Haskell-class attack transport

Last updated
USS Noble APA-218.jpg
USS Noble, a ship of the Haskell class, in 1956
Class overview
NameHaskell class
Builders
Preceded by Gilliamclass
Succeeded by Paul Revereclass
Built1944–1945
In commission11 September 1944 – 29 October 1945
Planned131
Completed117
Cancelled14
General characteristics
Type Attack transport
Displacement6,873 tons (lt), 14,837 t (fl)
Length455 ft (139 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draft24 ft (7 m)
Propulsion1 × geared turbine (Westinghouse, Joshua Hendy or Allis-Chalmers), 2 × header-type boilers (Babcock & Wilcox or Combustion Engineering), 1 × propeller, designed 8,500  shp (6,338 kW)
Speed18–19 knots (33–35 km/h; 21–22 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried
Capacity
  • Troops: 86 officers, 1,475 enlisted
  • Cargo: 150,000 cu ft, 2,900 tons
Complement56 officers, 480 enlisted
Armament

Haskell-class attack transports (APA) were amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy created in 1944. They were designed to transport 1,500 troops and their combat equipment, and land them on hostile shores with the ships' integral landing craft.

Contents

The Haskells were very active in the World War II Pacific Theater of Operations, landing Marines and Army troops and transporting casualties at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Ships of the class were among the first Allied ships to enter Tokyo Bay at the end of World War II, landing the first occupation troops at Yokosuka. After the end of World War II, most participated in Operation Magic Carpet, the massive sealift of US personnel back to the United States. A few of the Haskell class were reactivated for the Korean War, with some staying in service into the Vietnam War.

The Haskell class, Maritime Commission standard type VC2-S-AP5, is a sub‑type of the World War II Victory ship design. 117 were launched in 1944 and 1945, with 14 more being finished as another VC2 type or canceled. Built by the War Shipping Administration under the Emergency Shipbuilding program.

Design

The VC2-S-AP5 design was intended for the transport and assault landing of over 1,500 troops and their heavy combat equipment. During Operation Magic Carpet, up to 1,900 personnel per ship were carried homeward. [Note 1]

The Haskells carried 25 landing craft to deliver the troops and equipment right onto the beach. The 23 main boats were the 36-foot (11 m)-long LCVP. The LCVP was designed to carry 36 equipped troops. The other two landing craft were the 50-foot (15 m)-long LCM (3), capable of carrying 60 troops or 30 tons (27 t) of cargo, or the 56-foot (17 m) LCM (6). [1] They also carried one gig.

The Haskell-class ships were armed with one 5"/38 caliber gun, twelve Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns (one quad mount, four dual mounts), and ten Oerlikon 20 mm guns.

Ships of the Haskell class

USS St. Mary's in San Francisco Bay, California, in late 1945 or early 1946. She is returning troops from the western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation Magic Carpet. Note the long homeward bound pennant trailing from her after mast, and the sign on shore (in the right distance) stating "Welcome Home, Well Done." USS St Mary's APA-126.jpg
USS St. Mary's in San Francisco Bay, California, in late 1945 or early 1946. She is returning troops from the western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation Magic Carpet. Note the long homeward bound pennant trailing from her after mast, and the sign on shore (in the right distance) stating "Welcome Home, Well Done."

Haskell-class attack transports included APA-117, USS Haskell, the lead ship, through APA-247, the never completed USS Mecklenburg. The hulls for APA-181 through APA-186 were repurposed to be hospital ships before they were named. Ultimately those hospital ships were built on larger C4 plan and the six VC2 hulls were built in a merchant configuration. [2] APA-240 through APA-247 were named, but cancelled in 1945 when the war ended. With the special exception of USS Marvin H. McIntyre, the Haskell-class ships were all named after counties of the United States.

Fate

Most of the Haskell-class ships were mothballed in 1946, with only a few remaining in service. Many of the Haskell class were scrapped in 1973–75. [3] A few were converted into Missile Range Instrumentation Ships.

