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:
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.
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".
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. USS Republic (AP-33) underway, 1942. Port bow surface view. The ship is wearing horizontal two-tone camouflage, probably Measure 12. USS Republic underway, 1942. As 80-G-15927, but port broadside surface view.
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: Sailor manning a machine gun on board the ship. Ship steaming the the background appears to be USS Henderson (AP-1). Lookout at his station in the ship's upper superstructure. Her smokestack is in the background. Troops watching a band concert on board the ship. Troops standing at the ship's railings. Troops on board the ship. Troops on board the ship. Troops on board the ship. Troops on board the ship. Troops on board the ship. Troops on board the ship. 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:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 30 January 2006
New images added 16 December 2007