USS Briscoe (APA-65)

Last updated

USS Briscoe (APA-65) arriving at Bikini Atoll, circa in late May 1946 (80890).jpg
Briscoe at Bikini Atoll, late May 1946
History
US flag 48 stars.svg United States
NameUSS Briscoe (APA-65)
Namesake Briscoe County, Texas
Builder Consolidated Steel
Laid down29 March 1944
Launched19 June 1944
Sponsored byMrs C. W. Giegerich
Acquired29 October 1944
Commissioned29 October 1944
Decommissioned29 August 1946
Stricken13 July 1948
FateSunk by USS Duluth (CL-87) off Kwajalein, 6 May 1948 after use as a target in Operation Crossroads
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 40mm gun mounts, 10 x single 20mm gun mounts
Notes MCV Hull No. 1858, hull type S4-SE2-BD1

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.

Contents

History

Briscoe was launched 19 June 1944 by Consolidated Steel at Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; acquired by the Navy 29 October 1944; and commissioned the same day. She was named after Briscoe County in northwestern Texas.

World War II

Briscoe went through initial shakedown exercises off San Pedro, Los Angeles in November, 1944. Then, she loaded troops and cargo at Port Hueneme, California, and steamed to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived on 13 December and reported to the Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific (ComPhibPac), at Pearl Harbor Naval Station, as a Transports-Assault (APA) class ship. She engaged in more training and shakedown exercises, including, "gunnery, towing, night steaming, fueling at sea, damage control, and other operational and combat procedures" preparing for the invasion of Iwo Jima. [1] In February 1945, she underwent repairs of her engineering plant missing the Battle of Iwo Jima. During her preparation for the Battle of Okinawa, she collided with the USS Osage (LSV-3). Repairs kept her grounded until 6 April 1945, when she joined the Transport Division (TransDiv) 51 and proceeded to shuttle troops and cargo between the Marshalls, Marianas, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and New Guinea, making a trip to San Francisco in May. [1]

After hostilities

On 27 August 1945, after being delayed by a typhoon, Briscoe departed the Philippines for Japan. Upon arrival, she joined the naval occupation forces and served primarily as a transport between the Philippine Islands and China. On 2 September 1945, she was present in Tokyo Bay during the Surrender of Japan formal ceremony, passing past USS Missouri (BB-63) in a convoy of Allied ships. [2] Next day, she departed from Tokyo Bay with troops who were ordered to occupy the Tateyama naval air station. After that, she carried troops from Guam to Okinawa, and later to northern China. [1] Briscoe departed the Far East 30 November 1945 and returned to the United States. During the early months of 1946, she made several voyages between the ports of California and the Pacific islands as part of the so-called Magic Carpet Fleet , returning American troops to the United States. [1]

Operation Crossroads

In the spring of 1946 Briscoe was assigned as a target ship for Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. She survived two atomic blasts in the target area at Bikini on 1 and 25 July, but after tests, was decommissioned and kept for two years for radiological and structural studies at Kwajalein. On 6 May 1948, USS Briscoe was scuttled off Marshall Islands by USS Duluth (CL-87). [3] Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 13 July 1948. [1]

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Napa</i> (APA-157)

USS Napa (APA-157) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1983.

USS <i>Highlands</i> Haskell-class attack transport ship

USS Highlands (APA-119) 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 Highlands County, Florida, United States.

USS <i>Hocking</i>

USS Hocking (APA-121) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy. from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Mellette</i>

USS Mellette (APA-156) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1955. She was scrapped in 1988.

USS <i>Missoula</i> (APA-211)

USS Missoula (APA-211) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.

USS <i>Rutland</i>

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>Logan</i>

USS Logan (APA-196) was a Haskell-class attack transport of the United States Navy, named for counties in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota, and West Virginia. The Haskell-class design, United States Maritime Commission standard type VC2-S-AP5, is a sub type of the World War II Victory ship design.

USS <i>Barrow</i>

USS Barrow (APA-61) was a Gilliam class attack transport serving in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scuttled in 1948.

USS <i>Lowndes</i>

USS Lowndes (APA/LPA-154) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1983.

USS <i>Newberry</i>

USS Newberry (APA-158) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1984.

USS <i>Grimes</i>

USS Grimes (APA-172) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Karnes</i>

USS Karnes (APA-175) was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.

USS <i>Sanborn</i>

USS Sanborn (APA-193) was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.

USS <i>Lubbock</i> American naval vessel

USS Lubbock (APA-197) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.

USS <i>Bladen</i>

USS Bladen (APA-63) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Brule</i> (APA-66)

USS Brule (APA-66) 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>Rockwall</i> Haskell-class attack transport ship

USS Rockwall (APA-230) was a Haskell-class attack transport that served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1955. She was scrapped in 1984.

USS <i>Sevier</i>

USS Sevier (APA-233) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1980.

USS <i>Bollinger</i>

USS Bollinger (APA-234) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1982.

References

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

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Mary P. Walker. Briscoe I (APA-65), Naval History and Heritage Command
  2. ↑ Allied Ships Present in Tokyo Bay During the Surrender Ceremony, 2 September 1945, Naval History and Heritage Command
  3. ↑ Operation Crossroads: Disposition of Target Vessels, Naval History and Heritage Command
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.