Haskell class attack transport
USS Noble, a ship of the Haskell class, in 1956
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Haskell-class attack transport |
| Builders: | |
| Preceded by: | Gilliam-class attack transport |
| Built: | 1944 - 1945 |
| In commission: | 11 Sep 1944 - 29 Oct 1945 |
| Planned: | 131 |
| Completed: | 117 |
| Cancelled: | 14 |
| Active: | None |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 6,873 tons (lt), 14,837 t (fl) |
| Length: | 455 ft (139 m) |
| Beam: | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draft: | 24 ft (7.3 m) |
| Propulsion: | 1 × geared turbine (Westinghouse, Joshua Hendy or Allis-Chalmers), 2 × header-type boilers (Babcock & Wilcox or Combustion Engineering), 1 × propeller, designed shaft horsepower 8,500 |
| Speed: | 18 - 19 knots |
| Boats & landing craft carried: |
2 × LCM, 12 × LCVP, 3 × LCPL |
| Capacity: |
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| Complement: | 56 officers, 480 enlisted |
| Armament: | 1 × 5"/38 dual-purpose gun, 4 × twin 40mm guns, 10 × single 20mm guns; late armament, add 1 × 40mm quad mount |
Haskell-class attack transports (APA) 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.
The Haskells were very active in the World War II Pacific Theater of Operations, landing Marines and Army troops and transporting casualties at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Ships of the class were among the first Allied ships to enter Tokyo Bay at the end of World War II, landing the first occupation troops at Yokosuka. After the end of World War II, most participated in Operation Magic Carpet, the massive sealift of US personnel back to the United States. A few of the Haskell class were reactivated for the Korean War, with some staying in service into the Vietnam War.
The Haskell class, Maritime Commission standard type VC2-S-AP5, is a sub‑type of the World War II Victory ship design. 117 were launched in 1944 and 1945, with 14 more being finished as another VC2 type or canceled.
The VC2-S-AP5 design was intended for the transport and assault landing of over 1,500 troops and their heavy combat equipment. During Operation Magic Carpet, up to 1,900 personnel per ship were carried homeward.
The Haskells carried 25 landing craft to deliver the troops and equipment right onto the beach. The 23 main boats were the 36 feet (11 m) long, LCVP. The LCVP was designed to carry 36 equipped troops. The other 2 landing craft were the 50 foot (15 m) long LCM (3), capable of carrying 60 troops or 30 tons (27 t) of cargo, or the 56 foot (17m) LCM (6). They also carried one gig.
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Wikipedia