US Navy Auxiliary Ships: Leedstown (AP-73) Class

USS Leedstown (AP-72) on 12 September 1942
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        LEEDSTOWN (AP-73)
Design:        Pass. & Cargo, 1933
Displacement (tons):        4,247 light
Dimensions (feet):        508' oa, 484' wl (?) x 72' x 25.9'
Original Armament:        1-4"/50 4-3"/50
Later armaments:        --
Complement:        --
Speed (kts.):        19
Propulsion (HP):
Machinery:        Geared turbines, 2 screws

Construction:

AP	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
73	LEEDSTOWN	6 Aug 42	Federal SB & DD, Kearny	--	1933	24 Sep 42

Disposition:

AP	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
73	LEEDSTOWN	--	7 Dec 42	9 Nov 42	Lost	--

Class Notes:
FY 1942. "To comply with its mail contracts, Grace ordered four new ships, the SANTA ROSA class, from Federal Shipbuilding Co. Kearney, New Jersey. The ships were delivered in 1932-1933. They were designed by William Francis Gibbs, who had also drawn plans of Matson's MALOLO and was later to draw those of the AMERICA and the record-breaker UNITED STATES. These ships had some general resemblance to MALOLO, with her great beam and low stern. Their original gross tonnage of 11,200 was later reduced to 9,135 by the cutting of tonnage openings in # 6 shelter deck. Their power plants were at the time second to none in efficiency. Each of the water tube steam generators with a pressure of 430 lbs. produced 6000 hp. and each ship could make 18-1/2 knots with only three boilers active. The main engines were double reduction turbines. The passenger capacity of the SANTA ROSA class was 209 in first class and about 50 in steerage. With the new quartet the Grace Line established the first passenger service between New York and Seattle. The first ship, the SANTA ROSA, sailed November 26, 1932; the last, SANTA ELENA, April 4, 1933. It was not long before other companies complained that, since Grace ships were subsidized for foreign trade, they should not compete in the coastwise business. By the end of 1934 Seattle ceased to be a port of call and the voyage ended in San Francisco. Since three ships could now maintain the service, the SANTA LUCIA was reassigned to the South American run. Late in 1936 Grace acquired the Red D Line and its Caribbean Service, and early in 1937 SANTA ROSA, SANTA PAULA & SANTA ELENA entered that service. In 1937 the SANTA LUCIA was involved in a rescue of passengers at sea, when she took aboard about 100 passengers from the burning Chilean Line steamer PUDETO off Point Atico, Peru." Extracted from: http://www.islandnet.com/~reh/History.htm

The War Shipping Administration took over SANTA LUCIA in February 1942 to support Army troop movements, probably converting her at New York. She was given 1-4"/50 gun aft and 2-3"/50 forward. She made two voyages carrying Army troops to the southwest Pacific before transiting the Panama Canal in July enroute to New York, where the Navy took her over in August.

On 1 Aug 42 CominCh directed that arrangements be made immediately for the partial conversion and the manning by Navy crews of ten vessels, which he specified by name and which became AP 42-43 and 66-73, that were scheduled for use in connection with "prospective movements overseas of U. S. troops." (the North Africa landings). On 3 Aug 42 the Auxiliary Vessels Board directed acquisition of these ships from WSA and that, when acquired, they be Navy manned and converted to modified combat loaded transports. Specifically, it recommended that provision be made for carrying the maximum number of landing boats and tank lighters, including adequate fuel stowage for them, along with the accomplishment of such other conversion features as may be applicable on a not-to-delay basis. The Board noted that the program was an urgent one--the conversions were to be completed within 30 days of the arrival of the ships at the conversion yards or as soon thereafter as possible. Conversion instructions for this ship called for 8 Welin davits and stowage for 28 to 30 landing craft and 2 tank lighters.

WSA took over her three sisters as troopships in January 1942. All supported the North Africa invasion in late 1942. One, SANTA ELENA, was torpedoed off Philippeville, Algeria, on 6 Nov 43 and the other two, SANTA PAULA and SANTA ROSA, resumed passenger service to the Caribbean after the war. They were replaced by new ships of the same names in the late 1950s and were sold to Greek owners in 1961.

Ship Notes:

AP	Name	Notes
73	LEEDSTOWN	(ex-SANTA LUCIA). Converted for Navy by Robins DD (Todd Erie Basin), Brooklyn, N.Y. Torpedoed and bombed by German aircraft and by U-331 off Algiers.