Natrona was laid down 30 June 1944, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCV hull 562, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California; sponsored by Mrs. Anna Louise Spigler; launched 27 September 1944; and acquired and commissioned by the Navy on 8 November 1944.[3]
At Ulithi, Natrona took on Marine night fighters and sailed for Leyte to prepare for operation "Iceberg", the invasion of the Ryūkyūs. On 21 March, Natrona, with Marine night fighters and 77th Infantry Division men and equipment on board, departed Dulag in TG 51.1. Early on 26 March, she arrived off Kerama Retto and proceeded to area "Jig".[3]
At 05:39, she lowered away nine wave guide boats, then moved to "Transport Area Fox" where, at 07:05, she had her first experience with Japanesekamikazes. After that air attack she moved to "Inner Transport Area George" to commence discharging her cargo of fuel and ammunition into small craft. At 19:51, she proceeded to the night retirement area. Until 30 March, Natrona continued daylight replenishment of small craft in area "George", with nightly retirements.[3]
On 1 April, Okinawa was invaded and on 2 April, the Kerama Retto anchorage was the scene of a 13-hour battle against suicide planes, swimmers and boats. On 6 April, the anchorage was subjected to its most severe kamikaze attack, during which Natrona bagged her first unassisted kill. On 7 April, she completed unloading 77th Division cargo. The following day, she crossed to the Hagushi Beach area of Okinawa to debark the Marine night fighters and then returned to Kerama Retto to transport the C.O., GeneralAndrew Bruce and staff of the 77th Division to the same location.[3]
Between 14 April and 10 July, Natrona remained anchored at Kerama Retto, serving as station and receiving ship. She also acted as Fleet Post Office, Headquarters for ComDesRon 2 and ComRepDesPac, Fleet Replacement Center, Fog Oil coordinator and distributor, and subsistence center for crews of damaged and sunken ships. On 10 July, the transport shifted to Buckner Bay and, on 15 July, departed for the US, a veteran of 16 weeks and 208 air attacks in Okinawan waters.[3]
Transport duties
Natrona arrived San Francisco 5 August. Celebrating the end of the war there, she got underway again on 20 August, on the first of two extended transpacific runs carrying replacement troops to forward areas, occupation troops to Japan and returning veterans to the United States. On 13 January 1946, she completed her second cruise at San Pedro.[3]
Decommission
USS Natrona (APA-214), in San Francisco Bay, in late 1945 or early 1946. The missing gun tub on the bow indicates that this photo was taken after all of her armament except two 20mm guns was removed, an action taken before late January 1946.
USS Talladega (APA/LPA-208) was a Haskell-class attack transport of the US Navy. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Talladega was named for Talladega County, Alabama.
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 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 Sherburne (APA-205) was a US Navy Haskell-class attack transport, built and used during World War II. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Sherburne was named for Sherburne County, Minnesota. She was later converted and renamed USS Range Sentinel (AGM-22), a missile range instrumentation ship.
USS Hinsdale (APA-120) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.
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 Neshoba was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.
USS Chilton (APA-38) was a Bayfield-class attack transport. Her task was to deliver troops to the battle front, and to recover and care for the wounded. She served in the Pacific Ocean in the war against the Empire of Japan and returned home post-war with one battle star to her credit.
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 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 Goodhue (APA-107) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sold into commercial service in 1947 and was scrapped in 1982.
USS Henrico (APA-45) was a Bayfield-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy in World War II, and subsequently in the Korean War, Cold War and Vietnam War.
USS Sarasota (APA/LPA-204) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy in World War II, Korean War Era and after. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Sarasota was named for Sarasota County, Florida.
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.
USS Tazewell (APA/LPA-209) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.
USS Telfair (APA/LPA-210) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy in World War II and the Korean War. She remained in service through most of the 1950s and 1960s, where she participated in various peacetime operations. Telfair was named for Telfair County, Georgia, which was itself named after Edward Telfair, the second Governor of the state, a member of the Continental Congress, and a signer of the Articles of Confederation.
USS Montrose (APA/LPA-212) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1969. She was scrapped in 1970.
USS Mountrail (APA/LPA-213) was a Haskell-class attack transport of the US Navy in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War era. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Mountrail was named for Mountrail County, North Dakota.
USS Oneida (APA-221) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.
USS Bingham (APA-225) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy in World War II. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type and named after Bingham County, Idaho.
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.
United States
