USS Henry T. Allen

Last updated
USS Henry T. Allen (APA-15) underway at sea, 11 February 1944 (AWM 302620).JPG
Henry T. Allen on 11 February 1944
History
US flag 48 stars.svg United States
Name
  • Wenatchee
  • President Jefferson
  • Henry T. Allen
NamesakeProbably Henry Tureman Allen, commander of the US 90th Infantry Division
Builder New York Shipbuilding [1]
Laid down15 June 1918 [2]
Launched24 May 1919 [2] [3]
ChristenedWenatchee [1]
CompletedFebruary 1921
Acquired(by the Navy) 6 December 1941 [1]
Commissioned(As AP-30) 22 April 1942 [1]
Decommissioned5 February 1946 [1]
RenamedHenry T. Allen (1940) [1]
Reclassified
  • AP-30 to APA-15, 1 February 1943 [1]
  • to AG-90 January 1945 [4]
Honours and
awards		Four battle stars for World War II service [1]
FateSold for scrap, March 1948 [1]
General characteristics
Class and type
Displacement13,529 tons (lt), 21,900 t.(fl) [5]
Length535 ft 2 in
Beam72 ft 4 in
Draft31 ft 3 in
Propulsion2 x Westinghouse geared turbine drive, 8 x Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 2 propellers, designed shaft horsepower 12,000. [5]
Speed16 knots [1]
Capacity
  • Troops: 107 Officers, 1,417 Enlisted
  • Cargo: 409,400 cu ft, tonnage unknown[ citation needed ]
ComplementOfficers 52, Enlisted 673 [5]
Armament4 x 3"/50 caliber dual-purpose gun mounts, 2 x twin 40mm gun mounts, 2 x quad 1.1"/75 caliber gun mounts, 15 x single 20mm gun mounts. [5]

USS Henry T. Allen was a Harris class attack transport in service with the United States Army from 1940 to 1941. She was then transferred to the United States Navy where she served until 1946. She was scrapped in 1948. The ship was originally built as an Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ship in 1919 and operated in commercial service as Wenatchee and President Jefferson until being laid up in 1938.

Contents

Construction

Wenatchee, hull 240 laid down at New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey 15 June 1918, was one of three hulls intended to become Army transports already under construction at the yard, the others being hull 241 Sea Girt and hull 242 Koda when the armistice ended World War I and the design was modified to a civilian passenger and cargo configuration, the Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ships that were known in commerce as the "535's" for their overall length. [2] [6] [7] Of those one had been launched and a second was ready for launch when the USSB changed plans from troop transports to completion as passenger ships. [6] At some point Wenatchee may have been assigned the name Beaver State by USSB in conformance with the majority of the ships of the design but the three ships begun as Army transports when the design changed to passenger-cargo ships remained the only ones not formally assigned the state nicknames. [8] [9] [note 1]

Wenatchee was launched 24 May 1919 and completed during February 1921, the first of the group to be finished. [2] [3] [10] [note 2] The ship departed New York 12 March 1921 for Seattle, Washington to be the third USSB "535" for the Pacific and first transpacific liner to be based in Seattle in six years. [11]

Commercial service

Wenatchee, operated by the Pacific Steamship Company, arrives in Seattle harbor. SS Wenatchee (1919) Arrives in Seattle.png
Wenatchee, operated by the Pacific Steamship Company, arrives in Seattle harbor.

The USSB allocated the ship to the Pacific Steamship Company which placed her in its Admiral Line for operation on its service to Yokohama, Japan, Shanghai and Hong Kong, China and Manila. [12] [10] With the sailing of Wenatchee on 9 April 1921 the line inaugurated that service. [12] She was followed by sister "535's" Silver State on 9 July and Keystone State on 30 July. [12] Wenatchee was briefly removed from service for repairs and improvements at Todd Shipyard in Seattle during which she was replaced for one voyage by Matson's Hawkeye State. [13] With eventual allocation of five "535's" the company was able to match Nippon Yusen Kaisha transpacific service with United States flag vessels sailing on fourteen day schedules for [11]

By May 1922 all the "State" ships of the Design 1095 and Design 1029 were renamed for United States presidents with Wenatchee (possibly briefly Beaver State on some list between sailing for Seattle in March) being renamed President Jefferson. [1] [14] [9]

