USS Argonne, one of twelve 8,400-ton Hog Island Type B (Design 1024) transports built at Hog Island, Pennsylvania, was laid down in November 1918 as the U.S. Shipping Board's Sinsinawa, launched in February 1920 as the Army's Argonne, and delivered a few months later. Excess to Army needs, she was loaned to the Navy and commissioned in November 1921. Argonne served the Navy as a transport (AP-4) until selected in 1924 for conversion to a submarine tender. She was redesignated AS-10 in July 1924 and transferred from Army to Navy ownership in August. Returning to full commission in March 1926 after conversion, she was assigned to support the Navy's three newest large submarines, V-1, V-2 and V-3. The ship also performed many other duties, including transporting troops to Nicaragua in 1927 in response to disorders there and accompanying the fleet during the annual Fleet Problems, which included a visit to New York in May 1930.
In January 1931 Argonne became flagship for Commander Base Force, U.S. Fleet, which involved providing support to many types of the the Fleet's units, particularly smaller vessels such as minesweepers and tugs. She also carried a photographic laboratory for photo-triangulation of fleet gunnery exercises and, between April and August 1933, took part in the Aleutian Islands Surveying Expedition. Argonne again visited New York with the Fleet in June 1934 and helped withdraw Marines from Haiti in August. In July 1940 she was reclassified AG-31 to reflect the duties she had been carrying out since 1931.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 Argonne fired back with her four 3" guns, which along with four 5"/51 guns had been installed during an overhaul there between April and August 1941. In August 1942, shortly after arriving at Noumea, New Caledonia, she became command ship of the Guadalcanal campaign, first for Vice Admiral Robert H. Ghormley and then for Vice Admiral William F. Halsey. Halsey eventually moved ashore, the ship having proved inadequate to support his rapidly growing staff. Argonne remained at Noumea until June 1943 and then conducted repair and salvage work at several other southern Pacific locations. In April 1944 she moved to Majuro in the Marshall Islands to support operations in the central Pacific. While at Seeadler Harbor, in the Admiralty Islands, on 10 November 1944, she was damaged by falling debris when the ammunition ship Mount Hood blew up 1,100 yards away. In December 1944, at Kossol Roads in the Palaus, she was again damaged by an accidental depth charge explosion. During most of the rest of the Pacific War Argonne was based at Leyte, Philippines, and in the Marshall Islands.
After the Japanese surrender, Argonne briefly served with the occupation forces in Japanese waters before returning to the United States. After duty returning veterans home from the western Pacific as part of Operation "Magic Carpet", she was decommissioned in July 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission. She was sold for scrapping in August 1950.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Argonne (AP-4, later AS-10 and AG-31).
For other images concerning 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.
Photo #: NH 99115 USS Argonne (AP-4) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 4 July 1923, in her original configuration as a transport. Note the lifeboats for passengers on the main deckhouse. Collection of Lieutenant Kelly Green. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 480 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 61683 USS Argonne (AS-10) In Panama waters, 1927-1928, while en route to join the Battle Fleet. The submarines alongside her are (from outboard to inboard): U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 128KB; 740 x 555 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 67497 USS Argonne (AS-10) Photographed circa the early 1930s. Note that she has an apparent rangefinder over the bridge even though she carries no armament. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 49KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 58034 USS Argonne (AS-10) Photographed circa the early 1930s. Note that she has an apparent rangefinder over the bridge even though she carries no armament. Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, who (as a Captain) returned to the U.S. from Pearl Harbor on board Argonne in 1922. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 490 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 83457 USS Argonne (AS-10) At New York City, probably during one of her visits there in 1930 or 1934. Courtesy of D. M. McPherson, 1975. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 455 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 99116 USS Argonne (AS-10) Moored to a buoy circa the mid-1930s. Collection of Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 570 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 57638 USS Argonne (AS-10) Moored to a buoy circa the mid-1930s. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 57KB; 740 x 565 pixels |
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Photo #: 19-N-25207 USS Argonne (AG-31) At the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on 11 August 1941 during a refit. The ship is painted in Measure One camouflage and is flying signal flags showing her hull number, "G31." The four-piper destroyers (or DM/DMS conversions) in the background are also in Measure One camouflage, with haze grey masts and funnel tops. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 51KB; 740 x 545 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 83066 Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 View looking toward 1010 Dock, with USS Oglala (CM-4) capsized in the foreground. To the left is USS Argonne (AG-31), with USS Sacremento (PG-19) barely visible beyond her. Collection of Vice Admiral Homer N. Wallin. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Historical Center. Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 98750 USS Argonne (AG-31) In San Francisco Bay, California, between late 1945 and mid-1946. The ship may be concluding a voyage bringing servicemen home from the Western Pacific as part of Operation "Magic Carpet." The gun tub on the forecastle was added in 1942 for 20mm anti-aircraft guns. Donation of Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 550 pixels |
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For a chart showing USS Argonne's location during the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, see Photo # NH 83109. Argonne is shown just below the center of the view, at the end of the Navy Yard's long pier ("1010 Dock").
Note: Photo # NH 83456, a photograph of USS Chaumont (AP-5), was previously incorrectly identified as showing USS Argonne. Though of nearly identical design, these two ships can be differentiated by an enclosed area immediately below the bridge wings on Chaumont, a feature that was not present on Argonne.
In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Argonne (AP-4, later AS-10 and AG-31). 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".
Port side low aerial view of USS Argonne (AS-10) on 27 October 1930 with submarines alongside off the Naval Air Station, San Diego, California. Starboard side aerial view of USS Argonne (AS-10) on 22 April 1935 at San Pedro, California. 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 concerning this ship, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 15 February 2004
Link added 18 October 2004