USS Appanoose

Last updated

SS A. J. Cassatt (USS Appanoose (AK-226)).jpg
SS A. J. Cassatt on delivery from Bethlehem-Fairfield in August 1944.
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
Name
  • A.J. Cassatt
  • Appanoose
Namesake
Orderedas a type (EC2-S-C1 hull), MCE hull 2662, SS A.J. Cassatt
Builder Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland
Laid down20 June 1944
Launched27 July 1944
Sponsored byMrs. A. J. Cassatt
Acquired10 August 1944
Commissioned26 September 1944
Decommissioned26 November 1945
Stricken5 December 1945
Identification Hull symbol:AK-226
Fate
  • Sold 1947 for civilian service
  • Scrapped after 23 December 1964
General characteristics [1]
Class and type Crater-class cargo ship
Displacement
  • 4,023 long tons (4,088 t) (standard)
  • 14,550 long tons (14,780 t) (full load)
Length441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed12.5  kn (23.2  km/h; 14.4  mph)
Complement209 officers and enlisted
Armament

USS Appanoose (AK-226) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the United States Navy named for Appanoose County, Iowa. [2]

Contents

A. J. Cassatt was laid down on 20 June 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 2662) by the Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard Inc., Baltimore, Maryland; launched on 27 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. A. J. Cassatt. She was acquired by the Navy on 10 August 1944, renamed Appanoose (AK-226) and commissioned on 26 September 1944.

On 1 October, Appanoose proceeded to the Chesapeake Bay for shakedown. After loading cargo at Davisville, Rhode Island, the ship got underway for the Philippine Islands. Appanoose transited the Panama Canal; made intermediate stops at Eniwetok and Ulithi; and anchored at Tacloban, Leyte Island, on 21 December. Three days later, the ship moved to Samar to begin assembling pontoons. Despite enemy torpedo attacks, she successfully completed the task and withdrew to Tacloban on 21 January 1945.

Appanoose sailed on 23 January, bound for the west coast. After a brief stop at Manus, the ship continued on to the California coast and arrived at San Pedro, Los Angeles on 23 February. Appanoose departed the west coast on 9 March and sailed for the Ryukyus.

After stops at Eniwetok and Ulithi, Appanoose reached Okinawa on 28 April and began discharging her cargo at Buckner Bay on 3 May. During the three months Appanoose was stationed at Okinawa, she endured numerous Japanese air attacks. The ship claimed to have downed one Japanese plane and assisted in downing four more.

On 5 August, Appanoose departed the Okinawa area and sailed in a convoy to Saipan, her first port of call on a voyage that took her by way of Pearl Harbor, to San Francisco, California. Appanoose made San Francisco on 5 September and, shortly thereafter, began a period of drydocking and availability.

Upon completion of the repair work on 8 October, Appanoose headed for the Panama Canal Zone. Having transited the Panama Canal, the ship reported to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, on 30 October.

Appanoose was decommissioned there on 26 November 1945 and turned over to the War Shipping Administration. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 5 December 1945.

Appanoose earned one battle star for her World War II service

Civilian service

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Albireo</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

The USS Albireo (AK-90) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II and manned by a US Coast Guard crew. She was the only ship of the Navy to have borne this name. She is named after Albireo, a star in the constellation of Cygnus.

USS <i>Grumium</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Grumium (AK-112/IX-174/AVS-3) was a Crater-class cargo ship and aviation supply ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named after the star Grumium in the constellation Draco, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.

USS <i>Cetus</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Cetus (AK-77) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named after the equatorial constellation Cetus, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.

USS <i>Enoree</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Enoree (AO-69) was a Chiwawa-class oiler constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the Enoree River in South Carolina.

USS <i>Auriga</i> World War II U. S. Navy cargo ship

USS Auriga (AK-98) was an Auriga-class cargo ship, the only ship in her class, commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II, named after the constellation Auriga. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Alkes</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Alkes (AK-110) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II, named after Alkes, a star in the Crater constellation. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS Alderamin (AK-116) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II, named after Alderamin, the alpha star in constellation Cepheus. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS Zaurak (AK-117) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Sabik</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Sabik (AK-121) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Azimech</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Azimech (AK-124) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II, named after the Azimech, the other name of Spica, the brightest star in constellation Virgo. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Phobos</i> Crater-class cargo ship

USS Phobos (AK-129) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Ara</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Ara (AK-136) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Ara is named after the constellation Ara. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

USS <i>Allegan</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Allegan (AK-225) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS Chicot (AK-170) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Adria</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Adria (AF-30) was an Adria-class stores ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1954. She was scrapped in 1977.

USS Oconee (AOG-34) was a Mettawee-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.

USS <i>Bowie</i>

USS Bowie (APA-137) was a Haskell-class attack transport ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Audubon</i>

USS Audubon (APA-149) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS Muscatine (AK-197) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy under a US Maritime Commission contract during the closing period of World War II. She had a brief career before being decommissioned a year later.

USS <i>Las Vegas Victory</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Las Vegas Victory (AK-229) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations through the end of the war earning one battle star, and then returned to the United States for disposal.

References

  1. "USS Appanoose (AK-226)". Navsource.org. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  2. U.S. Navy Archives, http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/appanoose.html