USS Kershaw (APA-176)
Encyclopedia
USS Kershaw (APA-176) 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.
; sponsored by Miss Helen Molloy; and commissioned 2 December 1944, Comdr. A. G. Davenport in command.
, 7 February 1945, with nurses and naval personnel, arriving Guam
23 February. Moving to Saipan
27 February, the transport prepared for the invasion of the Ryukyus, the last enemy stronghold before Japan
itself. During March she loaded equipment and troops of the 2d Marine Division; then, following amphibious exercises off Tinian
, she sailed for the assault area 27 March.
14 April, remaining there until sailing for the Solomons 5 June. Following brief stops at Tulagi
, Espiritu Santo
, and Eniwetok, she arrived Guam
14 July.
, the transport loaded cargo and troops to replace veterans in the occupation area. She cleared San Francisco 17 August and steamed into Tacloban, Leyte
, 10 September. From there she ferried occupation troops to Honshū
, Japan, before returning to San Pedro, California, 19 October. On the third of four additional Operation Magic Carpet cruises to the Far East
, Kershaw delivered equipment to Bikini Atoll
for the atomic tests before sailing on to Samar
to embark another 2,000 veterans for return to San Francisco 25 May. On her final cruise she took on units of the 2d Marines at Sasebo
before transiting the Panama Canal
and arriving Norfolk, Virginia
, 8 August.
, until she decommissioned 20 December 1946, and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Norfolk. Struck from the Navy List
1 October 1958, she joined the National Defense Reserve Fleet
19 December 1958 and was berthed in James River, Virginia. She was sold for scrapping in 1982.
service.
Haskell class attack transport
Haskell-class attack transports were amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy created in 1944. They were designed to transport 1,500 troops and their combat equipment, and land them on hostile shores with the ships' integral landing craft....
attack transport
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...
acquired by the U.S. Navy during 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...
for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.
World War II service
Kershaw (APA-176) was launched 12 November 1944, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
; sponsored by Miss Helen Molloy; and commissioned 2 December 1944, Comdr. A. G. Davenport in command.
Transporting men and materials to the battle areas
After shakedown, Kershaw cleared San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, 7 February 1945, with nurses and naval personnel, arriving Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
23 February. Moving to Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
27 February, the transport prepared for the invasion of the Ryukyus, the last enemy stronghold before Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
itself. During March she loaded equipment and troops of the 2d Marine Division; then, following amphibious exercises off Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
, she sailed for the assault area 27 March.
Troops from Kershaw hit the beach at Okinawa
The invasion got underway as the troops hit the beach at Okinawa 1 April. After troops from Kershaw landed on the southeastern shore of the island, the transport stood by for the next 10 days. She returned SaipanSaipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
14 April, remaining there until sailing for the Solomons 5 June. Following brief stops at Tulagi
Tulagi
Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida Island. The town of the same name on the island Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island (5.5 km by 1 km) in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida...
, Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
, and Eniwetok, she arrived Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
14 July.
End-of-war "mopping-up" operations
Following a short overhaul period at San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, the transport loaded cargo and troops to replace veterans in the occupation area. She cleared San Francisco 17 August and steamed into Tacloban, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, 10 September. From there she ferried occupation troops to Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, Japan, before returning to San Pedro, California, 19 October. On the third of four additional Operation Magic Carpet cruises to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, Kershaw delivered equipment to Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
for the atomic tests before sailing on to Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
to embark another 2,000 veterans for return to San Francisco 25 May. On her final cruise she took on units of the 2d Marines at Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
before transiting the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and arriving Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, 8 August.
Post-war decommissioning
Kershaw remained at Portsmouth, VirginiaPortsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, until she decommissioned 20 December 1946, and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Norfolk. Struck from the Navy List
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
1 October 1958, she joined the National Defense Reserve Fleet
National Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
19 December 1958 and was berthed in James River, Virginia. She was sold for scrapping in 1982.
Military awards and honors
Kershaw received one battle star for World War IIWorld 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...
service.
External links
- USS Kershaw
- NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - APA-176 Kershaw
- Photo gallery at Naval Historical Center