USS Bayfield (APA-33) Class, Part 1

Quick Links Menu.

USS Alpine (APA-92) on 5 July 1945.
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        BAYFIELD (APA-33), Part 1
Design:        MC C3-S-A2
Displacement (tons):        7,845 light, 16,100 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        492.0' oa, 465.0' pp x 69.5' e x 26.5' lim.
Original Armament:        2-5"/38 2-1.1"Q 18-20mm (1943-44: APA 33-45, 48)
Later armaments:        2-5"/38 2-1.1"Q 17<20-20mm (1944-45: APA-35, 42); 2-5"/38 2-1.1"Q 6-20mmT 12-20mm (1945-46: APA-48);
2-5"/38 2-40mmT 18-20mm (APA 46-47, 92-93, 106-116);
2-5"/38 4-40mmT 18>14-20mm (1945-46: APA-35, 41, 43); 2-5"/38 4-40mmT 12-20mmT (1945-46: APA 39-40, 42, 92, 108, 113); 2-5"/38 4-40mmT 4-20mmT 10-20mm (1945-46: APA-34, 46)
Complement:        520 (1944)
Speed (kts.):        18.4
Propulsion (HP):        8,500
Machinery:        G.E. turbine, 1 screw

Construction:

APA	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
34	BOLIVAR	15 Mar 43	Western Pipe, San Fran.	13 May 42	7 Sep 42	1 Sep 43
35	CALLAWAY	24 Apr 43	Western Pipe, San Fran.	10 Jun 42	10 Oct 42	11 Sep 43
39	CLAY	29 Jun 43	Western Pipe, San Fran.	14 Oct 42	23 Jan 43	21 Dec 43
40	CUSTER	23 Jan 43	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	19 Feb 42	6 Nov 42	18 Jul 43
41	DU PAGE	28 Feb 43	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	20 Mar 42	19 Dec 42	1 Sep 43
42	ELMORE	30 Mar 43	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	19 Jun 42	29 Jan 43	25 Aug 43
43	FAYETTE	30 Apr 43	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	1 Oct 42	25 Feb 43	14 Oct 43
46	KNOX	30 Sep 43	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	4 Mar 43	17 Jul 43	4 Mar 44
47	LAMAR	9 Nov 43	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	31 Mar 43	28 Aug 43	6 Apr 44
48	LEON	11 Sep 43	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	6 Feb 43	19 Jun 43	12 Feb 44
92	ALPINE	30 Sep 43	Western Pipe, San Fran.	12 Apr 43	10 Jul 43	22 Apr 44
93	BARNSTABLE	30 Oct 43	Western Pipe, San Fran.	6 May 43	5 Aug 43	22 May 44
106	HANSFORD	12 Oct 44	Western Pipe, San Fran.	10 Dec 43	25 Apr 44	12 Oct 44
107	GOODHUE	11 Nov 44	Western Pipe, San Fran.	7 Jan 44	31 May 44	11 Nov 44
108	GOSHEN	13 Dec 44	Western Pipe, San Fran.	31 Jan 44	29 Jun 44	13 Dec 44
109	GRAFTON	5 Jan 45	Western Pipe, San Fran.	3 Mar 44	10 Aug 44	5 Jan 45
110	GRIGGS	13 Dec 44	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	1 Dec 43	26 May 44	14 Dec 44
111	GRUNDY	31 Dec 44	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	22 Dec 43	16 Jun 44	3 Jan 45
112	GUILFORD	14 May 45	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	19 Jan 44	14 Jul 44	14 May 45
113	SITKA	12 Mar 45	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	2 Feb 44	23 Jun 44	14 Mar 45
114	HAMBLEN	9 Jun 45	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	16 Feb 44	30 Jul 44	12 Jun 45
115	HAMPTON	17 Feb 45	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	4 Mar 44	25 Aug 44	17 Feb 45
116	HANOVER	31 Mar 45	Ingalls SB, Pascagoula	15 Mar 44	18 Aug 44	31 Mar 45

Disposition:

