USS Jack C. Robinson (APD-72)

USS Jack C. Robinson
Career (United States)
Name: USS Jack C. Robinson
Namesake: Private First Class Jack C. Robinson (1922-1942), U.S. Marine Corps Silver Star recipient
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas
Launched: 8 January 1944
Sponsored by: Mrs. Clem F. Robinson
Reclassified: APD-72, 27 June 1944
Commissioned: 2 February 1945
Decommissioned: 13 December 1946
Struck: 1 December 1966
Honors and
awards:		 1 battle star, World War II
Fate: Transferred to Chile
Career (Chile)
Name: Orella (APD-27)
General characteristics
Class and type:Charles Lawrence-class high-speed transport
Displacement:1,400 long tons (1,422 t)
Length:306 ft (93 m) overall
Beam:36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
Draft:13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) maximum
Installed power:12,000 shaft horsepower (16 megawatts)
Propulsion:Two boilers; two GE steam turbines (turbo-electric transmission)
Speed:24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph)
Range:6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Troops:162
Complement:186
Armament:• 1 × 5 in (130 mm) gun
• 6 × 40 mm guns
• 6 × 20 mm guns
• 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Jack C. Robinson (APD-72), ex-DE-671, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946.

Construction and commissioning

Jack C. Robinson was laid down as the Buckley-class destroyer escort USS Jack C. Robinson (DE-671) by the Dravo Corporation at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and launched as such on 8 January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Clem F. Robinson, mother of the ship‍ '​s namesake, Private First Class Jack C. Robinson. The ship was reclassified as a Charles Lawrence-class high-speed transport and redesignated APD-72 on 27 June 1944, and was towed to Orange, Texas, for fitting out by the Consolidated Steel Corporation there. After conversion to her new role, the ship was commissioned at Orange on 2 February 1945 with Lieutenant Commander W. W. Bowie in command.

Service history

World War II

After shakedown in the Caribbean, Jack C. Robinson departed Norfolk, Virginia, on 31 March 1945 to join the United States Pacific Fleet for World War II service in the Pacific, arriving at San Diego, California, on 14 April 1945. On 24 April 1945 she arrived at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, to begin a month of intensive training. Arriving at Ulithi Atoll on 21 May 1945, she took up duty as an escort vessel for the massive supply convoys between staging bases and the forward areas. In June 1945 she moved to Okinawa for antisubmarine patrol offshore in support of the Okinawa campaign, departing Okinawa on 17 July 1945 to take up similar duty in the Philippine Islands.

Postwar

After the surrender of Japan brought World War II to an end on 15 August 1945, Jack C. Robinson engaged in convoy duties supporting the Allied occupation of Japan and the former Japanese Empire before returning via the Panama Canal to Norfolk early in 1946.

After exercises in the Caribbean, Jack C. Robinson arrived at the New York Naval Shipyard at Brooklyn, New York, on 24 May 1946 for extensive repairs. She then was towed to Green Cove Springs, Florida, for inactivation, arriving there on 30 October 1946.

Decommissioning and disposal

Jack C. Robinson was decommissioned at Green Cove Springs on 13 December 1946 and placed in the Florida Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet on the St. Johns River there. She later was moved to the Texas Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Orange, Texas.

After 20 years of inactivity in reserve, Jack C. Robinson was stricken from the Navy List on 1 December 1966.

Chilean Navy service

Jack C. Robinson was sold to Chile under the Military Assistance Program. She served in the Chilean Navy as Orella (APD-27) until stricken and scrapped.

Honors and awards

Jack C. Robinson received one battle star for her World War II service off Okinawa.

References