MC GROGAN’S US NAVY SHIPS USS MARKAB AD-21 PATCH The Markab is 69 feet wide and has an overall length of 492 feet. At present her crew numbers 27 officers and more than 600 enlisted, men. Her "skipper", Captain Albert L. Prosser, USN of Springvale, Maine, is art "old, China hand"' having served with the Asiatic Fleet in 1923 and 1924, attached to a submarine which visited Shanghai several times while enroute from its winter base at Cavite to the summer base at Chefoo. Captain Prosser entered the U.S. naval service via the Naval Reserve in October of 1918, transferring to the Regular Navy in 1921. Except for three years in destroyers and the same length of time aboard the battleship USS Mississippi, all of his duty before coming to the Markab has been in the submarine service. Served On the USS Griffin At the outbreak of World War II he was the Executive Officer of the submarine tender USS Griffin, an assignment he held until 1944 when, as Commanding Officer, he placed the submarine tender USS Aegir in commission. He was detached from the Aegir in April 1945 to become Commanding Officer of the Markab. Executive Officer of the Markab is Lieutenant William L. Fillman, USNR. Orginally intended as a combination cargo-passenger ship, the Markab was built for the U.S. Maritime Commission on a C3 hull by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Co., Pascagoula, Mississippi, and named "SS Mormacpenn". However, without ever having served as a merchant vessel, she was delivered to the U. Navy at the Navy Yard, Charleston, S. C, where on June 14, 1941 she was commissioned the USS Markab (Ak-31) for use as a Navy cargo ship. Following a shakedown period, she operated with the Atlantic amphibious forces during training operations, and in October 1941 took cargo to Tunugdliarfik Fjord and Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland. The outbreak of the war found the Markab enroute to Caribbean ports with cargo for Ensenada Honda, P.R., Guantanamo Bay, Coco Sola and Balboa. The disaster at Pearl Harbor and the entry of the United States into the war changed the destiny of the Markab, for it was decided to convert her from a cargo ship to a destroyer tender. This reconversion was accomplished and on September 27, 1942 she was again commissioned in the U. S. Navy, this time as the USS Markab, AD-21 (destroyer tender). After a shakedown cruise in the New Orleans area, she departed for duty with Destroyers, U. S. Pacific Fleet, arriving in Pearl Harbor in November 1942. During the next three months at Pearl Harbor, the Markab received some very realistic training for her job in the Pacific war, when she was given the task of repairing several destroyers suffering battle damages received during the Solomon Islands campaign. In the North Pacific In February of 1943 the Markab Pearl Harbor to join the North Pacific Force in the Aleutians, where she saw duty at Dutch Harbor and Adak, repairing and tending many types of U.S. Navy surface vessels as well as merchant vessels and even submarines. Some of the ship's outstanding accomplishments of the Aleutians period were the repairs to the cruiser Salt Lake City, following her engagement with a Jap force off the Komandorskie Island; hull and superstructure repairs to the cruiser Charleston following her collision with the SS Sam Jackson; extensive repairs to the attack transport Arthur Middleton, salvaged after grounding; repairs to and tending of vessels of the Kiska invasion force; temporary repairs to the Abner Read after her stern had been blown off by a mine; and her work in preparing vessels for the Attu invasion. After leaving the Aleutians in January 1944, the Markab proceeded to San Francisco for alterations, repairs and drydocking. Leaving the U. S. in February, she went to Pearl Harbor, where she overhauled and tended destroyers and restocked her own stores for future operations in advanced areas. The Markab began the Central Pacific phase of her career at Majuro Atoll, then moved on to Roi, Eniwetok and Ulithi, in the Carolines. This period was spent largely in the overhaul and tending of destroyers and destroyer escorts in preparation for the invasions of Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Peleliu, Tlithi and Iwojima. The ships participating in these invasions were also replenished by the Markab upon their return. An average of 60 vessels repairs or other services. The Western Pacific The ship left Ulithi in February of 1945 for Leyte Gulf, Philippines, where she overhauled and tended all classes of surface vessels, with special emphasis on landing craft. There the Markab prepared vessels for the Okinawa invasion and later repaired battle damage and supplied vessels returning from the operation. During June 1945 she played an important part in readying the now famous Task Force 38 for the last great raids on the home island of Japan. Approximately 100 vessels a month received repairs by the Markab during her stay in Leyte Gulf. Following the surrender of Japan, she devoted a large part of her activity toward refitting and restocking vessels bound for the occupation areas of Japan, Korea and China. Since then she has served as a logistic supply and repair ship for repatriation LSTs and other ships at Sasebo and Kagoshima, Japan. After four years of war service, the Markab is now scheduled for a rest, when she becomes a unit of the Inactive Fleet sometime in the near future. To the Officers and sailors of the U.S.S. Markab AD 21. 1 compiled this brief history of our ship, so as to keep the memories of our experience alive and a ships history one we are proud of. Thanks to Bob Rawson for undertaking the task of our first reunion. I feel we all are grateful to you Bob and M. B. for the last two reunions. To the wives of our crew welcome aboard as you have completed our family May we always enjoy each other and thank the Almighty for this blessing

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