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USS Pondera (APA-191)
Encyclopedia
USS Pondera (APA-191) was a Haskell-class
attack transport
acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II
for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.
, 28 April 1944; launched 27 July 1944; sponsored by Miss Elinor C. Gottlieb; delivered to the Navy and commissioned 24 September 1944, Comdr. Lawrence J. Hasse in command.
, Pondera remained in California
waters, training pre-commissioning crews for APAs, until 23 January 1945. Two weeks of amphibious training followed and in February she departed San Francisco, California
, for Hawaii
. After further amphibious training she carried the 81st Construction Battalion
to Okinawa, anchoring off Hagushi
26 April. Later shifting to Nakagusuku Wan, she disembarked troops there 3–4 May and during the night assisted , damaged by a suicide boat. On the 8th she departed, with casualties embarked, for Saipan
, whence she sailed to San Francisco, California.
, Leyte
, in July, and was en route on her third transpacific run when the war ended. Arriving at Ulithi
25 August, she sailed to Guam
, disembarked half of her troops there, then continued on to Okinawa to discharge the remainder. In mid-September she took on men of the U.S. XXIV Corps
and on the 24th debarked them at Jinsen, Korea
. In October she carried further elements of that Corps to Korea
, then, after replenishing at Manila
, joined TransRon 17, 8 November, at Hong Kong
, to lift troops of the 8th Chinese Nationalist Army to Tsingtao. Completing that mission 16 November, Pondera reported for Operation Magic Carpet duty and on 20 November arrived at San Diego, California
, with units of the 5th Marine Division. She completed her second and last "Magic Carpet" run at San Francisco 9 March 1946 and ten days later got underway for the U.S. East Coast and inactivation.
, 6 April, she decommissioned and was transferred to the Maritime Commission 6 June 1946. Struck from the Navy List
19 June 1946, she was laid up in the James River, Virginia, berthing area, National Defense Reserve Fleet
, where she remained into 1974 when she was sold for scrapping.
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...
acquired by the U.S. Navy during 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...
for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.
World War II service
Pondera (APA–191), built under Maritime Commission contact (MCV hull 659), was laid down by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, WashingtonVancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
, 28 April 1944; launched 27 July 1944; sponsored by Miss Elinor C. Gottlieb; delivered to the Navy and commissioned 24 September 1944, Comdr. Lawrence J. Hasse in command.
Landing Seabee’s and troops and their equipment on Okinawa
Following shakedownShakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
, Pondera remained in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
waters, training pre-commissioning crews for APAs, until 23 January 1945. Two weeks of amphibious training followed and in February she departed San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, for Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. After further amphibious training she carried the 81st Construction Battalion
Seabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
to Okinawa, anchoring off Hagushi
Hagushi
Hagushi bay was the primary unloading point for American supplies during the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. The bay, at the mouth of the Bishi River , was the dividing line between the First and Sixth US Marine divisions, which landed on the Hagushi beaches to the north, and the Seventh...
26 April. Later shifting to Nakagusuku Wan, she disembarked troops there 3–4 May and during the night assisted , damaged by a suicide boat. On the 8th she departed, with casualties embarked, for Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, whence she sailed to San Francisco, California.
End-of-war "mopping-up" operations
She completed a second troop lift to the Far EastFar East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, in July, and was en route on her third transpacific run when the war ended. Arriving at Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
25 August, she sailed to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, disembarked half of her troops there, then continued on to Okinawa to discharge the remainder. In mid-September she took on men of the U.S. XXIV Corps
U.S. XXIV Corps
XXIV Corps was a U.S. Army Corps-level command during World War II and the Vietnam War.XXIV Corps was activated at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, on 8 April 1944. It participated in the invasion of Leyte in the Philippine Islands on 20 October 1944, with the 7th Infantry Division and 96th Infantry Division...
and on the 24th debarked them at Jinsen, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. In October she carried further elements of that Corps to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, then, after replenishing at 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,...
, joined TransRon 17, 8 November, at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, to lift troops of the 8th Chinese Nationalist Army to Tsingtao. Completing that mission 16 November, Pondera reported for Operation Magic Carpet duty and on 20 November arrived 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...
, with units of the 5th Marine Division. She completed her second and last "Magic Carpet" run at San Francisco 9 March 1946 and ten days later got underway for the U.S. East Coast and inactivation.
Post-war decommissioning
Arriving at Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, 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....
, 6 April, she decommissioned and was transferred to the Maritime Commission 6 June 1946. Struck from the Navy List
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
19 June 1946, she was laid up in the James River, Virginia, berthing area, National Defense Reserve Fleet
National 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...
, where she remained into 1974 when she was sold for scrapping.