Ordered as type VC2-S-AP5 Acquired 19 July 1944 Decommissioned 17 May 1946 Launched 29 September 1944 Displacement 11.29 million kg | Laid down date unknown Commissioned 1 November 1944 Struck date unknown Length 139 m Draft 7.32 m | |
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USS Effingham (APA-165) was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.
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World War II service
Effingham (APA-165) was launched 29 September 1944 by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oregon, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. J. C. Casada; transferred to the Navy 19 July 1944; and commissioned 1 November 1944, Commander C. H. McLaughlin, USNR, in command.
Landing troops and supplies at Okinawa
Sailing from San Francisco, California, 2 January 1945, Effingham trained at Guadalcanal with the 1st Marines, then staged at Ulithi for the invasion landings on Okinawa 1 April. For 6 days she remained off the island, unloading her cargo and fighting off enemy air attacks. She returned to San Francisco for overhaul, then arrived back at Okinawa 12 August.
End-of-war operations
With the end of the war, she transported troops to Jinsen, Korea, and Taku, China, for the reoccupation of those countries. In October and November she embarked Chinese troops at Hong Kong for transfer to Chinwangtao and Tsingtao. She returned to the U.S. west coast in December bringing home servicemen, and after a similar voyage to the Far East on "Operation Magic Carpet" duty (which also returned Mochitsura Hashimoto to Japan after he testified at the Charles B. McVay III court-martial), sailed for the U.S. East Coast.
Post-war decommissioning
She was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, 17 May 1946, and returned to the Maritime Commission for disposal 3 days later.
Military awards and honors
Effingham received one battle star for World War II service.