About this Unit
USS Merrick (AKA-97) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1945. She participated in the closing stages of World War II, supporting occupation operations in Japan and transporting cargo and personnel throughout the Pacific. During the Korean War, Merrick was reactivated and served as a vital supply ship, delivering equipment and troops to combat zones. After years of service, she was finally decommissioned in 1969 and later transferred to the Chilean Navy.
Historical Facts
• Commissioning and Class: USS Merrick (AKA-97) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship, commissioned by the US Navy on 28 June 1945, near the end of World War II.
• Namesake: The ship was named after Merrick County, Nebraska, following the Navy tradition of naming attack cargo ships after counties in the United States.
• World War II Service: Although commissioned late in the war, Merrick participated in the final stages of the Pacific campaign, transporting troops and cargo to forward areas.
• Operation Magic Carpet: After the war, Merrick was involved in Operation Magic Carpet, returning US servicemen from the Pacific back to the United States.
• Korean War Service: USS Merrick was recommissioned for service during the Korean War and supported United Nations forces by transporting military cargo and troops to Korea.
• Innovation: As an attack cargo ship, Merrick was designed to quickly unload troops, vehicles, and supplies directly onto beaches, playing a vital logistical role in amphibious operations.
• Cold War Deployments: In the 1950s and 1960s, Merrick was active in the Pacific and Atlantic, participating in numerous exercises and showing US presence in global hotspots during the Cold War.
• Vietnam War Service: During the Vietnam War, Merrick provided amphibious support, delivering marines, cargo, and equipment to conflict zones, and conducting special operations support.
• Cuban Missile Crisis: Merrick took part in the US naval quarantine of Cuba in 1962, supporting the American response during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
• Decommissioning and Fate: USS Merrick was decommissioned in 1969 and was later transferred to the Spanish Navy, where she served as Castilla (TA-21) until being scrapped in 1982.
