USS Fremont (APA-44)

History
USS Fremont (APA-44)

Namesake:	Counties in Colorado, Idaho, Iowa and Wyoming
Builder:	Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down:	Unknown
Launched:	31 March 1943
Christened:	Sea Corsair.
Commissioned:	29 November 1943
Decommissioned:	3 September 1969
Renamed:	USS Fremont.
Reclassified:	AP-89 to APA-44 (1 Feb '43).
Struck:	1 June 1973.
Nickname(s):	M.2.S
Honours and awards:	Five battle stars for service in World War II.
Fate:	Scrapped, 1974.
Notes:	MC Hull No. 392. Type C3-S-A2. Sponsor: Mrs. W. R. Guest.
General characteristics
Class and type:	Bayfield-class attack transport
Displacement:	8,100 tons, 16,100 tons fully loaded
Length:	492 ft (150 m)
Beam:	69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Draft:	26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Propulsion:	General Electric geared turbine, 2 x Foster Wheeler D-type boilers, single propeller, designed shaft horsepower 8,500
Speed:	18 knots
Boats & landing craft carried:	12 x LCVP, 4 x LCM (Mk-6), 3 x LCP(L) (MK-IV)
Capacity:	4,700 tons (175,000 cu. ft).
Complement:	Crew: 51 officers, 524 enlisted Flag: 43 officers, 108 enlisted. Troops: 80 officers, 1,146 enlisted
Armament:	2 × single 5 inch/38 cal. dual purpose gun mounts, one fore and one aft. 2 × twin 40mm AA gun mounts. 2 × single 40mm AA gun mounts. 18 × single 20mm AA gun mounts.

USS Fremont (APA-44) was a Bayfield-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.

Fremont was launched 31 March 1943 by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi; as Sea Corsair, placed in partial commission between 30 May 1943 and 11 June 1943, and commissioned in full 23 November 1943 Captain C. V. Conlan in command.

Fremont arrived at Pearl Harbor 14 March 1944 for conversion to a staff and command ship for amphibious operations, and during the remainder of the war was to carry such distinguished commanders as Rear Admiral William H. P. Blandy, Rear Admiral William M. Fechteler, Rear Admiral Ralph O. Davis, and Major General Graves B. Erskine, USMC.

Fremont's first assault landing was at Saipan on 16 June, and for 10 days she lay off the island, landing troops and receiving casualties by day, and retiring seaward at night.

Back in Pearl Harbor from 12 July 1944 to 12 August, Fremont sailed then for rehearsal landings in the Solomons, and on 8 September she sortied for the Palau Islands operation. During the initial landings on Peleliu 15 September, Fremont conducted a diversionary demonstration off Babelthaup, then moved into the transport area to land troops on Angaur 17 September. On 23 September Fremont landed men in the unopposed occupation of Ulithi, then returned to Hollandia and Manus for training with soldiers.

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Wikipedia