USS Clermont (APA-143)

USS Clermont (APA-143) was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.

History
United States
Name: USS Clermont
Builder: California Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down: 27 September 1944
Launched: 25 November 1944
Acquired: 27 January 1945
Commissioned: 28 January 1945
Decommissioned: 1 March 1946
Stricken: 20 March 1946
Fate: Sold for scrap, 9 April 1973
General characteristics
Class and type: Haskell-class attack transport
Displacement: 6,873 tons (lt), 14,837 t (fl)
Length: 455 ft (139 m)
Beam: 62 ft (19 m)
Draft: 24 ft (7 m)
Propulsion: 1 × geared turbine, 2 × header-type boilers, 1 × propeller, designed 8,500 shp (6,338 kW)
Speed: 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried:
Capacity:
  • Troops: 86 officers, 1,475 enlisted
  • Cargo: 150,000 cu ft, 2,900 tons
Complement: 56 officers, 480 enlisted
Armament:

Clermont (APA-143) was launched 25 November 1944 by California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. F. Wells; acquired by the Navy 27 January 1945; converted at Kaiser Co., Inc., Vancouver, Washington; and commissioned 28 January 1945, Captain F. E. Shoup in command.

World War II service

Clermont sailed from Port Chicago, California, 10 April 1945 for Pearl Harbor, arriving 16 April. Here she conducted training, then embarked the 126th Construction Battalion. She cleared Pearl Harbor 20 May, for Eniwetok, Ulithi, and Okinawa, arriving 24 June to disembark her troops and cargo. She returned to San Francisco 21 July to embark passengers for Pearl Harbor, arriving there 9 August. After taking Marine units and the 116th Naval Construction Battalion on board, she cleared 1 September for Saipan and Sasebo, where she put her passengers ashore for the occupation of Sasebo Naval Base. After a voyage to the Philippines to carry additional occupation troops to Japan, she carried units of the 5th Marines from Sasebo to Peleliu and sailed on 3 November with homeward bound servicemen to San Diego, arriving 23 November.

Final voyage and fate

Clermont made a second "Operation Magic Carpet" voyage between 8 December 1945 and 11 January 1946. Eleven days later she sailed for Norfolk, Virginia, arriving 4 February. Clermont was decommissioned 1 March 1946, and returned to the Maritime Commission 3 March 1946.

Ex-Clermont was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at James River, Virginia. Between 8 July and 28 September 1955 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet for a Repair Program, GAA- Polarus, and returned. Ex-Clermont was sold for $111,560 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation for scrapping on 9 April 1973. In September 1973[Note 1] she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and sent to the breaker's yard.[1]

Military awards and honors

Clermont received one battle star for World War II service at Okinawa.

See also

Notes
  1. There is a discrepancy on the specific date the ship was withdrawn. It is listed as possibly the 12th or the 21st of September.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

  1. "USS Clermont (APA-143)". navsource.org. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
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