In December 1922 the USSB announced that its ships operated by Pacific Steamship Company's Admiral Line would be operated by a new line under Robert Stanley Dollar, son of Robert Dollar, to be known as the Admiral Oriental Line. [15] The Pacific Steamship Company operated its own, company owned ships in a coastwise trade and the USSB determined the transpacific operation of its ships required full attention. Dollar, a large stockholder in Pacific Steamship and an experienced operator of transpacific steamships, took up residence in Seattle to form the new operating company. [15] President Jefferson, along with sisters now named President Grant, President Jackson (ex Silver State), President Madison and President McKinley (ex Keystone State) effective 14 October 1922 began operation as Admiral Oriental Line vessels. [15] By April 1926 the USSB had sold the "535" ships for $4,500,000 to the Dollar Steamship Company. [16]

President Jefferson was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission in 1938 to be laid up in the reserve fleet at Seattle. [14]

U.S. Army service

President Jefferson was acquired by the U.S. Army Transport Service (A.T.S.) 1 November 1940 and renamed USAT Henry T. Allen for service with the A.T.S. Pacific Fleet home ported at Fort Mason, California under Captain James McPherson [note 3] from 11 November 1940 until 6 December 1941. [14]

U.S. Navy service

The ship was then acquired by the Navy 6 December 1941 and placed in partial commission for conversion to Navy use at Moore Dry Dock of Oakland, California. [1] The ship was at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 7 December 1941. [14] Henry T. Allen commissioned in full 22 April 1942, Captain P. A. Stevens commanding. [1]

World War II service

After completion of outfitting, Henry T. Allen made one troop carrying voyage to Honolulu and return. Arriving San Diego 18 June 1942, she took part in amphibious landing exercises until August, helping to mold the potent American assault forces which would be a decisive factor in the Pacific war. The ship sailed 22 August via the Canal Zone for Norfolk, Virginia, where she arrived 11 September for more landing training on the Maryland coast. [1]

Invasion of North Africa

Henry T. Allen departed 23 October for North Africa and Operation Torch as part of the Northern Attack Force under Brig. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott, Jr. and serving as flagship in that phase of the operation with headquarters remaining aboard during the landing of troops until it could be set up ashore. [17] The force arrived off Mehedia, near strategic Port Lyautey, 7 November and Henry T. Allen began that morning to unload her Army troops from the transport area. She remained off the beaches occasionally subjected to fire from shore batteries until 15 November. She then helped consolidate the successful landing by mooring at Casablanca to unload cargo. The transport sailed 17 November and arrived Norfolk the 30th. [1]

Pacific Theater

Following the important North Africa landings, during which much was learned about amphibious operations, Henry T. Allen was assigned to the Pacific, a theater in which amphibious assaults were to play a central role. Carrying Marines, she sailed 17 December and arrived Tutuila, Samoa group, via the Canal Zone, 13 January 1943. The ship also transported troops to Noumea and Espiritu Santo and while at the latter port 1 February 1943 was redesignated an attack transport, APA-15. [1]

On 17 March 1943 Allen was assigned as flagship, Commander Amphibious Force, Seventh Fleet, but was in poor condition and urgently needed for training and transport. [18] She was assigned to critical amphibious training for troops of Amphibious Force, Southwest Pacific reporting at Sydney. [19] The ships condition was such that on 10 April 1943 she had to be withdrawn from training for five weeks overhaul availability at Sydney. [20]

Until March 1944 Henry T. Allen operated between New Guinea and Australian ports, carrying both American and Australian troops in support of the Allied offensive in New Guinea and the Solomons. She made many passages through the dangerous waters of the Coral Sea, and on one occasion, 13 July 1943 detected a torpedo track approaching her port bow. Alert action brought the transport around and out of danger, the torpedo passing a scant 50 yards ahead. [1]

Invasion of New Guinea

Henry T. Allen sailed from Buna 26 March for training exercises on Goodenough Island with the U.S. 24th Infantry Division, completing 16 April. The ship then got underway 17 April for the important Hollandia operation, the joint attack on Central New Guinea. Henry T. Allen joined Admiral Barbey's group for the landings at Tanahmerah Bay 22 April and after their success was assured steamed to Cape Sudest, New Guinea, 24 April. [1]

The ship spent the next few weeks transporting troops into Hollandia to consolidate gains and prepare for the next step in the westward advance toward the Philippines. Henry T. Allen anchored at Aitape 15 May to load troops for the Wakde-Sarmi landings, and got underway the next day for a run of 120 miles undetected by the Japanese. Under a brisk naval bombardment the transport unloaded on the 17th and returned to Hollandia. [1]

