USS Brule (APA-66)

Last updated

USS Brule (APA-66) at anchor, in 1945.jpg
Brule in 1945
History
US flag 48 stars.svg United States
NameUSS Brule (APA-66)
Namesake Brule County, South Dakota
Builder Consolidated Steel
Laid down10 April 1944
Launched30 June 1944
Sponsored byMiss Patricia Moreell
Acquired31 October 1944
Commissioned31 October 1944
Decommissioned29 August 1946
Stricken28 May 1948
FateSunk as a target off Kwajalein 11 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. 1859, hull type S4-SE2-BD1

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.

Contents

History

Brule was named after the county in South Dakota. She was launched 30 June 1944 by Consolidated Steel at Wilmington, Los Angeles, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Miss Patricia Moreell, daughter of Vice Admiral Ben Moreell. Brule was acquired by the Navy on 31 October 1944, and commissioned the same day.

World War II

Brule joined Transport Squadron 16 and departed San Pedro 26 November 1944 for Pearl Harbor. In December 1944 was in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands, in preparation for the assault on Iwo Jima. As the task force left for the assault, Brule lost one of her new turbine engines as was forced to return to Pearl Harbor for rapid repair; Brule caught up with the invasion force on D-plus-4, 24 February, and remained off the island through the remainder of the battle, taking some of the few surviving Japanese prisoners off the island and carrying them in her brig to custody. From April 1945 until the cessation of hostilities Brule carried troops and supplies between various bases in the Bonins, Marianas, Marshalls, Philippines, and Solomons.

Post-war

After the war's end, Brule operated with the 7th Fleet during the occupation of Korea and China.

In November 1945 Brule became a unit of the Operation Magic Carpet fleet, tasked with bringing returning servicemen home from the war.

Operation Crossroads

While at Yokosuka, during one of her voyages, Brule was ordered to prepare for assignment to the target fleet for Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. She completed her run from Yokosuka to Pearl Harbor and then commenced preparation for the operation.

Brule survived the atomic bomb tests at Bikini and following the test period was decommissioned and maintained for radiological and structural studies. She was destroyed by sinking 11 May 1948.

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>Pilotfish</i> (SS-386) Balao-class submarine sunk at Bikini atoll

USS Pilotfish (SS-386), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named after the pilot fish, a carangoid fish, often seen in warm latitudes in company with sharks.

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>Catron</i>

USS Catron (APA-71) was a Gilliam-class attack transport serving in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sunk as a target in 1948.

USS <i>Geneva</i>

t USS Geneva (APA-86) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1966.

USS <i>Carlisle</i> Attack transport sunk at Bikini atoll

USS Carlisle (APA-69) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sunk as a target ship during Operation Crossroads in July 1946.

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>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>Banner</i> (APA-60)

USS Banner (APA-60) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scuttled in 1948.

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>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>Colusa</i>

USS Colusa (APA-74) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1966.

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>Gasconade</i> U.S. Navy attack transport

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.

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.

USS <i>Bottineau</i>

USS Bottineau (APA-235) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1955. She was scrapped in 1983.

USS <i>Bexar</i>

USS Bexar (APA-237/LPA-237) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1970. She was scrapped in 1982.

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.