USS Briscoe (APA-65)
| Career (USA) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS Briscoe (APA-65) |
| Namesake: | A county in Texas |
| Builder: | Consolidated Steel |
| Laid down: | 29 March 1944 |
| Launched: | 19 June 1944 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs C. W. Giegerich |
| Acquired: | 29 October 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 29 October 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 29 August 1946 |
| Struck: | 13 July 1948 |
| Fate: | Sunk by USS Duluth (CL-87) off Kwajalein, 6 May 1948 after use as a target in Operation Crossroads |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Gilliam-class attack transport |
| Tonnage: | 85,000 cu. ft., 2,600 t. |
| Displacement: | 4,247 tons (lt), 7,080 t.(fl) |
| Length: | 426 ft (130 m) |
| Beam: | 58 ft (18 m) |
| Draft: | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Propulsion: | Westinghouse turboelectric drive, 2 boilers, 2 propellers, Design shaft horsepower 6,000 |
| Speed: | 16.9 knots |
| Capacity: | 47 Officers, 802 Enlisted |
| Crew: | 27 Officers, 295 Enlisted |
| Armament: | 1 x 5"/38 caliber dual-purpose gun mount, 4 x twin 40mm gun mounts, 10 x single 20mm gun mounts |
| Notes: | MCV Hull No. 1858, hull type S4-SE2-BD1 |
USS Briscoe (APA-65) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II. Arriving late in the war, she was initially assigned to troop transport missions and consequently did not participate in any combat operations.
Briscoe was named after a county in Texas. She was launched 19 June 1944 by Consolidated Steel at Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; acquired by the Navy 29 October 1944; and commissioned the same day, Captain A. J. Detzer in command.
Operational history
World War II
Briscoe departed the United States 5 December 1944 and steamed to Pearl Harbor where she engaged in training and shakedown exercises until 6 April 1945. She then carried troops and cargo between the Marshalls, Marianas, Philippines, and New Guinea
After hostilities
Briscoe departed the Philippines 25 August 1945 for Tokyo Bay, Japan. Upon arrival she joined the naval occupation forces and served primarily as a transport between the Philippine Islands and China. Briscoe departed the Far East 30 November 1945 and returned to the United States.
During the early months of 1946 she made several voyages between the ports of California and the Pacific islands, returning troops to the United States.
Operation Crossroads
In the spring of 1946 Briscoe was assigned as a target ship for Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. Following the atomic tests she was decommissioned at Bikini and maintained for two years for radiological and structural studies. Briscoe was destroyed by sinking 6 May 1948.
References
- Briscoe (APA-65), Hyperwar website (from DANFS)
- APA-65 Briscoe, Navsource Online.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
| ||||||||||||||