USS Kittson

Last updated

Haskell-class attack transport underway, in 1944-1945 (NH 91975).jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Kittson
Namesake Kittson County, Minnesota
Builder California Shipbuilding Corporation
Launched28 August 1944
Commissioned5 November 1944
Decommissioned11 March 1946
Honors and
awards		1 Battle star
FateSold for scrap, 9 April 1973
General characteristics
Class and type Haskell-class 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, 2 × header-type boilers, 1 × propeller, designed 8,500  shp (6,338 kW)
Speed17 knots (31 km/h; 20 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

USS Kittson (APA-123) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrpped in 1973.

Contents

History

Kittson was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type and was named for Kittson County, Minnesota. She was launched 28 August 1944 by the California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; acquired by the Navy 4 November 1944; and commissioned 5 November.

After shakedown along the Pacific coast, Kittson cleared San Diego 26 December 1944 with the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing aboard. She arrived Majuro 12 January 1945; unloaded the Marine unit; and sailed for Leyte, arriving 1 February. While operating in the Philippines for the next 6 weeks, the attack transport prepared for the Okinawa invasion.

Departing Leyte 27 March with units of the 7th Division on board, Kittson arrived off Hagushi Beach, Okinawa, 1 April. After the air was cleared of enemy aircraft, the transports commenced unloading troops and cargo for the largest amphibious assault to take place in the Pacific. Kittson stood off the area unloading cargo and assisting in smoke screen operations until she sailed for the West Coast 7 April and Pearl Harbor. She steamed into San Francisco Bay 30 May, loaded cargo and sailors for the final push on Japan, and cleared port 6 June.

Stopping at Eniwetok and Ulithi en route, Kittson arrived Okinawa 24 July, unloaded cargo, and steamed toward Guam. While the transport was at Guam, hostilities ended; and she was assigned to ferry occupation troops to Japan. She made two runs from Cebu, Philippines, to Japan before clearing Tokyo Bay with troops for China. Arriving Taku Bay 24 October, Kittson was assigned to "Magic-Carpet" duty and sailed with her first group of returning veterans 2 November, arriving San Diego 24 November. After completing another "Magic-Carpet" cruise to Japan, the transport tied up at San Pedro 13 January 1946. Kittson sailed for the East Coast, arriving Norfolk 4 February, and decommissioned 11 March 1946. She was returned to the Maritime Commission 2 days later. Kittson was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet and was berthed at James River, Virginia.

Fate

In 1956 Kittson was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet as part of a Repair Program, GAA-A.L. Burbank, and then returned. [1] On 9 April 1973 she was sold to Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation, for $111,560, to be scrapped. At 1330 EDT, on 4 June 1973 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and sent to the breaker's yard. [1]

All that remains of Kittson is her brass builder's plate.

Award

Kittson received one battle star for World War II service.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Pitt</i>

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.

USS <i>Aquarius</i> WWII US attack cargo ship

USS Aquarius (AKA-16) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship in the service of the United States Navy. She was named after the constellation Aquarius. She was one of a handful of World War II AKAs manned by officers and crew from the United States Coast Guard. She served as a commissioned ship for 2 years and 9 months.

USS <i>Haskell</i>

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>St. Marys</i> (APA-126)

USS St. Mary's (APA-126) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.

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>Kenton</i>

USS Kenton (APA-122) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sold for scrap in 1973.

USS <i>Bosque</i>

USS Bosque (APA-135) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

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

USS Darke (APA-159) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy in from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

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>Marvin H. McIntyre</i>

USS Marvin H. McIntyre (APA-129) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Bolivar</i>

USS Bolivar (APA-34) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was then sold into commercial service and was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>New Kent</i>

USS New Kent (APA-217) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1949 and from 1951 to 1954. She was scrapped in 1972.

USS <i>Lamar</i> (APA-47)

USS Lamar (APA-47) 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 1971.

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>Latimer</i>

USS Latimer (APA-152) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947 and from 1950 to 1956. She was scrapped in 1972.

USS <i>Hyde</i> Haskell-class attack transport

USS Hyde (APA/LPA-173) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Oconto</i>

USS Oconto (APA-187) 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>Menard</i>

USS Menard (APA-201) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War.

USS <i>Sibley</i>

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.

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 "RESERVE FLEET DIVISION - VESSEL DATA - KITTSON" . Retrieved 10 October 2006.
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.