President Jackson class attack transport
Encyclopedia
The President Jackson-class attack transport was a class of US Navy attack transport
that saw service in World War II
.
Like all attack transports, the purpose of the President Jackson class was to transport troops and their equipment to hostile shores, and once there to execute amphibious
invasions. To perform this task, attack transports were equipped with a substantial number of integral landing craft
, and an abundance of antiaircraft weaponry to protect themselves and their vulnerable cargo of troops from air attack in the battle zone.
- specifically on either the C3-A, C3-P or C3-P&C types. This hull design had been finalized in the late 1930s as a type suitable for both merchant cargo service and also for naval auxiliary service in the event of war.
Seven ships intended for commercial service with American President Lines
were laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company of Newport News, Virginia
between October 1939 and December 1940. The Maritime Commission acquired them all for military service before they were completed, but only five were initially handed to the Navy and designated President Jackson class transports. These five vessels were all later converted into attack transports and correspondingly reclassified with "APA" hull numbers.
The remaining two ships, and , were not transferred to the Navy until mid-1943. Unlike the other ships they were not assigned APA numbers, but instead kept their original AP classification. However, they appear to have been fitted out as attack transports nevertheless and assigned to similar duties. The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
does not classify these latter two vessels as President Jackson class, but since both ships were originally sister ships of the other five and served in the same wartime role, the DANFS omission may be an error and the ships are listed as President Jacksons here.
The original five ships of the class were laid down between October 1939 and November 1940. Time between initial laying of the keel to commission for the first five ships varied from 16 to 30 months - an unusually long time, which suggests the shipyard may have had other priorities. The first five were commissioned between 19 November 1941 and 31 August 1942, while the remaining two were commissioned in July and August 1943 respectively.
. The other two, and , were assigned for their first combat mission to Operation Torch
, the Allied
invasion of North Africa
. This would prove to be Thomas Stones one and only mission, as she was torpedoed, bombed, run aground and subsequently scrapped. Thomas Jefferson, however, went on to participate in the Sicilian, Italian
and Normandy
landings in the European Theatre, before being transferred to the Pacific to take part in the final major operation there, the Battle of Okinawa
.
Immediately after the war the surviving ships of the class were assigned to transporting troops to occupation duties in newly conquered Japan
and its former territories in China
and Korea
. They were then assigned to Operation Magic Carpet, the huge sealift organized to return demobilizing servicemen to the United States
.
The Navy must have been satisfied with the performance of this class, because only President Polk and President Monroe were struck from the Navy list
after Magic Carpet. Unlike the overwhelming majority of attack transports, the rest remained in commission for undertaking transport missions until the early 1950s. Two of them, and Thomas Jefferson, went on to serve in the Korean War
.
By mid-1955 however, the last ship of the class had been decommissioned, and the remaining units were struck from the Navy list on 1 October 1958. These were all sold for scrapping in early 1973, having each provided from 10 to 15 years of active service with the Navy.
Attack transport
Attack Transport is a United States Navy ship classification.-History:In the early 1940s, as the United States Navy expanded in response to the threat of involvement in World War II, a number of civilian passenger ships and some freighters were acquired, converted to transports and given hull...
that saw service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Like all attack transports, the purpose of the President Jackson class was to transport troops and their equipment to hostile shores, and once there to execute amphibious
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
invasions. To perform this task, attack transports were equipped with a substantial number of integral landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
, and an abundance of antiaircraft weaponry to protect themselves and their vulnerable cargo of troops from air attack in the battle zone.
Background
The President Jackson class was based on the Maritime Commission's ubitiquous Type C3 hullType C3 ship
Type C3 ships were the third type of cargo ship designed by the United States Maritime Commission in the late 1930s. As it had done with the Type C1 ships and Type C2 ships, MARCOM circulated preliminary plans for comment...
- specifically on either the C3-A, C3-P or C3-P&C types. This hull design had been finalized in the late 1930s as a type suitable for both merchant cargo service and also for naval auxiliary service in the event of war.
Seven ships intended for commercial service with American President Lines
American President Lines
American President Lines Ltd. is the world's seventh-largest container transportation and shipping company, providing services to more than 140 countries through a network combining intermodal freight transport operations with IT and e-commerce...
were laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company of Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
between October 1939 and December 1940. The Maritime Commission acquired them all for military service before they were completed, but only five were initially handed to the Navy and designated President Jackson class transports. These five vessels were all later converted into attack transports and correspondingly reclassified with "APA" hull numbers.
The remaining two ships, and , were not transferred to the Navy until mid-1943. Unlike the other ships they were not assigned APA numbers, but instead kept their original AP classification. However, they appear to have been fitted out as attack transports nevertheless and assigned to similar duties. The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships is the official reference work for the basic facts about ships used by the United States Navy...
does not classify these latter two vessels as President Jackson class, but since both ships were originally sister ships of the other five and served in the same wartime role, the DANFS omission may be an error and the ships are listed as President Jacksons here.
The original five ships of the class were laid down between October 1939 and November 1940. Time between initial laying of the keel to commission for the first five ships varied from 16 to 30 months - an unusually long time, which suggests the shipyard may have had other priorities. The first five were commissioned between 19 November 1941 and 31 August 1942, while the remaining two were commissioned in July and August 1943 respectively.
In service
Five ships of the class served exclusively in the Pacific TheatrePacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. The other two, and , were assigned for their first combat mission to Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
, the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
invasion of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. This would prove to be Thomas Stones one and only mission, as she was torpedoed, bombed, run aground and subsequently scrapped. Thomas Jefferson, however, went on to participate in the Sicilian, Italian
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
and Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
landings in the European Theatre, before being transferred to the Pacific to take part in the final major operation there, the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
.
Immediately after the war the surviving ships of the class were assigned to transporting troops to occupation duties in newly conquered Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and its former territories in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. They were then assigned to Operation Magic Carpet, the huge sealift organized to return demobilizing servicemen to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Navy must have been satisfied with the performance of this class, because only President Polk and President Monroe were struck from the Navy list
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
after Magic Carpet. Unlike the overwhelming majority of attack transports, the rest remained in commission for undertaking transport missions until the early 1950s. Two of them, and Thomas Jefferson, went on to serve in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
By mid-1955 however, the last ship of the class had been decommissioned, and the remaining units were struck from the Navy list on 1 October 1958. These were all sold for scrapping in early 1973, having each provided from 10 to 15 years of active service with the Navy.