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USS Botetourt (APA-136)
Encyclopedia
USS Botetourt (APA-136) was a Haskell-class
attack transport
built and used by the US Navy in World War II
and saw further service during the Korean War
. She was a Victory ship
design, VC2-S-AP5. She was named after Botetourt County, Virginia
, USA.
, on 28 October 1944 for outfitting by the Moore Dry Dock Co.; delivered to the Navy on 31 January 1945; and commissioned that same day, Comdr.
William A. Barr, USNR, in command.
Following shakedown training out of San Pedro, California, and amphibious exercises at San Diego, California
, Botetourt completed post-shakedown availability at San Pedro and then moved to San Francisco to load troops and equipment. On 8 April, the attack transport got underway for the New Hebrides Islands
. She arrived at Espiritu Santo
on 22 April. From that time through the end of hostilities in mid-August, the ship transported troops and cargo between many of the islands in the rear areas of the western and southwestern Pacific. She was at Luzon
in the Philippine Islands on 15 August 1945 when the Japanese agreed to capitulate
.
After embarking Japan-bound occupation troops, she departed Manila
on 27 August in company with the other elements of Task Force (TF) 33. The convoy entered Tokyo Bay
on 2 September, the same day that Allied and Japanese representatives formalized the surrender
on board . She unloaded cargo and disembarked troops before heading back to the Philippines on the 4th. The attack transport reached Leyte
in the Philippines on 11 September and spent the next 10 days on the interisland circuit. On 22 September, Botetourt set sail from Abuyog, Leyte, on her way to the Ryukyus. She arrived at Okinawa
on the 25th and—except for a brief period at sea to avoid a typhoon--remained there until early October. On 3 October, she put to sea and headed for Japan with additional occupation troops embarked. The attack transport disembarked her passengers at Aki Nada, Japan, between 5 and 10 October. On the 11th, the ship headed back to Okinawa, where she took on homeward-bound servicemen between the 13th and 16th. She resumed her voyage on the 16th and arrived in San Francisco on the 30th. Botetourt remained in San Francisco until 15 November, when she headed back to the western Pacific. She shuttled passengers between Korea and Japan until January 1946, during which month she returned to the west coast of the United States
.
On 24 January 1946, the attack transport departed Portland, Oregon
, on her way to the east coast
. She made a stop at San Francisco, transited the Panama Canal
, and arrived in Norfolk, Virginia
, where she reported to the Commander, 16th (Atlantic Reserve) Fleet for inactivation overhaul. Botetourt was decommissioned on 5 June 1946 and berthed with the Norfolk Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. There she remained until American participation in the United Nations
' effort to stem North Korean aggression in the summer of 1950 brought an increased need for ships in the active Navy.
, where she embarked marines. From there, Botetourt started out across the Atlantic
on the only Mediterranean
deployment of her career. While serving with the 6th Fleet, she participated in amphibious exercises at Sardinia
, Crete
, and Malta
and visited ports in France
, Greece
, Italy
, and Algeria
. The attack transport departed Oran, Algeria, on 20 September and laid in a course for the United States. Botetourt disembarked her marine contingent at Morehead City on 30 September and reentered Norfolk immediately thereafter.
Her return to Norfolk heralded a resumption of troop lifts and amphibious exercises. Between mid-October and mid-November, she participated in an exercise at Vieques Island in the West Indies and in a similar evolution at Onslow Beach, North Carolina, upon her return. Botetourt reentered Norfolk on 18 November and enjoyed an extended leave and liberty period through the end of the year.
The first three months of 1952 brought more local operations out of Norfolk. On 1 April 1952, she entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
for a two-month regular overhaul. At the conclusion of the repair period, the attack transport headed south to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for refresher training. Upon her return to Norfolk, she conducted additional amphibious training at Little Creek, Virginia In August, Botetourt made a round-trip voyage from the United States to Bremerhaven, Germany, to carry 1,600 Army troops there.
She returned to Norfolk early in September and, after two weeks of upkeep, resumed normal operations out of her home port. Botetourt continued in active service for a little more than three years. Her assignments during that time were quite repetitious. She participated in landing exercise after landing exercise—most frequently at Vieques Island or Onslow Beach. Those duties were punctuated with training cruises for naval reservists and summer training cruises for Naval Academy
and NROTC midshipmen. Throughout that period, she operated either along the east coast or in the West Indies.
On 14 November 1955, Botetourt got underway from Norfolk bound for Philadelphia and inactivation. She arrived at her destination that same day and began preparations for inactivation immediately.
at James River, Virginia. Her name was struck from the Navy list
on 1 July 1961. Ex-Highlands was sold for $288,166 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation for scrapping on 21 August 1974. At 1035 EDT, on 10 October 1974 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and sent to the breaker's yard
.
Haskell class attack transport
Haskell-class attack transports were amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy created in 1944. They were designed to transport 1,500 troops and their combat equipment, and land them on hostile shores with the ships' integral landing craft....
attack transport
Attack transport
Attack Transport is a United States Navy ship classification.-History:In the early 1940s, as the United States Navy expanded in response to the threat of involvement in World War II, a number of civilian passenger ships and some freighters were acquired, converted to transports and given hull...
built and used by the US Navy in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and saw further service during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. She was a Victory ship
Victory ship
The Victory ship was a type of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace shipping losses caused by German submarines...
design, VC2-S-AP5. She was named after Botetourt County, Virginia
Botetourt County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,496 people, 11,700 households, and 9,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 12,571 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
, USA.
