US Navy Auxiliary Ships: Anne Arundel (AP-76) Class

USS Anne Arundel on 20 September 1942.
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Class:        ANNE ARUNDEL (AP-76)
Design:        MC C3-Cargo (Federal)
Displacement (tons):        7,980 light, 14,400 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        492.0' oa, 465.0' pp x 69.5' e x 24.0' lim.
Original Armament:        1-4"/50 4-3"/50 8-20mm (1942)
Later armaments:        1-5"/51 4-3"/50 12-20mm (1943);
4-3"/50 2-40mmT 12<20-20mm (1943)
Complement:        438 (1944)
Speed (kts.):        18.4
Propulsion (HP):        8,500
Machinery:        De Laval turbine, 1 screw

Construction:

AP	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
76	ANNE ARUNDEL	13 Sep 42	Federal SB & DD, Kearny	18 Jul 40	16 Nov 40	17 Sep 42

Disposition:

AP	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
76	ANNE ARUNDEL	21 Mar 46	12 Apr 46	21 Mar 46	RTO	--

Class Notes:
FY 1943. Subsequent to the decision to acquire ten transports (AP 42-43 and AP 66-73) for the North African landings, CominCh verbally requested that two additional ships be acquired for this purpose. On 9 Sep 42 the Auxiliary Vessels Board directed acquisition of two WSA ships including MORMACYORK (later ANNE ARUNDEL) that were available for this purpose and that were already undergoing conversion by the Army. The Army conversion included the fitting of accomodations for additional troops and the installation of thirty-ton booms and the maximum number of davits for landing craft together with increased fuel stowage capacity for the boats. The Army had taken custody of MORMACYORK at New York from the MC on 19 Aug 42. The Army planned to complete this work on or before 12 Sep 42, at which time it expected the Navy to acquire the ships. The Army conversions did not include accomodations for Navy crews, and the Board recommended that as much additional conversion work as possible be accomplished prior to the time that the ships were needed for operations. In October 1942 ANNE ARUNDEL reported her inventory of boats as 11 LCV and 9 LCP landing craft and 2 LCM tank lighters. She had two Welin davits and carried most of her boats on deck.

Between January and March 1943, Bureau of Ordnance records show ANNE ARUNDEL received a 5"/51 gun in place of her 4"/50 in January 1943, probably during a period of alterations and repairs that the ship underwent at New York in December 1942 and January 1943, and that this gun was removed and 2-40mm twin mounts were added in March 1943. A photograph taken by the New York Navy Yard on 1 May 43, however, shows her with both the 5"/51 and the 40mm twins; the 5"/51 was probably removed soon afterwards. She ended up in mid-1943 with what became the standard armament for transports (both AP's and APA's) whose largest gun as originally converted was a low-angle 4" or 5" weapon. This gun, useless against aircraft, was removed, and instead two 40mm twin antiaircraft mounts were fitted, one between and above the pair of 3"/50 guns at each end of the ship. This change was apparently specific to transports and was not made in other types of auxiliary vessels. It was also not made in transports with a dual purpose (5"/38) gun aft, although these also eventually got 40mm twin mounts.

Ship Notes:

AP	Name	MC#	Notes
76	ANNE ARUNDEL	43	Ex merc. MORMACYORK. Converted for Army by Robins DD (Todd, Erie Basin), Brooklyn, N.Y., 20 Aug 42-20 Sep 42. Merc. MORMACYORK 1946. To NDRF 29 Aug 61. Sold by MA 1 Jul 70, to buyer 23 Jul 70.