USS Rutland lowering an LCM off Iwo Jima in 1945 Rutland lowers LCM.jpg
USS Rutland lowering an LCM off Iwo Jima in 1945

Notable incidents

In fiction

The 1956 movie Away All Boats presents operations on an attack transport. It was based on a popular novel of the same name, written by an officer who served on one during World War 2. [5]

The opening chapters of the novel "Cinderella Liberty" were set on the APA USS Begonia.

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amphibious cargo ship</span>

Amphibious cargo ships were U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to carry troops, heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assaults, and to provide naval gunfire support during those assaults. A total of 108 of these ships were built between 1943 and 1945—which worked out to an average of one ship every eight days. Six additional AKAs, featuring new and improved designs, were built in later years. They were originally called Attack Cargo Ships and designated AKA. In 1969, they were renamed as Amphibious Cargo Ships and redesignated LKA.

USS <i>Rockbridge</i> (APA-228) Attack transport

USS Rockbridge (APA-228) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947 and from 1950 to 1968. She was scrapped in 1969.

USS <i>Pitt</i> (APA-223)

USS Pitt (APA-223/LPA-223) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attack transport</span> United States Navy ship classification

Attack transport is a United States Navy ship classification for a variant of ocean-going troopship adapted to transporting invasion forces ashore. Unlike standard troopships – often drafted from the merchant fleet – that rely on either a quay or tenders, attack transports carry their own fleet of landing craft, such as the landing craft, vehicle, personnel (LCVP) or Higgins boat.

USS <i>Lanier</i> (APA-125)

USS Lanier (APA-125) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Haskell</i> (APA-117)

USS Haskell (APA-117) was the lead ship of her class of attack transports, built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Haskell was named for the Haskell Counties of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

USS <i>Hinsdale</i> (APA-120)

USS Hinsdale (APA-120) was a Haskell-class attack transport ins service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>La Grange</i> (APA-124)

USS La Grange (APA-124) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1945. She was scrapped in 1975.

USS <i>Dickens</i> (APA-161)

USS Dickens (APA-161) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Rutland</i> (APA-192)

USS Rutland (APA-192) was a Haskell-class attack transport built and used by the US Navy in World War II. She was a Victory ship design, VC2-S-AP5. She was named after Rutland County, Vermont, USA.

USS <i>Neshoba</i> (APA-216)

USS Neshoba was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.

USS <i>Olmsted</i>

USS Olmsted (APA-188) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Olmsted was named for Olmsted County, Minnesota.

USS <i>Custer</i> (APA-40)

USS Custer (AP-85/APA-40) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was sold into commercial service in 1948 and was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Sarasota</i> (APA-204) Haskell-class attack transport

USS Sarasota (APA/LPA-204) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy in World War II, Korean War Era and after. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Sarasota was named for Sarasota County, Florida.

USS <i>Sibley</i> (APA-206)

USS Sibley (APA-206) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.

USS <i>Montrose</i> (APA-212)

USS Montrose (APA/LPA-212) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1969. She was scrapped in 1970.

USS <i>Natrona</i> (APA-214)

USS Natrona (APA-214) was a Haskell-class attack transport of the US Navy in World War II. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Natrona was named for Natrona County, Wyoming.

USS <i>Oneida</i> (APA-221)

USS Oneida (APA-221) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.

USS <i>Navarro</i> (APA-215)

USS Navarro (APA/LPA-215) was a Haskell-class attack transport of the US Navy. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type that saw service in World War II and the Vietnam War. Navarro was named after Navarro County, Texas.

USS <i>Renville</i> (APA-227)

USS Renville (APA-227) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

References

  1. ↑ USS Lanier (APA-125) Deck Log, September 1945.
  2. ↑ Friedman, Norman (2002). U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft. Naval Institute Press. p. 190. ISBN   978-1-55750-250-6 . Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  3. ↑ "Sister Ship Display". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2006-09-23.
  4. ↑ "PMARS is currently down for maintainence [sic]". Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  5. ↑ AWAY ALL BOATS
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