APA	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
34	BOLIVAR	29 Apr 46	19 Jul 46	12 Sep 46	MC/D	23 Oct 48
35	CALLAWAY	10 May 46	19 Jul 46	12 Sep 46	MC/D	23 Oct 48
39	CLAY	15 May 46	19 Jul 46	12 Sep 46	MC/D	23 Oct 48
40	CUSTER	24 May 46	19 Jul 46	11 Sep 46	MC/D	19 Apr 48
41	DU PAGE	28 Mar 46	17 Apr 46	27 Jun 46	MC/D	22 Jul 47
42	ELMORE	13 Mar 46	1 May 46	15 May 46	MC/D	22 May 47
43	FAYETTE	6 Mar 46	12 Apr 46	19 Apr 46	MC/D	22 Jul 47
46	KNOX	14 Mar 46	1 May 46	14 May 46	MC/D	11 Apr 47
47	LAMAR	7 Mar 46	12 Apr 46	3 Jul 46	MC/D	19 Jan 49
48	LEON	7 Mar 46	17 Apr 46	2 Apr 46	MC/D	11 Apr 47
92	ALPINE	5 Apr 46	1 May 46	10 Apr 46	MC/D	27 Feb 47
93	BARNSTABLE	25 Mar 46	12 Apr 46	26 Mar 46	MC/D	18 Apr 47
106	HANSFORD	14 Jun 46	3 Jul 46	15 Jun 46	MC/D	11 Mar 48
107	GOODHUE	5 Apr 46	1 May 46	11 Apr 46	MC/D	15 Apr 47
108	GOSHEN	30 Apr 46	8 May 46	2 May 46	MC/D	16 Jun 47
109	GRAFTON	16 May 46	5 Jun 46	17 May 46	MC/D	11 Sep 47
110	GRIGGS	27 May 46	19 Jun 46	28 May 46	MC/D	21 Apr 48
111	GRUNDY	8 May 46	21 May 46	13 May 46	MC/D	27 May 48
112	GUILFORD	29 May 46	19 Jun 46	31 May 46	MC/D	20 May 47
113	SITKA	14 May 46	5 Jun 46	15 May 46	MC/D	10 Jul 47
114	HAMBLEN	1 May 46	8 May 46	7 May 46	MC/D	4 May 48
115	HAMPTON	30 Apr 46	8 May 46	1 May 46	MC/D	20 Jun 47
116	HANOVER	11 May 46	21 May 46	12 May 46	MC/D	23 Dec 47

Class Notes:
FY 1943 (APA 33-48), 1944 (others). The BAYFIELD (APA-33) class is presented here in two parts, Part 1 being the basic APA type and Part 2 being the ships additionally fitted to serve as Relief Headquarters Ships (relief AGC's or RAGC's). Information applying to all ships as well as to the basic APA's is provided in the class notes for Part 1, while the class notes for Part 2 focus on the relief ACG configuration and the ships that received it. BAYFIELD herself received the relief AGC modification and is listed in Part 2.

On 28 Aug 42 CominCh directed the acquisition of 24 combat loaded transports and 6 combat loaded cargo ships. The Bureau of Ships, forewarned of this program on 20 Aug 42, had been told that the vessels would have to be acquired from the Army and that three quarters of them would probably be of older types. By early September the Navy planned to ask for larger ships of at least 15 knots speed and had gained the support of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On 17 Sep 42 the JCS wrote to the Maritime Commission in support of the Navy request, stating that there was a need to increase the number of combat loaded transports and cargo ships, that 30 C2, C3 or equivalent hulls were needed, that these ships would be continually employed for war operations, and that they should be in addition to any ships then building for Army or Navy account. The Auxiliary Vessels Board determined on 19 Sep 42 that the only available source for these ships was the Maritime Commission building program. It identified 30 candidate C2 and C3 hulls (along with three for acquisition as AGC 1-3) and directed acquisition of the ships. On 24 Sep 42 MC confirmed that it would provide the ships. The 24 APAs (APA 33-56) were to be taken from the production lines of five yards: Western Pipe and Ingalls (C3-S-A2 design, APA 33-48), Moore (C2-S-B1 design, APA 49-51), Gulf (C2-S-E1 design, APA 52-54), and Bethlehem Sparrows Point (C3-S-A3 design, APA 55-56). At Western Pipe, APA-33 was originally to have been MC hull 268 (SEA BASS), but MC hull 275 was substituted, and MC hull 276 replace hull 272 (SEA SNIPE) as APA-37. At Ingalls, the original intention was to acquire MC hulls 426-427 (SEA SCAMP and SEA PORPOISE) as APA 46-47 respectively, but the unnamed MC hulls 430-431 were substituted.

