USS Gasconade

Last updated

USS Gasconade (APA-85) arriving at Bikini Atoll, circa in late May 1946 (80890).jpg
Gasconade arriving at Bikini Atoll, in late May 1946
History
US flag 48 stars.svg United States
NameUSS Gasconade (APA-85)
Namesake Gasconade County, Missouri
Builder Consolidated Steel
Laid down7 November 1944
Launched23 January 1945
Sponsored byMrs. Winnie Cave
Acquired10 March 1945
Commissioned11 March 1945
Decommissioned28 August 1946
FateSunk as target ship, 21 July 1948
General characteristics
Class and typeGilliam-class attack transport
Displacement4,247 tons (lt), 7,080 t.(fl)
Length426 ft (130 m)
Beam58 ft (18 m)
Draft16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion Westinghouse turboelectric drive, 2 boilers, 2 propellers, Design shaft horsepower 6,000
Speed16.9 knots
Capacity47 Officers, 802 Enlisted
Crew27 Officers, 295 Enlisted
Armament1 x 5"/38 caliber dual-purpose gun mount, 4 x twin 40 mm gun mounts, 10 x single 20 mm gun mounts
Notes MCV Hull No. ?, hull type S4-SE2-BD1

USS Gasconade (APA-85) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sunk as a target in 1948.

Contents

History

Gasconade was named after a county in Missouri. She was laid down 7 November 1944 under Maritime Commission contract by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Wilmington, Los Angeles; launched 23 January 1945; acquired by the Navy 10 March 1945, and commissioned 11 March 1945 at San Pedro, Los Angeles.

World War II

After shakedown, Gasconade departed San Francisco 8 May on a troop transport voyage to the Philippines. Steaming via Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Ulithi, she arrived Samar 3 June. Loaded with mail and cargo, she steamed to San Francisco from 18 June to 6 July; thence transported additional troops to the Philippines. Arriving Leyte Gulf 2 August, she served as receiving ship until mid-August when she proceeded to Manila Bay to stage for the Allied occupation of Japan.

Post-war

Gasconade departed Manila 20 August; and, as part of a huge transport task force carrying the first sea-borne occupation forces to Japan, she entered Tokyo Bay 2 September while surrender terms were being signed on board USS Missouri (BB-63). She debarked her troops at Yokosuka 3 September; steamed to the Philippines from 4 to 11 September, then carried more occupation troops from Mindanao to Kure, Japan, from 19 September to 6 October.

Operation Magic Carpet

After returning to Leyte Gulf 11 October, Gasconade embarked military passengers and sailed for the United States 17 October as part of Operation Magic Carpet. She reached Portland, Oregon, 2 November, transported occupation troops to Nagoya, Japan, 18 November to 5 December; and sailed 8 December on another Magic Carpet voyage, arriving Seattle 19 December. After carrying a garrison force to Guam from 13 to 29 January 1946, she voyaged to Pearl Harbor from 30 January to 8 February with returning veterans embarked.

Operation Crossroads

Gasconade being sunk, 1948. USS Gasconade (APA-85) is sunk as a target ship on 21 July 1948 (UA 471.07.01).jpg
Gasconade being sunk, 1948.

Assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Gasconade during the next 3 months prepared for Operation Crossroads, a program of nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands. Departing Pearl Harbor 18 May in company with Transport Division 92, she reached Bikini Atoll, Marshalls, 30 May. On 22 June her crew transferred to USS Bexar (APA-237). Designated a target ship for the experiments, she survived an atomic blast 18 July.

Decommissioning and fate

Gasconade decommissioned in the Marshall Islands 28 August. In December she was taken in tow at Kwajalein for transfer to the United States, where she arrived San Francisco 27 January 1947. After undergoing structural and radioactivity tests, she was redesignated a target ship in March 1948. She was sunk by torpedoes 21 July in the Pacific Ocean off lower California.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Niagara</i> (APA-87)

USS Niagara (APA-87) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1950.

USS <i>Haraden</i> (DD-585) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Haraden (DD-585), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Jonathan Haraden (1744–1803), a privateer of the American Revolutionary War.

USS <i>Gilliam</i> Attack transport ship sunk at Bikini atoll

USS Gilliam (APA-57), named for Gilliam County in Oregon, was the lead ship in her class of attack transports serving in the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Barnwell</i>

USS Barnwell (APA/LPA-132) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947. She was sunk as a target in 1986.

USS <i>New Kent</i>

USS New Kent (APA-217) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1949 and from 1951 to 1954. She was scrapped in 1972.

USS <i>Bland</i>

USS Bland (APA-134) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Buckingham</i>

USS Buckingham (APA-141) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Fond du Lac</i>

USS Fond du Lac (APA-166) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Hyde</i>

USS Hyde (APA/LPA-173) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Jerauld</i>

USS Jerauld (APA-174) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Kingsbury</i> (APA-177)

USS Kingsbury (APA/LPA-177) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1983.

USS <i>Knox</i> (APA-46) US Navy transport ship

USS Knox (APA-46) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. in 1947, she was sold into commercial service and was finally scrapped in 1971.

USS <i>Appling</i>

USS Appling (APA-58) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1969.

USS <i>Bracken</i>

USS Bracken (APA-64) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sunk as a target in 1948.

USS <i>Briscoe</i> (APA-65)

USS Briscoe (APA-65) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sunk as a target in 1948.

USS <i>Carteret</i>

USS Carteret (APA-70) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sunk as a target in 1948.

USS <i>Crittenden</i>

USS Crittenden (APA-77) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was sunk as a target in 1948.

USS <i>Dawson</i>

USS Dawson (APA-79) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II. Commissioned late in the war, she was initially assigned to transport duties and consequently did not participate in combat operations.

USS <i>Fallon</i> (APA-81) American attack transport vessel

USS Fallon (APA-81) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II. Commissioned late in the war, she was initially assigned to transport duties and consequently did not participate in combat operations.

USS <i>Dutchess</i> United states Navy transport vessel

USS Dutchess (APA-98) was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was subsequently sold into commercial service and was scrapped in 1974.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.