Flagship

The veteran transport spent the rest of her career as a flagship for various amphibious commands. Until September 1944 she performed training exercises on Bougainville and New Guinea, and after a voyage to Queensland, Australia, arrived Hollandia 3 October 1944. There she received additional equipment and supplies to allow her to better perform her headquarters function. With Leyte approaching and USS Blue Ridge destined to be the flagship for that operation on 7 October 1944 Captain H. J. Nelson, USN, Commander Administrative Command, Seventh Amphibious Force, established the Administrative Group of the Staff of Commander Seventh Amphibious Force aboard Allen. [21] Henry T. Allen remained at Hollandia until January 1945 as the administrative base of the famous 7th Amphibious Force. She shifted her base to Leyte Gulf as American forces swept north and west, arriving 28 January 1945. [1] She was reclassified AG-90 in January 1945. [4]

Decommissioning

After the final surrender of Japan Henry T. Allen steamed to Manila 3 September and departed for the United States 15 November. She arrived 10 December 1945, decommissioned 5 February 1946 and was redelivered to the War Department. After a period in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Benicia, California, she was sold to Boston Metals of Baltimore, Maryland, and scrapped in March 1948. [1]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Pacific Marine Review shows Beaver State being renamed President Jefferson in a group that includes the other two ships, American Legion and Southern Cross (ex Sea Girt) started when the design changed. McKellar shows the ship with C. M. Schwab as the contract name. References prior to the mass renaming of the "State" ships to "President" names sometimes associate the name Beaver State with the ship launched as Wenatchee. The "State" names were assigned to new construction of this type intended from the start as commercial ships and Beaver State may have been briefly assigned. Contemporary sources make it clear the ship was launched as Wenatchee and remaining so into 1922 when the "President" names became effective. A close look at the period shows proposed names existing only on paper in a number of cases.
  2. ↑ The Nautical Gazette, February 12, 1921 shows the ship "undergoing finishing touches" and due to sail for Seattle in late February. The origin of the June completion date in some references is not known.
  3. ↑ Army transports were under the command of civilian merchant mariners employed by the Army.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Shipping Board</span> Emergency agency by the 1916 Shipping Act

The United States Shipping Board (USSB) was established as an emergency agency by the 1916 Shipping Act, on September 7, 1916. The United States Shipping Board's task was to increase the number of US ships supporting the World War I efforts. United States Shipping Board program ended on March 2, 1934.

USS <i>Refuge</i> (AH-11) Hospital ship of the United States Navy

USS Refuge (AH-11), was a hospital ship of the United States Navy during World War II. The ship was built in 1921 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., of Camden, New Jersey, as SS Blue Hen State, but was renamed President Garfield in 1923 and then SS President Madison in 1940 for service with American President Lines. Acquired by the Navy from the War Shipping Administration on 11 April 1942 the ship was commissioned as the transport USS Kenmore until conversion to a hospital ship.

USS <i>Miantonomah</i> (CMc-5)

USS Miantonomah (CM-10/CMc-5) was built as SS Quaker by Pusey & Jones Corporation, Wilmington, Delaware in 1938 as a commercial coastwise ship operating as a fast inland water passenger and freight carrier. Quaker was acquired by the Navy in May 1941 for conversion to a coastal minelayer. Miantonomah operated off the east coast of the United States, Africa and the Mediterranean and took part in the invasion of Europe in 1944. The ship was sunk by a mine 25 September 1944.

USS <i>Hugh L. Scott</i> (AP-43) US Passenger and Cargo Liner & Naval troopship

USS Hugh L. Scott (AP-43) was a Hugh L. Scott-class transport ship. She was built in 1921 and spent 20 years in merchant service as a passenger and cargo liner. In July 1941 the ship was delivered to the United States Department of War for Army service as the United States Army Transport Hugh L. Scott operating in the Pacific. In August 1942 the ship was transferred to the United States Navy for conversion to an attack transport, served as a troopship in Operation Torch in November 1942, and was sunk by a U-boat four days later. 59 crewmen and soldiers died during the sinking.

SS <i>President Cleveland</i> (1920) USS Tasker H. Bliss (AP-42)

SS President Cleveland was originally built as Golden State for the United States Shipping Board (USSB), one of the planned World War I troop transports converted before construction into passenger and cargo vessels launched as Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ships first known, along with the smaller Design 1095 versions, in the trade as "State" ships due to names assigned for the nicknames of states and later as "535s" for their length overall. Almost all ships of both designs were renamed for United States presidents by May 1921, with Golden State being renamed President Cleveland. As one of the USSB-owned ships operated by agents of the board, President Cleveland was allocated to and operated by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company until sold by the USSB to the Dollar Steamship Line in 1925. After the demise of that line and creation of a new, replacement line, American President Lines, the ship remained with that line until government acquisition for the Second World War.

