Name USS Cullman (APA-78) Sponsored by Mrs. G. E. Kenyon Commissioned 25 January 1945 Launched 17 November 1944 Displacement 3.853 million kg | Namesake A county in Alabama Acquired 24 January 1944 Decommissioned 22 May 1946 Length 130 m | |
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Builder Consolidated Steel Corporation | ||
The USS Cullman (APA-78) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II. Commissioned late in the war, she was initially assigned to transport duties and consequently did not participate in combat operations.
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Cullman was named after a county in Alabama. She was launched 17 November 1944 by Consolidated Steel at Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; transferred to the navy 24 January 1945; and commissioned the next day, Lieutenant Commander W. B. Dell, USNR, in command.
Operational history
Departing San Francisco 23 March 1945, Cullman arrived at Pearl Harbor 29 March and operated in training and inter-island transport duties until 6 July when she sailed for San Diego. Embarking troops and cargo, Cullman sailed 20 July for calls at Eniwetok and Ulithi on her way to Batangas Bay, Luzon, arriving shortly after the end of hostilities on 20 August. She loaded occupation troops, landed her army passengers at Tokyo Bay from 2 to 4 September, and arrived at Okinawa 7 September.
Transporting occupation troops
Cullman made one voyage to Guam, then landed marines at Taku Bar, China, for the reoccupation of northern China between 30 September and 6 October. Sailing by way of Manila, she lifted Chinese troops from Hong Kong to Taku and Tsingtao in two voyages from 24 October to 21 November.
Operation Magic Carpet
Cullman then joined Operation Magic Carpet, the giant operation tasked with bringing returning servicemen home to the United States for discharge. She embarked homeward-bound servicemen at Manila for San Francisco, arriving 16 December 1945. She made a second voyage to Okinawa between 10 January and 15 February 1946.
Decommission
Cullman then returned to San Francisco where she was decommissioned on 22 May 1946 and transferred to the War Shipping Administration 30 June 1946 for disposal. She was sold for scrap in August 1965.