USS Florence Nightingale

Not to be confused with USS Nightingale.

USS Florence Nightingale
History
United States
Name
  • Mormacsun
  • USS Florence Nightingale (17 September 1942 – 1 May 1946)
  • Japan Transport (July 1953–3 December 1959)
  • Texas (3 December 1959)
NamesakeFlorence Nightingale
BuilderMoore Dry Dock Company, Oakland, California
Launched28 August 1940[1]
Acquired13 September 1942[1]
Commissioned17 September 1942[1]
Decommissioned1 May 1946[1]
Honors and
awards		4 battle stars (World War II)[1]
FateSold for scrap to Zidell Explorations on 2 November 1970.[2]
General characteristics
Class and typeElizabeth C. Stanton-class transport[1]
Displacement
  • 7,980 long tons (8,108 t) light
  • 14,909 long tons (15,148 t) full[1]
Length492 ft (150 m)[1]
Beam69 ft (21 m)[1]
Draft24 ft (7.3 m)[1]
PropulsionSteam turbine, single shaft, 8,500 hp (6,338 kW)
Speed18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[1]
Complement396 officers and enlisted[1]
Armament

USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) was a Maritime Commission type C3-M cargo ship built as Mormacsun for Moore-McCormack Lines.[2] Mormacsun operated for Moore-McCormack from May 1941 until December 1941 when she came under the War Shipping Administration (WSA) for the duration of World War II. The ship operated with Moore-McCormack as the WSA agent, playing an important role in early supply of the Southwest Pacific, until transfer to the United States Navy September 1942 and commissioning as Florence Nightingale whereupon she became an Elizabeth C. Stanton-class transport ship. She was named for Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), the nursing pioneer,[1] and is one of the few United States Navy ships named after a woman. The ship was returned to WSA in 1946 and then to Moore-McCormack operating as Mormacsun until sold to operate as Japan Transport and lastly as Texas.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n DANFS:Florence Nightingale.
  2. ^ a b Maritime Administration.