USS Oberon

Last updated
USS Oberon (AKA-14) at anchor in the 1940s.jpg
USS Oberon (AKA-14)
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Oberon
Namesake Oberon, one of the moons of Uranus
Builder Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey
Laid downdate unknown, as Delalba
Launched18 March 1942
Acquired15 June 1942
Commissioned15 June 1942, as USS Oberon (AK-56)
Decommissioned27 June 1955
Reclassified
  • AKA-14 (Attack cargo ship), 1 February 1943
  • T-AKA-14, 1 October 1949
  • LKA-14 (Amphibious cargo ship), 1 January 1969
Stricken1 July 1960
Honours and
awards
FateSold for scrapping, 3 December 1970
General characteristics
Class and type Arcturus-class attack cargo ship
Type Type C2-F cargo ship
Displacement7,391 long tons (7,510 t)
Length459 ft 2 in (139.95 m)
Beam63 ft (19 m)
Draft26 ft 5 in (8.05 m)
Speed16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement494
Armament

USS Oberon (AK-56/AKA-14/T-AKA-14/LKA-14) was a Arcturus-class attack cargo ship in the United States Navy. She was named after Oberon, one of the moons of the planet Uranus.

Contents

Oberon (AK–56), originally named Delalba (MC hull 133), was built at Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey; renamed Oberon 16 February 1942; launched 18 March 1942; sponsored by Mrs. W. Creighton Peet; acquired by the Navy 15 June 1942, commissioned the same day.

Service history

World War II

Oberon completed alterations and shakedown before joining a task force steaming to the invasion of North Africa on 24 October 1942. Despite air raids, a submarine attack, and casualties among sister ships, she commenced off-loading supplies on D-Day, 8 November, at Fedhala, French Morocco. Mission accomplished, the cargo ship returned to Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 24 November and began preparations for a Pacific voyage.

USS Oberon (AK-58) in 1942. USS Oberon (AK-56) underway in June 1942.jpg
USS Oberon (AK-58) in 1942.

Early in the new year, Oberon transited the Panama Canal; and, while sailing for the South Pacific, was reclassified AKA–14. She discharged her cargo at New Caledonia and the New Hebrides before returning to Norfolk, on 12 March 1943. Completing overhaul Oberon again crossed the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and took station, 10 July, off Gela for the landings on Sicily. Two months later her anti-aircraft batteries again blazed during unloading operations in the difficult invasion of Salerno Bay, Italy. Withdrawn to sail the Oran to Bizerte supply run, Oberon departed the area in December with 120 Army paratroopers and supplies bound for Belfast, Northern Ireland. Later that month an Atlantic storm caused more damage than had enemy actions.

After repairs in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Oberon returned to North Africa in April via Cardiff, Wales. As part of Assault Group II preparing for the invasion of Southern France she practiced landings until 13 August along both the Algerian and Italian coasts. D-Day, the 15th, went smoothly as she landed 151 soldiers and sailors plus valuable support equipment at St. Tropez, France. After five additional logistic missions from Oran and Naples, the attack transport joined a convoy en route to the United States late in October.

With Germany facing defeat, Oberon was reassigned to the Pacific. Once again she began the new year in transit through the Panama Canal, and then proceeded to Leyte, Philippines arriving on 21 February 1945. With other units of Amphibious Group 7 she helped to take Kerama Retto late in March and joined the attack on Okinawa on 1 April. The appearance of kamikaze planes the next day was a challenging new experience from which Oberon emerged unscathed and with one kill to her credit. She retired on 26 April to the South Pacific and later received news of Japan's capitulation while steaming to the Philippines. With occupation troops from the 81st Division embarked she sailed into port at Aomori, on northern Honshū, on 25 September. After an additional voyage to Yokohama, Oberon turned homeward and late in November reached Seattle, WA.

Oberon circa 1950. USS Oberon (AKA-14) underway c1950.jpg
Oberon circa 1950.

Korean War

In the post-war years, Oberon served with the Navy Transportation Service carrying cargo and personnel between the West Coast and American bases in the Pacific. Incorporated into the Military Sea Transportation Service at its initiation on 1 October 1949, she became an ammunition replenishment vessel during the Korean War. Arriving at Sasebo, Japan, on 15 January 1951, Oberon served in the war zone for seven months. On 9 March she conducted her first rearming-at-sea mission with carriers, and later much of her time was spent shuttling supplies between Sasebo and Wonsan, Korea. A second tour of duty in the war zone occurred during the first five months of 1952.

