USS Pickens

Last updated

USS Pickens (APA-190) off Iwo Jima on 20 February 1945 (NH 83487).jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Pickens
Namesake
Ordered
  • as type VC2-S-AP5
  • MCV hull 658
Laid down22 April 1944
Launched21 July 1944
Acquired18 September 1944
Commissioned18 September 1944
Decommissioned12 April 1946
Stricken1 May 1946
FateSold for scrapping, 9 April 1973
General characteristics
Displacement14,833 (full load)
Length455 ft 0 in (138.68 m)
Beam62 ft 0 in (18.90 m)
Draught28 ft 1 in (8.56 m)
Speed17 knots
Capacity150,000 cu. ft, 2,900 tons
Complement56 Officers 480 Enlisted
Armament

USS Pickens (APA-190) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

Contents

History

Pickens was built under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 658), was laid down by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, Washington, 22 April 1944; launched 21 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Howard Denhart; delivered to the Navy and commissioned 18 September 1944.

World War II

Following shakedown, Pickens steamed west, engaged in amphibious training in Hawaiian waters, and on 27 January 1945, got underway for the western Pacific Ocean with elements of the 4th Marine Division embarked. A unit of TransDiv 45, she arrived off Iwo Jima on the morning of 19 February. Despite cold weather and high seas, she stood off the assault beach, 0730–1800, to land 2nd Battalion 25th Marines and their assigned Shore Party D Co. 133 Naval Construction Battalion. Retiring at night, she returned daily to continue offloading cargo and to take on casualties. On 28 February 1945, she got underway for Saipan, thence to Guam to disembark her casualty passengers.

For the next month Pickens, with 2nd Division Marines embarked, rehearsed for Operation Iceberg. On 27 March 1945, she departed the Marianas and on 1 April participated in the diversionary landings on Okinawa’s southeastern coast, during which she assumed duties of Division Commander (TransDiv 44) after USS Hinsdale (APA-120) was kamikazed. She effected the rescue of survivors from that APA, LST-884, and LST-724. On 2 April, she repeated the feint, then swung around to the stand-by area where she remained until 9 April. Pickens then returned to Saipan, and on 14 April debarked her troops.

On 4 June 1945, Pickens sailed for Noumea, whence she carried cargo back to the Marianas before heading back to California and availability. Arriving at San Francisco, California, 3 August, she completed availability after the end of the war and at the end of the month joined others of her type in carrying occupation troops to the Far East and bringing back veterans. She completed "Operation Magic Carpet" duty at San Francisco 7 January 1946, then got underway for the U.S. East Coast and inactivation.

Decommissioning and fate

Decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, 12 April 1946, she was redelivered to the United States Maritime Commission 18 April; and on 1 May her name was struck from the Navy List. Through 1970, she remained with the National Defense Reserve Fleet, laid up at the James River, Virginia berthing area in Lee Hall, Virginia. She was sold for scrapping to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp. on 9 April 1973 (PD-X-956, dated 5 March 1973) for $111,500.00., and was delivered on 7 September 1973.

Awards

Pickens earned two battle stars during World War II.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Southampton</i> (AKA-66) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Southampton (AKA-66) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sold into commercial service and scrapped in 1971.

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

USS Wheatland (AKA-85) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was sold into commercial service and was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Arenac</i> 20th-century American attack transport

USS Arenac (APA-128) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Hocking</i>

USS Hocking (APA-121) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, including participating in the Iwo Jima invasion. She was scrapped in 1974.

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>Mellette</i>

USS Mellette (APA-156) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1955. She was scrapped in 1988.

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>Doyen</i> (APA-1)

USS Doyen (APA-1) was a Doyen-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Braxton</i>

USS Braxton (APA-138) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

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>Rockingham</i> US Navy attack transport

USS Rockingham (APA/LPA-229) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1979.

USS <i>Beckham</i> Haskell-class US Navy attack transport

USS Beckham (APA-133) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Bland</i>

USS Bland (APA-134) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Bergen</i> WWII era American transport

USS Bergen (APA-150) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Edgecombe</i> (APA-164)

USS Edgecombe (APA-164) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1987.

USS <i>Cecil</i> United States Navy WWII-era attack transport ship

USS Cecil (APA-96) was a Bayfield class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sold into commercial service in 1947 and was scrapped in 1973.

USS <i>Hansford</i>

USS Hansford (APA-106) was a Bayfield-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Knox</i> (APA-46) US Navy transport ship

USS Knox (APA-46) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. in 1947, she was sold into commercial service and was finally scrapped in 1971.

USS <i>Sheridan</i>

USS Sheridan (APA-51) was an Ormsby-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.

References

PD-icon.svg 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.