Name USS Earheart (DE-603) Laid down 20 March 1945 Commissioned 26 July 1945 Launched 12 May 1945 | Namesake James E. Earheart, Jr. Sponsored by Mrs. James Earheart Construction started 20 March 1945 Builder Hingham | |
Reclassified APD-113, while under construction | ||
USS Earheart (APD-113), ex-DE-603, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946.
Contents
Construction and commissioning
Earheart was laid down as the Rudderow-class destroyer escort USS Earheart (DE-603) on 20 March 1945 by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., at Hingham, Massachusetts. She was reclassified as a Crosley-class high-speed transport and redesignated APD-113 during construction, and was launched on 12 May 1945, sponsored by Mrs. James Earheart, mother of the ship's namesake, Private First Class James E. Earheart, Jr. Earheart was commissioned on 26 July 1945 with Lieutenant Commander N. M. Goodhue in command.
Service history
Earheart conducted shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during which World War II ended with the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945. She then moved to Providence, Rhode Island, to celebrate Navy Day on 27 October 1945. Earheart then moved on to Green Cove Springs, Florida, for inactivation.
Decommissioning and disposal
Earheart was decommissioned at Green Cove Springs on 29 April 1946 and berthed there with the Florida Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in the St. Johns River. She was stricken from the Navy List on 12 December 1963.
Mexican Navy service
Earheart was transferred to Mexico on 12 December 1963. In Mexican Navy service she was named ARM Papaloapan (H04) after the Papaloapan River. She was later assigned the new pennant number of B04. Papaloapan ran aground in 1976 and was discarded by the Mexican Navy and scrapped that year.