USS Ormsby (APA-49) Class

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USS Ormsby (APA-49) on 18 July 1943.
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Class:        ORMSBY (APA-49)
Design:        MC C2-S-B1
Displacement (tons):        7,300 light, 12,775 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        459.25' oa, 435.0' pp x 63.0' e x 24.0' lim.
Original Armament:        2-5"/38 2-1.1"Q 12-20mm (1943: all)
Later armaments:        2-5"/38 2-1.1"Q 18<24-20mm (1944: APA 49-50);
2-5"/38 4-40mmT 18-20mm (1945: APA-49); 2-5"/38 4-40mmT 12<14-20mmT (1945-46: APA 50-51)
Complement:        485 (1944)
Speed (kts.):        16.5
Propulsion (HP):        6,000
Machinery:        G.E. turbine, 1 screw

Construction:

APA	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
49	ORMSBY	10 Mar 43	Moore DD, Oakland	21 Jul 42	20 Oct 42	28 Jun 43
50	PIERCE	30 Jun 43	Moore DD, Oakland	22 Jul 42	10 Oct 42	30 Jun 43
51	SHERIDAN	31 Jul 43	Moore DD, Oakland	5 Aug 42	11 Nov 42	31 Jul 43

Disposition:

APA	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
49	ORMSBY	15 Mar 46	17 Apr 46	16 May 46	MC/D	24 Oct 47
50	PIERCE	11 Mar 46	17 Apr 46	2 May 46	MC/D	24 Oct 47
51	SHERIDAN	5 Mar 46	12 Apr 46	7 Apr 46	MC/D	24 Oct 47

Class Notes:
FY 1943. 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).

Ship Notes:

APA	Name	MC#	Notes
49	ORMSBY	288	Ex merc. TWILIGHT. Ex AP-94 1 Feb 43. Converted by Matson Navigation, San Francisco, Cal. (transferred from builder 10 Mar 43). Merc. AMERICAN PRODUCER 1947. Scrapped 1969.
50	PIERCE	289	Ex merc. NORTHERN LIGHT. Ex AP-95 1 Feb 43. Converted by builder. Merc. AMERICAN PLANTER 1947. To NDRF 1967. Sold by MA 3 Mar 69, to buyer 25 Mar 69.
51	SHERIDAN	290	Ex merc. MESSENGER. Ex AP-96 1 Feb 43. Converted by builder. Merc. AMERICAN SCIENTIST 1947. Scrapped 1970.