USS <i>George F. Elliott</i> (AP-13)

USS George F. Elliott (AP-13) was a Heywood-class transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War I and then reacquired by the Navy for service as a troop carrier during World War II. In 1942, she was attacked off Guadalcanal by Japanese planes and sank shortly thereafter.

USS <i>Leedstown</i> (AP-73)

USS Leedstown (AP-73), built as the Grace Line passenger and cargo ocean liner SS Santa Lucia, served as a United States Navy amphibious assault ship in World War II. The ship had first been turned over to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) and operated by Grace Line as the WSA agent from February to August 1942 in the Pacific. In August the ship, at New York, was turned over to the Navy under sub-bareboat charter from WSA. She was sunk 9 November 1942 off the Algerian coast by a German submarine after German bombers caused damage the day before.

SS <i>American Legion</i>

American Legion was built for the United States Shipping Board (USSB), one of the planned World War I troop transports converted before construction into passenger and cargo vessels, the Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ships. The ship was laid down as Koda and perhaps assigned the name Badger State at one point, but renamed American Legion before launch and one of only a few of the design not taking a state nickname. Originally operated by the USSB's agents and the Munson Steamship Line the ship saw commercial service until laid up 13 March 1939.

USS <i>Leonard Wood</i> American steamship and WWII troop transport

USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) was built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation and launched 17 September 1921 at Sparrows Point, Maryland as Nutmeg State, an Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ship intended as a World War I troop transport, but redesigned upon the armistice as a passenger and cargo ship and completed as Western World for delivery to the United States Shipping Board. The ship's acceptance on 5 May 1922 and delivery on 9 May 1922 marked the completion of the wartime shipbuilding program of the Emergency Fleet Corporation and the Shipping Board.

USS <i>Hunter Liggett</i> Early-to-mid 20th century ship

USS Hunter Liggett (APA-14) was built as an Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) Design 1029 ship. It was launched as Palmetto State, and shortly after, renamed Pan America for operation as the United States Shipping Board (USSB) owned liner operated by the Munson Steamship Line on New York to South American service. The ship was acquired by the War Department in February 1939, where it was once more renamed. The new Hunter Liggett was then ready for operation, as a United States Army transport vehicle mainly running between New York and San Francisco.

USS <i>George F. Elliott</i> (AP-105) American cargo liner ship

USS George F. Elliott (AP-105) was a cargo liner built for the Mississippi Shipping Company as SS Delbrasil for operation between New Orleans and the east coast of South America in 1939 by its operator, Delta Line. The ship entered that service and operated until taken over by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 28 April 1942 for operation by Delta Line acting as WSA's agent. On 25 August 1943 WSA allocated the ship to the Navy for conversion to a troop transport commissioned and operated by the Navy for the duration of the war. Ownership of the ship was transferred from Mississippi Shipping to WSA on 4 February 1944 while under Navy operation and was retained until sale to American South African Lines on 22 December 1948. The ship was renamed African Endeavor until returned as a trade in to the Maritime Commission on 22 September 1960 for layup in the James River reserve fleet and later sold to Boston Metals for scrapping.

RMS <i>Empress of Canada</i> (1920)

RMS Empress of Canada was an ocean liner built in 1920 for the Canadian Pacific Steamships (CP) by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland. This ship—the first of three CP vessels to be named Empress of Canada—regularly traversed the trans-Pacific route between the west coast of Canada and the Asian waters until 1939.

SS <i>Manchuria</i> (1903) Passenger and cargo liner

SS Manchuria was a passenger and cargo liner launched 1903 for the San Francisco-trans Pacific service of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. During World War I the ship was commissioned 25 April 1918–11 September 1919 for United States Navy service as USS Manchuria (ID-1633). After return to civilian service the ship was acquired by the Dollar Steamship Line in 1928 until that line suffered financial difficulties in 1938 and ownership of Manchuria was taken over by the United States Maritime Commission which chartered the ship to American President Lines which operated her as President Johnson. During World War II she operated as a War Shipping Administration transport with American President Lines its agent allocated to United States Army requirements. After World War II, she was returned to American President Lines, sold and renamed Santa Cruz. The liner was scrapped in Italy in 1952.

SS <i>Point Bonita</i> (1918)

SS Point Bonita was constructed in 1918 and launched 27 March 1918 after a hull being built for foreign owners at Albina Engine and Machine Works was requisitioned during World War I by the United States Shipping Board (USSB). The ship saw service as the Navy transport USS Point Bonita, assigned Identification Number 3496, from 7 October 1918 to 7 April 1919, was returned to the USSB and saw civilian service with several commercial companies as San Pedro and Oliver Olson before again seeing service in World War II as USS Camanga (AG-42). After return to commercial service as Oliver Olson the ship was wrecked at the entrance to Bandon harbor in Oregon.

