President Jackson class attack transport

USS President Jackson (APA-18) underway
Class overview
Name:	President Jackson class
Builders:	Newport News Shipbuilding
Operators:	United States Navy
Preceded by:	Crescent City class
Succeeded by:	USS John Penn (APA-23)
Built:	Oct 1939 - Aug 1942
In commission:	19 Nov 1941 - 18 Jul 1955
Completed:	7
Lost:	1
Retired:	6
General characteristics
Type:	MCV hull type C3-A, C3-P or C3-P&C
Displacement:	9,500 tons (lt), 16,175 t.(fl)
Length:	491 ft (150 m)
Beam:	(Most) 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Draft:	(Most) 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Propulsion:	Geared turbine drive, 2 x Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, single propeller, 8,500 horsepower
Speed:	16.5–18 knots (19.0–20.7 mph; 30.6–33.3 km/h)
Capacity:	Troops: 68-76 officers, 1,197-1,312 enlisted Cargo: 185,000 cu ft (5,200 m3), 2,500–3,600 short tons (2,300–3,300 t)
Complement:	35-58 officers, 472-535 enlisted
Armament:	(most ships): 4 x 3"/50 caliber dual-purpose guns, 2 x twin 40mm guns, 18 x single 20mm guns.

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.

The President Jackson class was based on the Maritime Commission's ubitiquous Type C3 hull - 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, President Polk (AP-103) and President Monroe (AP-104), 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.