

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

    Online Image: 144KB; 740 x 625 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Republic (AP-33). 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-10618
    USS Republic (AP-33) and U.S. Army Transports Hualalai and Haleakala moored to dock at Naval Air Station, Pearl Harbor (Ford Island) in March 1942. The bow of USS California (BB-44), then undergoing salvage work, is in the foreground, with barges nearby.
    Republic is seen from nearly dead ahead (slightly to starboard). Anti-torpedo nets protect her offshore side, bow and stern. The Pearl Harbor Navy Yard is in the distance.

  • Photo #: 80-G-15927
    USS Republic (AP-33) underway, 1942.
    Port bow surface view. The ship is wearing horizontal two-tone camouflage, probably Measure 12.

  • Photo #: 80-G-15928
    USS Republic underway, 1942.
    As 80-G-15927, but port broadside surface view.


  • Photo #: 80-G-272770
    USS Republic (AP-33) underway on 23 November 1944. Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-31.
    Low aerial photograp, taken from directly ahead at masthead height. The ship is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 6A.


    The following photographs were taken on board USS Republic (AP-33) while she was steaming in a Pacific Ocean convoy in April 1942:

  • Photo #: 80-G-5585
    Sailor manning a machine gun on board the ship. Ship steaming the the background appears to be USS Henderson (AP-1).
  • Photo #: 80-G-5586
    Lookout at his station in the ship's upper superstructure. Her smokestack is in the background.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5709
    Troops watching a band concert on board the ship.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5710
    Troops standing at the ship's railings.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5712
    Troops on board the ship.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5715
    Troops on board the ship.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5716
    Troops on board the ship.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5717
    Troops on board the ship.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5719
    Troops on board the ship.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5720
    Troops on board the ship.
  • Photo #: 80-G-5723
    Troops on board the ship, with band playing in the background.


    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 President Grant (ID # 3014), 1917-1919.


    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 30 January 2006
    New images added 16 December 2007