USS Olmsted (APA-188) in 1954
History
United States
NameOlmsted
NamesakeOlmsted County, Minnesota
Orderedas a Type VC2-S-AP5 hull, MCE hull 656[1]
BuilderKaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Yard number656[1]
Laid down11 April 1944
Launched4 July 1944
Sponsored byMrs. Duncan Gregg
Commissioned5 September 1944
Decommissioned21 February 1947
Recommissioned2 February 1952
Decommissioned27 February 1959
Stricken1 July 1960
Identification
Motto"You Call We Haul"
Honors and
awards		1 × battle stars for World War II service
FateSold for scrapping, 1 August 1981
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeHaskell-class attack transport
TypeType VC2-S-AP5
Displacement
  • 6,873 long tons (6,983 t) (light load)
  • 14,837 long tons (15,075 t) (full load)
Length455 ft (139 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draft24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed17.7 kn (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) (ship's trials)
Boats & landing
craft carried
Capacity
  • 2,900 long tons (2,900 t) DWT
  • 150,000 cu ft (4,200 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Troops87 officers, 1,475 enlisted
Complement99 officers, 593 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of: TransRon 14
Operations: Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (1–22 April 1945)
Awards:

USS Olmsted (APA-188) was a Haskell-class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Olmsted was named for Olmsted County, Minnesota.

World War II service

Olmsted (APA–188), approved 16 March 1944, was laid down by Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, Washington, 11 April 1944, as MCV Hull no. 656; launched 4 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Duncan Gregg; accepted and commissioned 5 September 1944.[3]

Western Pacific operations

On completion of shakedown 27 October 1944, Olmsted joined the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Transporting troops and supplies in support of amphibious operations, she spent the last year of the war in the Pacific Ocean with an itinerary that reads like a summary of the war's climactic stages: New Guinea, the Admiralties, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Okinawa and Japan.[3]

Apparently charmed, she was bombed at Luzon and again at Okinawa without damage. Twice before the surrender of Japan, she returned to the States to lift reserve troops into the battle zone. She was in Japan to participate in the first occupational landings there, debarking the Army's 81st (Wildcat) Division.[3]

Getting U.S. troops back to the States

Landing the 81st at Honshū was Olmsted’s last full dress amphibious operation before post war “Operation Magic Carpet” duty. Olmsted made three voyages from the states to the war torn Western Pacific to return veterans and materials until she was ordered to the U.S. East Coast for deactivation.[3]

Reactivated during Korean War

On 21 February 1947, Olmsted was placed out of commission in reserve at Norfolk, Virginia. Due to deteriorating international conditions, Olmsted was recalled to active service and commissioned 2 February 1952 under command of Captain R. C. Leonard, and assigned to the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.[3]

After shakedown, operating out of Norfolk, Olmsted participated in training exercises along the U.S. East Coast, at Guantánamo Bay and in the Mediterranean conducting amphibious assault landings. Her primary mission was training Marines and Sailors in Amphibious Warfare tactics. She also conducted training cruises for Midshipmen and Naval Reservists. With interim periods for overhaul and operational readiness training, Olmsted served in this capacity until she decommissioned 27 February 1959, at Norfolk, Virginia, and was assigned to the Norfolk Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet,[3] 14 January 1960.[4]

Fate

Transferred to the custody of MARAD, 30 June 1960, Olmsted was struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1960.[3]

On 1 August 1983,[5] the Waterman Steamship Corporation bought Olmsted and then resold her to Balbao Desquaces Maritimos for scrapping. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 16 September 1983.[4]

Military awards and honors

Olmsted earned one battle stars for service in World War II.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Kaiser Vancouver 2010.
  2. ↑ Navsource 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DANFS 2015.
  4. 1 2 MARAD.
  5. ↑ NVR LPA 188 2007.

Bibliography

Online resources

  • "Olmsted". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2018.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "Kaiser Vancouver, Vancouver WA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  • "USS Olmsted (LPA-188)". Navsource.org. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  • "Olmsted (APA-188)". United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  • "OLMSTED (LPA 188)". Navy Vessel Register. 5 April 2007. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
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