USS Pastores, a 12,650-ton store ship, was originally a merchant steamer of the same name, built in 1913 at Belfast, Ireland. In May 1918 the Navy took her over from the United Fruit Company and placed her in commission as a troop transport for use in the war against Germany. Following the November 1918 Armistice, Pastores (which was registered as ID # 4540 at some point) took part in the great effort to return home the huge military force that had earlier been carried to France. Decommissioned as this work neared an end, she was returned to her owners in October 1919. She operated for the United Fruit Company for the entire inter-war period.
The ship again chartered for Navy service soon after the United States entered World War II. She was placed in commission as USS Pastores (AF-16) in mid-February 1942 and thereafter carried food and other cargo to support the war effort. She was employed in the Atlantic area for the rest of 1942 and for most of the next year. Moving to the Pacific in November 1943, she carried refrigerated and frozen provisions from the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii to advanced bases close to the fighting fronts. This vital work continued after Japan's August 1945 capitulation and concluded with her transporting holiday food to the Philippines during the final months of 1945. USS Pastores was decommissioned in March 1946, transferred to the War Shipping Administration and, in December 1946, sold for scrapping.
This page features all the views we have concerning USS Pastores (ID # 4540, later AF-16).
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 43542 USS Pastores (ID # 4540) Just outside Quiburon Bay, France, in 1918. She is being met by USS Piqua (SP-130), from which the photograph was taken. Built in 1913, Pastores had Navy service in 1918-1919 and again (as AF-16) in 1942-1946. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 470 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 104697 USS Pastores (ID # 4540) In port, 1919. The original photograph was printed on post card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 59KB; 740 x 485 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 104446 USS Pastores (ID # 4540) At New York City in June 1919, upon arrival at the end of her 20th trip as a transport. Panoramic photograph by Pictorial News, New York. Note the inscription in lower right, describing Pastores as "One of the first transports to land troops in France" during the First World War. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 87KB; 1200 x 520 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105480 USS Pastores (ID # 4540) In drydock, 1919. The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 69KB; 450 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105726 USS Pastores (ID # 4540) -- center In port in 1919, probably at St. Nazaire, France. USS Aeolus (ID # 3005) is at left, seen from astern. The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 490 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 66854-A USS Pastores (AF-16) Entering San Francisco Bay, California, circa late 1945 or early 1946. Note the long homeward-bound pennant flying from her mainmast. Donation of Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 545 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 104954 USS Pastores (ID # 4540) In a French port, 1919. Note the large number of troops and Sailors on the pier. The original photograph is printed on post card ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 460 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 82951 "The Original U.S. Troop Transports" Chart compiled 16 August 1919, showing the number of trans-Atlantic "turn arounds" and their average duration for thirty seven U.S. Navy troop transports employed during and immediately after World War I. Collection of the USS Pocahontas Reunion Association, 1974. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 157KB; 690 x 655 pixels Click here to rotate chart 90 degrees clockwise |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Pastores (AF-16). 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 Pastores (AF-16) at sea, en route from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Norfolk, Virginia, circa 1942. Starboard bow aerial view. The ship appears to be little changed from her civilian appearance, but is painted grey and is carrying life rafts. USS Pastores (AF-16) underway off the U.S. East Coast, 25 April 1943. Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-14, based at Naval Air Station Elizabeth, New Jersey. Port side aerial view, taken from well aft. Pastores is painted in horizontal "two-tone"camouflage (possibly Measure 22). USS Pastores (AF-16) underway off the U.S. East Coast, 5 May 1943. Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-14, based at Naval Air Station Weeksville, North Carolina. Starboard quarter aerial view, with the ship steaming at a fairly good speed. USS Pastores (AF-16) underway at low speed off Norfolk, Virginia, 6 November 1943. Photographed from an aircraft based at Naval Air Station Hampton Roads. Port bow aerial view, relatively tight on the bow. The ship is still wearing horizontal "two-tone"camouflage. Since the April-May 1943 photos (cited above) she has been fitted with a relatively short signal and radar mast near the after side of her pilothouse.
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". |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 9 February 2003
New image added 11 May 2008