On 9 Jul 43 CominCh wrote that the known requirements for APAs and AKAs now exceeded the total numbers provided for by existing construction and conversion programs and directed that enough MC hulls be acquired to support the immediate acquisition of 8 APAs and 6 AKAs and the subsequent delivery of one APA every month and one AKA every two months. The Auxiliary Vessels Board on 16 Jul 43 identified 14 MC hulls (increased to 15 on 7 Sep 43 with the addition of one more Ingalls hull) for conversion to APA 91-105 and 11 to become AKAs and directed their acquisition. The APAs came from Bethlehem Sparrows Point (APA 91, 97-98, 103, and 105), Western Pipe (APA 92-93, 96), Gulf (APA-94), and Ingalls (APA-95, 99-102, and 104). APA-99 was renamed because PF-97 already had the name LORAIN. At Ingalls the Navy initially asked for MC hulls 869, 871, and 879 as APA 101, 102, and 104, but on 7 Sep 43 VCNO asked for the substitution of earlier hulls (868, 870, and 872) after the delivery dates of vessels building at this yard fell 30 to 60 days behind schedule.

On 9 Nov 43 JCS requested that the Maritime Commission construct 130 standard APAs and 30 standard AKAs for the Navy for completion as early in the fourth quarter of 1944 as practicable. On 6 Dec 43 the MC informed the Secretary of the Navy that 11 of the APAs would be C3s, four from Western Pipe and seven from Ingalls. These, APA 106-116, were all completed as APAs by their builders under the MC Military Program, although the MC sent APA 112-114 to another yard for completion. Unlike most APAs, which were named after counties, APA-113 was named for a city. On 10 Jan 44 the Auxiliary Vessels Board directed acquisition of the 130 ships.

Ship Notes:

