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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS AND CRAFT

HEYWOOD amphibious personnel transports

No Name Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
AP12, 2/1943- APA6 Heywood (ex-City of Baltimore, ex-Steadfast) Bethlehem, San Francisco 1919 1919 5/1919 // 1941 for disposal 7/1946
AP14, 2/1943- APA7 Fuller (ex-City of Newport News, ex-Archer) Bethlehem, San Francisco 1919 1919 2/1919 // 4/1941 to Maritime Comm. 7/1946
AP15, 2/1943- APA8 William P. Biddle (ex-City of San Francisco, ex-City of Hamburg, ex-Eclipse) Bethlehem, San Francisco   1919 2/1919 // 2/1941 stricken 6/1946
AP16, 2/1943- APA9 Neville (ex-City of Norfolk, ex-Independence) Bethlehem, San Francisco   1918 11/1918 // 5/1941 stricken 8/1946

 

Displacement standard, t

8789

Displacement full, t

14450

Length, m

154.5

Breadth, m

17.1

Draught, m

7.80

No of shafts

1

Machinery

De Laval geared steam turbine, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Power, h. p.

9500

Max speed, kts

16.8

Fuel, t

oil

Endurance, nm (kts)  

Armament

4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 10/19/20/21, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90

Military load

22 LCVP, 2 - 4 LCM(3), cargo, 1278 troops
Complement 550

Ship project history: USN military transport vessels were sectioned into two groups: ÀÐ for transportation of troops and ÀÊ for carriage of goods and technics. The majority of them were built on the basis of standard types Ñ2, Ñ3 and Ñ4 and differed from usual cargo ships a little.

For delivery of troops and cargoes directly to a beaching place assault landing transport ships (ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ) served, which main difference from ÀÊ and ÀÐ 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 ÀÐ and ÀÊ. In February, 1943 reorganisation was done and assault transports have received indexation ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ.

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 ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ 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 (ÀÐÀ) and Artemis (ÀÊÀ) classes.

Besides the large landing transport ships of ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ 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.

Heywood class transports were former passenger liners of Baltimore Mail Line Co.

Modernizations: by 1945 ships were armed with 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 10/19/20/21, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors, 16 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon.

Naval service: No significant events.  

William P. Biddle

 

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