USS Gilliam (APA-57)
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Name: | USS Gilliam (APA-57) |
| Builder: | Consolidated Steel |
| Launched: | 28 March 1944 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. A. O. Williams of Wilmington |
| Acquired: | 31 July 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 1 August 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | N/A |
| Struck: | N/A |
| Honours and awards: |
Two battle stars for World War II service |
| Fate: | Sunk during Operation Crossroads on 1 July 1946 at Bikini Atoll |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Gilliam-class attack transport |
| Displacement: | 4,247 tons (lt), 7,080 t.(fl) |
| Length: | 426 ft (130 m) |
| Beam: | 58 ft (18 m) |
| Draft: | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Propulsion: | Westinghouse turboelectric drive, 2 boilers, 2 propellers, Design shaft horsepower 6,000 |
| Speed: | 16.9 knots |
| Capacity: | 47 Officers, 802 Enlisted; cargo 85,000 cu ft, 600 tons |
| Complement: | 27 Officers 295 Enlisted |
| Armament: | 1 x 5"/38 caliber dual-purpose gun mount, 4 x twin 40mm gun mounts, 10 x single 20mm gun mounts |
| Notes: | MCV Hull No. 1850, hull type S4-SE2-BD1 |
USS Gilliam (APA-57), named for Gilliam County in Oregon, was the lead ship in the her class of attack transports serving in the United States Navy during World War II.
She was launched 28 March 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California; sponsored by Mrs. A. O. Williams of Wilmington; acquired 31 July 1944; and commissioned 1 August 1944, Comdr. H. B. Olsen in command.
The first of a new type of attack transport, Gilliam stood out of San Francisco Bay 16 October 1944 with 750 United States Army troops for Oro Bay, New Guinea, and delivered them to that port 4 November. Embarking nearly 1000 troops of the U.S. 11th Airborne Division, she sailed a week later and off-loaded her passengers at Leyte, subsequently returning to Humboldt Bay, New Guinea, 22 November. Gilliam got underway again 29 November under orders to steam to Leyte Gulf and embark elements of the 6th Army Headquarters for passage to Lingayen Gulf.
Gilliam was part of a 36-ship convoy churning toward the Philippines when, on 5 December 1944, the convoy came under heavy air attack while 100 miles (160 km) from Leyte Gulf. At 12:18 Gilliam spotted a plane coming in low on the water at deck level, headed for the middle of the convoy. Coming under limited fire, the Japanese plane released a torpedo 2 minutes later which smashed into SS Antoine Saugrain. Just after 12:30 two more planes came in low and fast, and one got another torpedo into the stricken merchantman, which was then dead in the water.
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