Decommissioning and sale

The truce signed at Panmunjom curtailed her assignments. She was decommissioned on 27 June 1955 and was placed in reserve until struck from the Navy List on 1 July 1960. She was transferred to the Maritime Commission, placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, and berthed at Olympia, Washington. Reclassified LKA-14 (Amphibious cargo ship) on 1 January 1969, the ship was sold for scrap to Marine Power and Equipment Co. of Seattle, Washington, on 3 December 1970.

Oberon received six battle stars for World War II service and five for duty in Korea.

Related Research Articles

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

USS Achernar (AKA-53) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship of the United States Navy during World War II and after.

USS <i>Bellatrix</i> (AKA-3) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Bellatrix (AK-20/AKA-3) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship in the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War. Originally ordered as a C2-T cargo ship named Raven for the Maritime Commission, the vessel was transferred to United States Navy control while under construction and launched in August 1941.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amphibious cargo ship</span>

Amphibious cargo ships were U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to carry troops, heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assaults, and to provide naval gunfire support during those assaults. A total of 108 of these ships were built between 1943 and 1945—which worked out to an average of one ship every eight days. Six additional AKAs, featuring new and improved designs, were built in later years. They were originally called Attack Cargo Ships and designated AKA. In 1969, they were renamed as Amphibious Cargo Ships and redesignated LKA.

USS <i>Algol</i> (AKA-54) Andromeda-class attack cargo ship

USS Algol (AKA-54) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship. She was the first ship of the United States Navy by this name, after Algol, a fixed star in the constellation Perseus. Algol served as a commissioned ship for 22 years and 1 month.

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

USS Skagit (AKA-105/LKA-105) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1949 and from 1950 to 1969. She was scrapped in 1974.

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

USS Washburn (AKA-108) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 19945 to 1970 She was scrapped in 1980.

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

USS Tulare (AKA-112/LKA-112) was a Tulare-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1956 to 1986. She was sold for scrap in 2011.

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

USS Merrick (AKA-97/LKA-97) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship named after Merrick County, Nebraska.

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

USS Winston (AKA-94/LKA-94) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1957 and from 1961 to 1969. She was scrapped in 1979.

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

USS Libra (AK-53/AKA-12/LKA-12) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship named after the constellation Libra. She served as a commissioned ship for 11 years.

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

USS Alshain (AKA-55) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship in the service of the United States Navy. She was named after the star Alshain in the constellation Aquila, and served as a commissioned ship for 11 years and 9 months.

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

USS Virgo (AKA-20) was an Andromeda class attack cargo ship of the United States Navy, named after the constellation Virgo. She was later converted to an ammunition ship and redesignated as (AE-30). She served as a commissioned ship for 22 years and 4 months.

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

USS Andromeda (AKA-15) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1956. She was scrapped in 1971.

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

USS Alcyone (AKA-7) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship named after Alcyone, the brightest star in the star cluster Pleiades. She served as a commissioned ship for five years and one month.

USS <i>Electra</i> (AKA-4) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Electra (AKA-4) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship named after Electra, a star in the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus. She served as a commissioned ship for seven years.

USS <i>Procyon</i> (AKA-2) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Procyon (AKA-2) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship of the United States Navy, named after Procyon, a star in the constellation Canis Minor. She was laid down and launched in 1940, entering service shortly before the American entry into World War II. She served with distinction in World War II, earning five battle stars. Her work included shipping planes in the Pacific, and troops in North Africa. She was part of the Invasion of Sicily and the Invasion of Okinawa. She served as a commissioned ship for 5 years and 4 months. In 1946, the ship was decommissioned, and was later sold to Levin Metals Corp. on 19 November 1973.

USS <i>Thomas Jefferson</i> (APA-30) President Jackson-Class Attack Transport Ship

USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30), serving from 1 May 1942 until 18 July 1955, was a transport and then reclassified on 1 February 1943 as a President Jackson-class attack transport. She was laid down under Maritime Commission contract as President Garfield on 5 February 1940 at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company for the American President Lines. The ship was launched on 20 November 1940, sponsored by Miss Eugenia Merrill. President Garfield was completed 26 March 1941 and acquired by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) 29 November 1941 with American President Lines, the WSA agent, operating the ship as a troop transport. On 1 May 1942 the United States Navy purchased the ship and commissioned her USS Thomas Jefferson, named for Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, on 31 August 1942.

USS <i>James OHara</i>

USS James O'Hara (APA-90) was a Frederick Funston-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II and later in the Korean War. The ship was named after a Continental Army officer who fought in the Revolutionary War and who later became Quartermaster General of the US Army.

USS <i>Arcturus</i> (AKA-1) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Arcturus (AK-18/AKA-1) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship named after Arcturus, a star in the constellation Boötes. She served as a commissioned ship for 5 years and 5 months.

References