USS Noble (APA-218)

USS Noble (APA-218), underway off San Diego, December 1956
History
United States
Name:	Noble
Namesake:	Noble County, Indiana, Noble County, Ohio, and Noble County, Oklahoma
Ordered:	as a Type VC2-S-AP5 hull, MCE hull 566
Builder:	Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Yard number:	566
Laid down:	20 July 1944
Launched:	18 October 1944
Sponsored by:	Mrs Maxine C. Jones
Commissioned:	27 November 1944
Decommissioned:	1 July 1964
Struck:	1964
Identification:	Hull symbol: APA-218 Code letters: NPQR
Honors and awards:	1 × battle star for World War II service 6 × battle stars for Korean War service
Fate:	Sold to the Spanish Navy, 19 December 1964
Spain
Name:	Aragón
Namesake:	Autonomous Community of Aragon
Acquired:	19 December 1964
Decommissioned:	1980
Struck:	1 January 1983
Identification:	Hull symbol: TA-11
Fate:	laid up in reserve, 1980
Status:	scrapped 1987
General characteristics
Class and type:	Haskell-class attack transport
Type:	Type VC2-S-AP5
Displacement:	6,873 long tons (6,983 t) (light load) 14,837 long tons (15,075 t) (full load)
Length:	455 ft (139 m)
Beam:	62 ft (19 m)
Draft:	24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power:	2 × Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 465 psi (3,210 kPa) 750 °F (399 °C) 8,500 shp (6,338 kW)
Propulsion:	1 × Westinghouse geared turbine 1 x propeller
Speed:	17.7 kn (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried:	2 × LCMs 1 × open LCPL 18 × LCVPs 2 × LCPRs 1 × closed LCPL (Captain's Gig)
Capacity:	2,900 long tons (2,900 t) DWT 150,000 cu ft (4,200 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Troops:	87 officers, 1,475 enlisted
Complement:	56 officers, 480 enlisted
Armament:	1 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual purpose gun 1 × quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) gun mounts 4 × twin 40mm Bofors (AA) gun mounts 10 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon cannons AA mounts
Service record
Part of:	TransRon 21 (WWII)
Operations:	World War II Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (1–5 April 1945) Korean War Inchon Landing (14–17 September 1950) North Korean Aggression (18–21 September, 8–31 October 1950) Communist China Aggression (2–28 December 1950) First UN Counter Offensive (8–11 February, 27 February–6 March 1951) UN Summer–Fall Offensive (6, 11–14 November 1951) Second Korean Winter (22–23 January, 3–4 February 1952) Vietnam War Vietnam Advisory Campaign (24 April–4 May, 27 August–12 September, 1–10 November 1963)
Awards:	World War II Navy Unit Commendation China Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal National Defense Service Medal Korean War Korean Service Medal United Nations Korea Medal Republic of Korea War Service Medal Vietnam War Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

USS Noble (APA-218) was a Haskell-class attack transport which saw service with the US Navy in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. She was later transferred to the Spanish Navy in the 1964 under a mutual assistance agreement. Noble was named after Noble County, Indiana, Noble County, Ohio, and Noble County, Oklahoma.

Noble was laid down 20 July 1944, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCV hull 566, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California; as a modified Victory ship; completed by the Kaiser Shipyard at Richmond; launched 18 October 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Maxine C. Jones; acquired by the Navy 27 November 1944; and commissioned the same day, Commander, later Rear Admiral, Solomon S. Isquith in command.

Noble's primary mission was to transport to a combat area the men and some of the material necessary for an assault on an enemy shore. Her main armament, her boat group, was designed to deliver her troops and cargo to the beach in a planned and orderly fashion. After discharging troops and equipment, she could evacuate casualties or prisoners of war.

In January 1945, Noble steamed westward to participate in the Okinawa campaign.