World War II service
Botetourt was laid down on 22 August 1944 at Wilmington, California, by the California Shipbuilding Corp. under a Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 52); launched on 19 October 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Robert C. Todd; moved to Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, on 28 October 1944 for outfitting by the Moore Dry Dock Co.; delivered to the Navy on 31 January 1945; and commissioned that same day, Comdr.
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
William A. Barr, USNR, in command.
Following shakedown training out of San Pedro, California, and amphibious exercises at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, Botetourt completed post-shakedown availability at San Pedro and then moved to San Francisco to load troops and equipment. On 8 April, the attack transport got underway for the New Hebrides Islands
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
. She arrived at Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
on 22 April. From that time through the end of hostilities in mid-August, the ship transported troops and cargo between many of the islands in the rear areas of the western and southwestern Pacific. She was at Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
in the Philippine Islands on 15 August 1945 when the Japanese agreed to capitulate
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
.
After embarking Japan-bound occupation troops, she departed Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
on 27 August in company with the other elements of Task Force (TF) 33. The convoy entered Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
on 2 September, the same day that Allied and Japanese representatives formalized the surrender
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that enabled the Surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist...
on board . She unloaded cargo and disembarked troops before heading back to the Philippines on the 4th. The attack transport reached Leyte
Leyte Island
Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
in the Philippines on 11 September and spent the next 10 days on the interisland circuit. On 22 September, Botetourt set sail from Abuyog, Leyte, on her way to the Ryukyus. She arrived at Okinawa
Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and is home to Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. The island has an area of...
on the 25th and—except for a brief period at sea to avoid a typhoon--remained there until early October. On 3 October, she put to sea and headed for Japan with additional occupation troops embarked. The attack transport disembarked her passengers at Aki Nada, Japan, between 5 and 10 October. On the 11th, the ship headed back to Okinawa, where she took on homeward-bound servicemen between the 13th and 16th. She resumed her voyage on the 16th and arrived in San Francisco on the 30th. Botetourt remained in San Francisco until 15 November, when she headed back to the western Pacific. She shuttled passengers between Korea and Japan until January 1946, during which month she returned to the west coast of the United States
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
.
On 24 January 1946, the attack transport departed Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, on her way to the east coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. She made a stop at San Francisco, transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, and arrived in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, where she reported to the Commander, 16th (Atlantic Reserve) Fleet for inactivation overhaul. Botetourt was decommissioned on 5 June 1946 and berthed with the Norfolk Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. There she remained until American participation in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' effort to stem North Korean aggression in the summer of 1950 brought an increased need for ships in the active Navy.
Korean War era service
Botetourt was recommissioned at Norfolk on 23 September 1950, Capt. Robert R. Moore in command. Botetourt spent the rest of 1950 outfitting and conducting shakedown training. January 1951 brought post-shakedown availability at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. She completed repairs on 27 January and, after a week of preparations, put to sea to begin operations out of Norfolk. Between late February and mid-June, the attack transport participated in a series of amphibious exercises and troop lifts. When not so engaged, she conducted independent ship's exercises and type training. In port, upkeep and maintenance occupied her time. On 15 June, she departed Norfolk for Morehead City, North CarolinaMorehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
, where she embarked marines. From there, Botetourt started out across the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
on the only Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
deployment of her career. While serving with the 6th Fleet, she participated in amphibious exercises at Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and visited ports in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. The attack transport departed Oran, Algeria, on 20 September and laid in a course for the United States. Botetourt disembarked her marine contingent at Morehead City on 30 September and reentered Norfolk immediately thereafter.
Her return to Norfolk heralded a resumption of troop lifts and amphibious exercises. Between mid-October and mid-November, she participated in an exercise at Vieques Island in the West Indies and in a similar evolution at Onslow Beach, North Carolina, upon her return. Botetourt reentered Norfolk on 18 November and enjoyed an extended leave and liberty period through the end of the year.
The first three months of 1952 brought more local operations out of Norfolk. On 1 April 1952, she entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
for a two-month regular overhaul. At the conclusion of the repair period, the attack transport headed south to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for refresher training. Upon her return to Norfolk, she conducted additional amphibious training at Little Creek, Virginia In August, Botetourt made a round-trip voyage from the United States to Bremerhaven, Germany, to carry 1,600 Army troops there.
She returned to Norfolk early in September and, after two weeks of upkeep, resumed normal operations out of her home port. Botetourt continued in active service for a little more than three years. Her assignments during that time were quite repetitious. She participated in landing exercise after landing exercise—most frequently at Vieques Island or Onslow Beach. Those duties were punctuated with training cruises for naval reservists and summer training cruises for Naval Academy
Naval Academy
-Institutions:* The United States Naval Academy* The Indian Naval Academy of India* The Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy of Bulgaria* The Imperial Japanese Naval Academy* The École Navale of France* The Britannia Royal Naval College of the United Kingdom...
and NROTC midshipmen. Throughout that period, she operated either along the east coast or in the West Indies.
On 14 November 1955, Botetourt got underway from Norfolk bound for Philadelphia and inactivation. She arrived at her destination that same day and began preparations for inactivation immediately.
Fate
On 27 April 1956, Botetourt was placed out of commission and was berthed with the Philadelphia Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On 12 December 1960, she entered the Maritime Administration's National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
at James River, Virginia. Her name was struck from the Navy list
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 1 July 1961. Ex-Highlands was sold for $288,166 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation for scrapping on 21 August 1974. At 1035 EDT, on 10 October 1974 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and sent to the breaker's yard
Ship breaking
Ship breaking or ship demolition is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for scrap recycling. Most ships have a lifespan of a few decades before there is so much wear that refitting and repair becomes uneconomical. Ship breaking allows materials from the ship, especially...
.