_at_anchor_in_San_Francisco_Bay%2c_California_(USA)%2c_27_October_1945.jpg) USS Banner (APA-60) at anchor off the Naval Repair Base,San Diego, California, 27 October 1945 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USSBanner |
| Namesake | Banner County, Nebraska |
| Builder | Consolidated Steel |
| Launched | 3 May 1944 |
| Sponsored by | Miss Grace Henley |
| Acquired | 15 September 1944 |
| Commissioned | 16 September 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 27 August 1946 |
| Honours & awards | Twobattle stars forWorld War II service |
| Fate | Scuttled offKwajalein 16 February 1948 after use as a target inOperation Crossroads |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Gilliam-classattack transport |
| Displacement | 4,247 tons (lt), 7,080 t.(fl) |
| Length | 426 ft (130 m) |
| Beam | 58 ft (18 m) |
| Draft | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Propulsion | Westinghouse turboelectric drive, 2 boilers, 2 propellers, Design shaft horsepower 6,000 |
| Speed | 16.9knots |
| Capacity | 47 Officers, 802 Enlisted |
| Crew | 27 Officers, 295 Enlisted |
| Armament | 1 x5"/38 caliber dual-purpose gun mount, 4 x twin40mm gun mounts, 10 x single20mm gun mounts |
| Notes | MCV Hull No. ?, hull type S4-SE2-BD1 |
USSBanner (APA-60) was aGilliam-classattack transport that served with theUnited States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scuttled in 1948.
Banner was launched 3 May 1944 by theConsolidated Steel Corporation atWilmington, California, under aMaritime Commission contract; acquired from the Maritime Commission 15 September 1944; commissioned 16 September 1944 and reported to thePacific Fleet.
Banner loaded cargo and passengers and got underway from the west coast 30 October 1944, putting intoMilne Bay,New Guinea, 17 November. Until 30 December 1944 she carried passengers and cargo betweenHumboldt Bay,Hollandia, andCape Sansapor, New Guinea. On the 30th she departed Cape Sansapor in company with TG 78.5 en route toLingayen Gulf,Luzon,Philippine Islands.
She arrived in Lingayen Gulf 9 January 1945 and on the next day she successfully unloaded her cargo. On 11 January she departed for Leyte,Philippine Islands, arriving 14 January 1945. Arriving atSeeadler Harbor,Manus Island,Admiralty Islands, 24 January, she departed the following day forMaffin Bay, New Guinea where she hurriedly took on troops and cargo and departed for Humboldt Bay, New Guinea, arriving 29 January.
She departed for Leyte 14 February 1945, arriving 20 February. She then debarked her passengers; loaded to capacity with cargo and troops; and got underway 27 March for theinvasion of Okinawa, where she unloaded her troops and cargo between 1 and 5 April.
On 5 April she departed for thewest coast, viaGuam andPearl Harbor, arriving atSan Francisco 11 May. Loaded with troops and cargo she departed 19 May and anchored at Leyte 10 June. She departed Leyte 19 June and sailed viaOro Bay and Humboldt Bay, New Guinea to the west coast, arriving at San Francisco 3 August.
She departed 27 August for Okinawa, viaEniwetok, arriving 19 September. After loading 976 troops for transportation to the United States, she departed 27 September 1945.
Banner continued on transport duty until February 1946 when she was assigned as a target vessel forOperation Crossroads, theatomic bomb tests atBikini Atoll. She underwent preparation for the exercise atSan Pedro, California, and Pearl Harbor until 15 May 1946 when she departed for the Marshall Islands.
Arriving at Bikini Atoll on the 28th, she was used as a target vessel during the atomic tests of July and August.Banner was decommissioned 27 August 1946 andscuttled offKwajalein 16 February 1948.
Banner received twobattle stars for herWorld War II service.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
