USS Pembina (AK-200)

USS Pembina (AK-200) – later known as USNS Pembina (T-AK-200) -- was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the U.S. Navy during the closing period of World War II. After a brief period of service with the Navy in the Pacific theatre, she was transferred to the U.S. Army in Yokosuka, Japan.

In 1951 she was returned to the Navy and served the remainder of her Navy career with the Military Sea Transportation Service. In 1968 she was again transferred to the Army as USAT Resolute and served with the Army until she was returned to the U.S. Maritime Administration and sold in 1996.

Built in Superior, Wisconsin
The second ship to be so named by the Navy, Pembina (AK–200) was laid down 23 June 1944 as MC Hull No. 2154 by the Globe SB Co., Superior, Wisconsin, launched 14 October 1944; sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Mann; acquired by the Navy through the Maritime Commission 9 May 1945; and commissioned 25 May 1945 as Pembina (AK–200), Lt. James F. Moore, USNR, in command.

World War II-related service
After shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico, Pembina loaded cargo at Gulfport, Mississippi, for delivery to Subic Bay, Luzon in the Philippine Islands. She sailed 21 June, arriving 10 August, and proceeded with other cargoes to Okinawa; Jinsen, Korea; and Japanese ports. After off loading at Yokosuka, Japan 31 December, she was ordered to report to Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka to decommission.

Temporary service with the Japanese Navy
Pembina decommissioned 26 January 1946 and was delivered to War Shipping Administration (WSA) representatives for turn over to the Japanese government under loan agreement (bare boat basis). She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 5 June. Pembina operated under SCAJAP, with a Japanese crew and licensed American officers, until reinstated on the Naval Vessel Register 28 June 1950. She transferred from SCAJAP via the U.S. Army to the Navy Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) 1 April 1951 at Yokohama, Japan.

Assigned to the MSTS
She was assigned to the Commander MSTS Pacific Area at San Francisco, California, 17 April 1956 following service in the Western Pacific Ocean, based in Japan.

Inactivation
Pembina was placed in temporary custody of U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) 18 April 1957, and assigned to the Olympia, Washington, Reserve Fleet in ready status. She was given permanent assignment to MarAd 31 March 1958, berthed at Olympia, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register the same day.

Transferred to the U.S. Army
She remained at Olympia in the National Defense Reserve Fleet until transferred to the Army 29 May 1968. Renamed USAT Resolute 19 June 1968, the cargo ship served the U.S. Army until she was eventually returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission's James River Reserve Fleet on 25 January 1979. Resolute was sold by MarAd on 29 September 1981 under solicitation PD-X-1032 to Coast Line Associates, L.P. for operation as part of the purchase of 2 ships for operation for $651,000.

Commercial and Missionary Service
Resolute was renamed Albert Norman and was used as a fishing ship until 1996, when the ship was donated to a US-based Missionary Group called Friendships. Now renamed, Spirit of Grace, the former Pembina hauled supplies and delivered aid to needy people in various part of the world. On a mission trip to Israel in 2006, Spirit of Grace burned out a cylinder in her main engine, requiring an expensive rebuild. At the same time, Friendships was offered a newer vessel of similar size, which was accepted and has been renamed Integrity. As a result, Spirit of Grace was returned to the original donor and subsequently sold to ESCO Marine in Brownsville Tx, where she was scrapped in December 2008.

Honors and awards
Qualified Pembina personnel were eligible for the following:
 * American Campaign Medal
 * Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
 * World War II Victory Medal
 * Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)