USS Montour (APA-101)

USS Montour (APA-101), c. 1945-46
Career
Namesake: A county in Pennsylvania
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down: 20 October 1943
Launched: 10 March 1944
Christened: USS Montour
Commissioned: 9 December 1944
Decommissioned: 19 April 1946
Fate: Scrapped, 1977.
Notes: MC Hull No. 868.
Type C3-S-A2.
Sponsor: Mrs. Walter Gulley
General characteristics
Class and type:Bayfield-class attack transport
Displacement:8,100 tons, 16,100 tons fully loaded
Length:492 ft (150 m)
Beam:69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Draft:26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Propulsion:General Electric geared turbine, 2 x Foster Wheeler D-type boilers, single propeller, designed shaft horsepower 8,500
Speed:18 knots
Boats and landing
craft carried:
12 x LCVP, 4 x LCM (Mk-6), 3 x LCP(L) (MK-IV)
Capacity:4,500 tons (180,500 cu. ft).
Complement:Crew: 51 officers, 524 enlisted
Flag: 43 officers, 108 enlisted.
Troops: 80 officers, 1,146 enlisted
Armament:2 x single 5 inch/38 cal. dual purpose gun mounts, one fore and one aft.

2 × twin 40mm AA gun mounts.
2 x single 40mm AA gun mounts.

18 x single 20mm AA gun mounts

USS Montour (APA-101) was a Bayfield-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.

Montour was laid down under Maritime Commission Contract 20 October 1943 by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi; launched 10 March 1944; acquired by the Navy on a load charter basis and placed in partial commission 9 June 1944 to steam to Brooklyn, New York, for conversion by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation; and commissioned at New York 9 December 1944, Captain James H. Thatch, Jr., in command.

Operational history

Transport missions

Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Montour sailed for Hawaii, arriving Pearl Harbor 1 February 1945. Three days later, she proceeded to San Pedro, California, where she reported for yard work. Between 26 March and 1 August, she made two voyages to the Marianas. She embarked troops at San Francisco 11 August, and sailed for the Philippines, arriving San Pedro Bay, Leyte, on 5 September.

Occupation and demobilization missions

Assigned to transport troops destined for occupation duty in Japan, Montour departed Lingayen Gulf, arriving at Wakayama Ko, Honshū, 7 October. Montour debarked soldiers at Ise Wan, Honshū 27 October, and then reported for duty with the Operation Magic Carpet fleet for the next four months. She made two voyages from Okinawa to the West Coast, disembarking troops at Portland and San Francisco.

Decommissioning

Returning to the East Coast, she decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, 19 April 1946. Delivered to the War Shipping Administration 23 April, Montour was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 8 May.

Commercial service

Montour was sold into commercial service in 1947, and scrapped in 1977.

References