NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Samuel Chase

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
AP55, 2.1943- APA25	Arthur Middleton (ex-African Comet)	265	Ingalls, Pascagoula // Bethlehem, San Francisco	7.1940	28.6.1941	9.1942	stricken 10.1958
AP56, 2.1943- APA26	Samuel Chase (ex-African Meteor)	266	Ingalls, Pascagoula	8.1940	25.8.1941	6.1942	stricken 10.1958
AP57, 2.1943- APA27	George Clymer (ex-African Planet)	267	Ingalls, Pascagoula	10.1940	27.9.1941	6.1942	stricken 1967

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	10812 - 11760
Displacement full, t	18000
Length, m	149.1
Breadth, m	21.3
Draught, m	8,30
No of shafts	1
Machinery	General Electric geared steam turbine, 2 Foster Wheeler boilers
Power, h. p.	8500
Max speed, kts	16.5
Fuel, t	oil 1392
Endurance, nm(kts)	11000(15)
Armament	1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90
Military load	22 LCVP, 2 - 4 LCM(3), cargo, 1304 troops by 1945: 4 LCM(6), 18 LCVP, 3 LCPL, 2 LCPR, 2700t of cargo, 1240 marines
Electronic equipment	probably SC or SF or SL radar
Complement	578

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

USN military transport vessels were sectioned into two groups: АР for transportation of troops and АК for carriage of goods and technics. The majority of them were built on the basis of standard types С2, С3 and С4 and differed from usual cargo ships a little.

For delivery of troops and cargoes directly to a beaching place assault landing transport ships (АРА and АКА) served, which main difference from АК and АР consisted that they were extra equipped with disembarkation craft of LCVP, LCM and LCP (L) types; with their help delivery of people and cargoes to beach also was effected.

Originally similar ships were not outlined in own subclass and were registered as АР and АК. In February, 1943 reorganisation was done and assault transports have received indexation АРА and АКА.

Two ships of Doyen class, projected even on the eve of war for landing operations in Caribbean basin, became the first American assault military transports. The overwhelming majority of remaining АРА and АКА has been converted from merchant cargo and cargo-passenger vessels or constructed in hulls of standard cargo vessels built by the big series in days of war. An exception were specially projected as assault transports Gilliam (АРА) and Artemis (АКА) classes.

Besides the large landing transport ships of АРА and АКА classes, small landing parties and subversive groups were landed by fast landing transports (APD) converted from become outdated Wickes and Clemson classes destroyers and destroyer escorts of Buckley and Rudderow classes.

Arthur Middleton class transports were built in standard C3-P type hulls.

Modernizations

by 1945 ships were armed with 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 10 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

1/1946: 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20/21, 2 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 10 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

Naval service

No significant events.