NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Pierce

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
APA49	Ormsby (ex-Twillight)	224	Moore, Oakland	7.1942	20.10.1942	3.1943	stricken 4.1946
APA50	Pierce (ex-Northern Lights)	225	Moore, Oakland	7.1942	10.10.1942	6.1943	stricken 4.1946
APA51	Sheridan (ex-Messenger)	226	Moore, Oakland	8.1942	11.11.1942	7.1943	stricken 4.1946

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	7300
Displacement full, t	13910
Length, m	132.6 wl 140.0 oa
Breadth, m	19.2
Draught, m	7.32 full load
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 set General Electric geared steam turbines, 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers
Power, h. p.	6000
Max speed, kts	16.5
Fuel, t	oil 1380
Endurance, nm(kts)	12000(15.5)
Armament	2 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 12 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 4
Military load	26 LCVP, 2 LCM(3), 2700 t of cargo, 1548 troops by 1945: 2 LCM(6), 1 LCM(3), 19 LCVP, 1 LCPL, 1 LCPR, 2700 t of cargo, 1615 marines
Electronic equipment	presumably SF or SG or SH or SL or SO or SU radar
Complement	524

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small landing parties and subversive groups were landed by fast landing transports (APD) converted from become outdated Wickes and Clemson classes destroyers and destroyer escorts of Buckley and Rudderow classes.

Ormsby class transport belonged to standard C2-S-B1 type.

Modernizations

None.

1/1946: 2 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 12 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, SF or SG or SH or SL or SO or SU radar

Naval service

No significant events.