APA	Name	MC#	Notes
34	BOLIVAR	269	Ex merc. SEA ANGEL. Ex AP-79 1 Feb 43. Ferry comm. 15 Mar-23 Apr 43. Converted by Todd SYs, Hoboken, N.J. Merc. PRESIDENT VAN BUREN 1948. Scrapped 1973 as SANTA MONICA.
35	CALLAWAY	270	Ex merc. SEA MINK. Ex AP-80 1 Feb 43. Ferry comm. 24 Apr-27 May 43. Converted by Atlantic Basin IW, Brooklyn, N.Y. Merc. PRESIDENT HARRISON 1948. Scrapped 1974 as HURRICANE.
39	CLAY	274	Ex merc. SEA CARP. Ex AP-84 1 Feb 43. Ferry comm. 29 Jun-11 Aug 43. Converted by Todd SYs, Hoboken, N.J. Merc. PRESIDENT JOHNSON 1948. Scrapped 1974 as LA SALLE.
40	CUSTER	388	Ex merc. SEA EAGLE. Ex AP-85 1 Feb 43. Delivered 95.0% complete. Ferry comm. 23 Jan-13 Feb 43. Converted by Bethlehem Steel, Hoboken, N.J. Merc. SEA EAGLE 1946 (MC), MORMACMAR 1948. Scrapped 1973 as SANTA ANA.
41	DU PAGE	389	Ex merc. SEA HOUND. Ex AP-86 1 Feb 43. Delivered 95.0% complete. Ferry comm. 28 Feb-17 Mar 43. Converted by Todd Erie Basin DD, Brooklyn, N.Y. Merc. P & T PATHFINDER 1947. Scrapped 1973 as PINE TREE STATE.
42	ELMORE	390	Ex merc. SEA PANTHER. Ex AP-87 1 Feb 43. Delivered 95.0% complete. Ferry comm. 30 Mar-10 Apr 43. Converted by Maryland DD, Baltimore, Md. Merc. SEA PANTHER 1946 (MC), CHINA TRANSPORT 1947. To NDRF 1969 as IDAHO. Sold by MA 13 Apr 71.
43	FAYETTE	391	Ex merc. SEA HAWK. Ex AP-88 1 Feb 43. Delivered 95.0% complete. Ferry comm. 30 Apr-14 May 43. Converted by Bethlehem 56th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Merc. ROBIN GRAY 1947. Scrapped 1972 as GRAY.
46	KNOX	430	No merc. name. Ex AP-91 1 Feb 43. Delivered incomplete. Ferry comm. 30 Sep-14 Oct 43. Converted by Bethlehem 56th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Merc. STEEL RECORDER 1947. Scrapped 1971 as CONSTITUTION STATE.
47	LAMAR	431	No merc. name. Ex AP-92 1 Feb 43. Delivered incomplete. Ferry comm. 10-22 Nov 43. Converted by Todd Erie Basin DD, Brooklyn, N.Y. To WSA/MC 29 Jun 46 in MC records. Merc. J. L. LUCKENBACH 1949. Scrapped 1971 as EVERGREEN STATE.
48	LEON	428	Ex merc. SEA DOLPHIN. Ex AP-93 1 Feb 43. Delivered incomplete. Ferry comm. 11-27 Sep 43. Converted by Bethlehem 56th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Merc. SEA DOLPHIN 1946 (MC), STEEL CHEMIST 1947. Scrapped 1971.
92	ALPINE	281	Ex merc. SEA ARROW. Ferry comm. 30 Sep-8 Oct 43. Converted by Commercial IW, Portland, Ore. Merc. INDIA MAIL 1947. Scrapped 1971 as EMPIRE PACIFIC (ex BUCKEYE PACIFIC).
93	BARNSTABLE	282	Ex merc. SEA SNAPPER. Ferry comm. 30 Oct-3 Nov 43. Converted by Commercial IW, Portland, Ore. Merc. SEA SNAPPER 1946 (MC), STEEL FABRICATOR 1947. Scrapped 1974 as GRAND VALOR.
106	HANSFORD	1551	Ex merc. SEA ADDER. Ex USS GLADWIN 25 Aug 44. Merc. STEEL APPRENTICE 1948. Scrapped 1973.
107	GOODHUE	1552	Ex merc. SEA WREN. Merc. HAWAIIAN CITIZEN 1947. Converted to container ship 1960. Scrapped 1981.
108	GOSHEN	1553	Ex merc. SEA HARE. Merc. CANADA MAIL 1947. Scrapped 1973 as LAFAYETTE.
109	GRAFTON	1554	Ex merc. SEA SPARROW, completed and to MC 31 Dec 44. Merc. JAVA MAIL 1947. Scrapped 1975 as CARRIER DOVE.
110	GRIGGS	871	Merc. MORMACREY 1948. Scrapped 1973 as SANTA ALICIA.
111	GRUNDY	873	Merc. MORMACSURF 1948. Scrapped 1973 as SANTA ANITA.
112	GUILFORD	874	Completed by Waterman SS Corp., Mobile, Ala. Merc. P & T NAVIGATOR 1947. Scrapped 1976 as AMERICAN ORIOLE.
113	SITKA	875	Completed by Waterman SS Corp., Mobile, Ala. (departed Pascagoula 28 Aug 44). Merc. P & T TRADER 1947. Scrapped 1976 as AMERICAN CONDOR.
114	HAMBLEN	876	Completed by Waterman SS Corp., Mobile, Ala. Merc. STEEL VOYAGER 1948. Scrapped 1973.
115	HAMPTON	877	Merc. P & T EXPLORER 1947. Scrapped 1973 as AMERICAN FALCON.
116	HANOVER	878	Merc. HAWAIIAN WHOLESALER 1947. Scrapped 1972-73 as ENTU (ex VENTURA).