NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Harry Lee

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
AP17, 2.1943- APA10	Harry Lee (ex-Exochorda)	395	New York SB, Camden // Todd, Hoboken	11.1929	18.10.1930	1.1931 // 12.1940	to Turkey 4.1948
AP50	Joseph Hewes (ex-Excalibur)	394	New York SB, Camden //	11.1929	5.8.1930	12.1930 // 5.1942	sunk 11.11.1942
AP51, 2.1943- APA23	John Penn (ex-Excambion)	397	New York SB, Camden //	10.1930	28.5.1931	8.1931 // 4.1942	sunk 13.8.1943
AP52	Edward Rutledge (ex-Exeter)	396	New York SB, Camden //	8.1930	4.4.1931	6.1931 // 4.1942	sunk 7.12.1942

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	9989
Displacement full, t	14520
Length, m	144.9
Breadth, m	18.8
Draught, m	7.70
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 set Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Power, h. p.	7200
Max speed, kts	16
Fuel, t	oil 1462
Endurance, nm(kts)	12500(12)
Armament	4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 10.17, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90
Military load	22 LCVP, 2 - 4 LCM(3), cargo, troops by 1945: 2 LCM(3), 13 LCVP, 1 LCPL, 1 LCPR, 1200t of cargo, 1118 marines
Complement	453

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.

Harry Lee class ships were ex-cargo-passenger vessels of American Export Lines.

Modernizations

by 1945 survived ships were armed with 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 10.17, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 16 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

1/1946: 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20/21, 2 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 16 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

Naval service

Joseph Hewes (planned APA22) was sunk by German submarine U173 11.11.1942 off Morocco coast, Edward Rutledge (planned APA24) was torpedoed by German submarine U130 12.11.1942 at the same area. John Penn was sunk by Japanese torpedo bombers off Lunga Point (Guadalcanal) 13.8.1943.