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

USS Besboro (AG-66) was built as Caddopeak, a United States Shipping Board (USSB) Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1049 cargo ship built by Albina Engine & Machine Works, launched 18 October 1918. From 1922 Caddopeak served several commercial shipping companies until sold in 1937 to Burns Steamship Company and renamed Lurline Burns. On 2 February 1942 the ship was delivered to the War Shipping Administration, allocated to the United States Army and operated by Burns and Alaska Steamship Company under an Army charter agreement.

SS <i>Maui</i> (1916)

SS Maui was built as a commercial passenger ship in 1916 for the Matson Navigation Company of San Francisco and served between the United States West Coast and Hawaii until acquired for World War I service by the United States Navy on 6 March 1918. The ship was commissioned USS Maui (ID-1514) serving as a troop transport from 1918 to 1919. The ship was returned to Matson for commercial service September 1919 and continued in commercial service until purchased by the United States Army in December 1941. USAT Maui was laid up by the Army in 1946 and scrapped in 1948.

SS <i>President Taylor</i>

President Taylor was a cargo-liner, ex President Polk, ex Granite State, requisitioned for war service in December 1941 and allocated by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) to the U.S. Army and operating as a troopship in the Pacific Ocean in World War II when grounded and eventually lost on 14 February 1942.

USAHS <i>Marigold</i> U.S. Army hospital ship

USAHS Marigold was a United States Army hospital ship during World War II. The ship was built as Old North State in 1920 for the United States Shipping Board as a civilian passenger/cargo liner. The ship changed ownership and operating companies several times with name changes to President Van Buren and President Fillmore before being acquired for military transport service in 1941. After government acquisition during World War II President Fillmore served as a War Shipping Administration troop transport before conversion to hospital ship service.

SS <i>President Taft</i> (1920) American ship

SS President Taft was launched as one of the "state" ships, Buckeye State, completed by the United States Shipping Board as cargo passenger ships after originally being laid down as troop transports. Buckeye State had been laid down as Bertrice but was converted and renamed before launching. Originally assigned to the Matson Navigation Company as the Shipping Board's agent, the ship was later renamed President Taft and assigned to Pacific Mail Steamship Company for operation. In 1925 the Shipping Board sold the ship to Dollar Steamship Company. President Taft was operated by Dollar and then its successor American President Lines until requisitioned by the War Department on 17 June 1941.

The Design 1095 ship was an Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) design for a troop transport to be built at New York Shipbuilding Corporation and delivered to the United States Shipping Board (USSB) that, at the end of World War I hostilities, was modified to a combined passenger and cargo vessel. The contract was for thirteen ships, EFC hulls 2579 though 2591, but later adjusted to seven ships with the remainder being changed during construction to the slightly larger ships of EFC Design 1029 built from the start as passenger and cargo ships rather than being modified from the troop ship plan.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: Henry T. Allen.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Pacific Marine Review April 1921, p. 239.
  3. 1 2 The Marine Review February 1922, p. 77.
  4. 1 2 U.S. Navy: Seventh Amphibious Force—Command History, p. II-87.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Navsource: USS Henry T. Allen (AG-90).
  6. 1 2 War Department 1919, p. 4995.
  7. ↑ McKellar: Steel Shipbuilding under the U. S. Shipping Board, 1917-1921, Part III.
  8. ↑ Pacific Marine Review January 1922, p. 28.
  9. 1 2 Pacific Marine Review July 1922.
  10. 1 2 Villard: The Nautical Gazette, February 12, 1921, p. 222.
  11. 1 2 Pacific Marine Review April 1921, p. 251.
  12. 1 2 3 Pacific Marine Review August 1921, p. 489.
  13. ↑ Pacific Marine Review September 1921, pp. 550, 560.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Clay 2011, p. 2155.
  15. 1 2 3 Pacific Marine Review December 1922.
  16. ↑ Pacific Marine Review May 1926, p. 235.
  17. ↑ Thompson et al. 1957, p. 348.
  18. ↑ U.S. Navy: Seventh Amphibious Force—Command History, p. II-1.
  19. ↑ U.S. Navy: Seventh Amphibious Force—Command History, p. I-3.
  20. ↑ U.S. Navy: Seventh Amphibious Force—Command History, p. II-12.
  21. ↑ U.S. Navy: Seventh Amphibious Force—Command History, p. II-3.

Bibliography

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.