USS Cleburne (APA-73)

History
United States
Name: USS Cleburne (APA-73)
Namesake: General Patrick Cleburne, CSA
Builder: Consolidated Steel
Launched: 27 September 1944
Sponsored by: Mrs J. E. Trainer
Acquired: 21 December 1944
Commissioned: 22 December 1944
Decommissioned: 7 June 1946
Fate: scrapped in 1965
General characteristics
Class & 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: 17 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. ?, hull type S4-SE2-BD1

USS Cleburne (APA-73) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II. Commissioned late in the war, she was initially assigned to transport duties and consequently did not participate in combat operations.

Cleburne was named after General Patrick Cleburne, CSA. She was launched 27 September 1944 by Consolidated Steel at Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; acquired by the Navy 21 December 1944; and commissioned the next day, Lieutenant Commander F. T. Callaghan in command.

Operational history

World War II

From 12 February 1945 to 10 June, Cleburne made two voyages from west coast ports to conduct training in the Hawaiian Islands, returning each time with passengers and hospital patients. She sailed from San Francisco 28 June to transfer troops in the western Pacific, calling at Eniwetok, Guam, Ulithi, Okinawa, ports in the Philippines, and Jinsen, Korea. During this time the war ended.

After hostilities

Cleburne arrived at Portland, Oregon, from the Far East 13 November. On 7 December she sailed to carry men to Shanghai and Tsingtao, China, returning to San Francisco 13 February 1946.

Operation Crossroads

Cleburne arrived at Pearl Harbor 1 March 1946, and there was decommissioned 7 June 1946. After use in Operation Crossroads, the atomic weapons tests at Bikini Atoll, she was towed to San Francisco and transferred to the Maritime Commission 7 July 1947. She was sold for scrap in June 1965.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

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