View source for PVT JOSEPH F MERRELL T-AK 275

<!-- How to edit this page:

For detailed information on editing this page, click the "How To Edit Pages" link 
in the navigation bar and look for the article on "Editing Ship Pages". If you 
run into trouble or need to do something a little more complicated, contact the 
Curator for help.

Don't forget to preview the page before saving it and please add a short description 
of the change in the Summary text box just above the Save / Show buttons at the bottom 
of the page. A short description would be something like "added naval covers".

-->
<!-- =================================== -->
<!-- Do not add anything above this line -->
<!-- =================================== -->
<h3>Ship Name and Designation History</h3>
This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during 
its lifetime.
The list is in chronological order.
<table width="90%">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<ol>
LT. James E Robinson Class Cargo Ship<BR/>
Keel Laid in March 1943 as '''SS GRANGE VICTORY'''<br/> 
Launched 28 June 1944<br/> 
Delivered to the WSA for operation by Isthmian SS Co, 7 August 1944<br/> 
Chartered 23 November 1946 by Waterman SS. Corp.,<br/> 
Returned to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet 29 December 1947<br/><br/> 
<li>'''USAT PVT. JOSEPH F. MERRELL'''<br/>Acquired by the USATS 6 April 1948 and commissioned<br/> 
Decommissioned by the US Army and acquired by the US Navy, 1 March 1950<br/><br/> 
<li>'''USNS PVT. JOSEPH F. MERRELL T-AKV-4'''<br/>Placed in service by MSTS as Aircraft Transport<br/><br/> 
<li>'''USNS PVT. JOSEPH F. MERRELL T-AK-275'''<br/>Reclassified Cargo Ship (T-AK), date unknown<br/> 
Placed out of service 26 August 1974<br/><br/>
Struck from the Naval Register and  transferred to MARAD 26 August 1974<br/> 
Sold for scrapping 26 August 1974 
</ol></td>
<td align="center" width="220" valign="top">
<!-- [[Image:Name_Number_Crest.jpg|thumb|center|125px]] -->
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> </p>

<h3>Naval Covers</h3>
This section lists active links to the pages displaying covers associated with the 
ship. There should be a separate set of pages for each name of the ship (for 
example, Bushnell AG-32 / Sumner AGS-5 are different names for the same 
ship so there should be one set of pages for Bushnell and one set for Sumner). 
Covers should be presented in chronological order (or as best as can be determined).

Since a ship may have many covers, they may be split among many pages so it doesn't 
take forever for the pages to load. Each page link should be accompanied by a date 
range for covers on that page.
<ol>
<li><!-- [[PAGE_NAME_Covers_Page_1 | --> Covers Page 1 <!-- ]] -->&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(DATE RANGE)</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Postmarks</h3>
This section lists examples of the postmarks used by the ship. There should be a 
separate set of postmarks for each name and/or commissioning period. Within each set, 
the postmarks should be listed in order of their classification type. If more than one 
postmark has the same classification, then they should be further sorted by date of 
earliest known usage.

A postmark should not be included unless accompanied by a close-up image and/or an 
image of a cover showing that postmark. Date ranges MUST be based ONLY ON COVERS IN 
THE MUSEUM and are expected to change as more covers are added.
<br/>&nbsp;<br/>
>>> If you have a better example for any of the postmarks, please feel free to replace the
existing example.
<!-- ====================================== -->
<!--  header - do not modify this section   -->
<!-- ====================================== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><th align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Postmark Type<br/>---<br/>Killer Bar Text
</th><th align="center" valign="center" width="100">
Postmark<br/>Date</th>
<th align="center" width="350">Thumbnail Link<br/>To<br/>Postmark Image</th>
<th align="center" width="120">Thumbnail Link<br/>To<br/>Cover Image</th>
</tr></table>

<!-- ********************************************** -->
<!-- Postmarks from 1st Commissioning Period        -->
<!-- ********************************************** -->
<!--  this part is commented out unless / until needed
<hr/>
<h4>1st Commissioning [start date] to [end date]</h4>
-->

<!-- ============== -->
<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
U.S. Army<br/>Postal Service<br/>Machine Postmark<br/><br/>APO 69<br/>Bremerhaven, Germany
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1957-12-23
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JohnGermann_Pvt Joseph F. Merrell_TAK275_19571223_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
</td></tr></table>
Ship's seal added to the cover. The ship had no postal facilities.
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === --> 
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Other Information</h3>
'''NAMESAKE''' - Joseph Frederick Merrell (August 21, 1926 – April 18, 1945) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration – the '''Medal of Honor''' – for his actions in World War II.<br/>
Merrell joined the Army from his birthplace of Staten Island in August 1944 (a week after his 18th birthday), and by April 18, 1945, was serving as a private in Company I, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On that day, near Lohe (a suburb of Nuremberg), Germany, he singlehandedly attacked German positions that were firing on his unit. He disabled two enemy machine gun emplacements and killed nearly two dozen German soldiers before he was himself killed. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor (now on exhibit at Fort Wadsworth) ten months later, on February 26, 1946.<br/>
Merrell, aged 18 at his death, was buried in Saint Peters Cemetery, West New Brighton, New York.
<!-- =================================== -->
<!-- Do not add anything below this line -->
<!-- =================================== -->
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr/>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
If you have images or information to add to this page, then either 
[[Contact_Us | contact the Curator]] or edit this page yourself and add it. 
See [[Editing_Ship_Pages | Editing Ship Pages]] for detailed information on 
editing this page.
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<font size="-2">Copyright {{CURRENTYEAR}} Naval Cover Museum</font>