_underway_in_San_Francisco_Bay%2c_California_(USA)%2c_circa_in_late_1945_(NH_98731).jpg) USSKarnes (APA-175) passing under the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, late 1945 or early '46 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USSKarnes |
| Namesake | Karnes County, Texas |
| Ordered | as type VC2-S-AP5 |
| Launched | 7 November 1944 |
| Acquired | 3 December 1944 |
| Commissioned | 3 December 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 11 April 1946 |
| Stricken | 1946 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1974 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 12,450 tons (full load) |
| Length | 455 ft 0 in (138.68 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft 0 in (18.90 m) |
| Draught | 24 ft 0 in (7.32 m) |
| Speed | 19 knots |
| Capacity | 150,000 cu. ft, 2,900 tons |
| Complement | 56 Officers 480 Enlisted |
| Armament |
|
USSKarnes (APA-175) was aHaskell-classattack transport acquired by theU.S. Navy duringWorld War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.
Karnes (APA-175) was launched 7 November 1944 by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.,Portland, Oregon, for theUnited States Maritime Commission; sponsored by Miss Nora Clancy; acquired and commissioned by the Navy 3 December 1944.
After shakedown along theCalifornia coastKarnes arrivedPearl Harbor 13 February 1945 with passengers and cargo from theU.S. West Coast. Six days later she sailed inconvoy to land troops atSaipan and other staging areas in thePacific Ocean. AtSaipan she embarked 406U.S. Marines wounded in theIwo Jima campaign and returned Pearl Harbor 17 March.
With theOkinawa invasion well underway,Karnes departedPearl Harbor 7 April with troops and supplies to reinforce Americans fighting on that bitterly contested island. She arrived Okinawa 3 May and unloaded troops and equipment while under heavykamikaze attack. She departed the battle zone 8 May with 866 survivors of ships damaged by kamikazes.Karnes discharged some survivors atSaipan and arrivedSan Francisco, California, 27 May with the remaining group.
She returned to the embattled Pacific islands, arrivingManila 1 July with troop replacements and cargo. Following this mission, the transport returnedPearl Harbor 23 July to begin training for the anticipated invasion of the Japanese home islands and maneuvers.
Upon the cessation of hostilities 14 AugustKarnes began preparing for the occupation ofJapan, arriving atSasebo 22 September. She was then assigned toOperation Magic Carpet duty returning men eligible for discharge, and arrived San Francisco 11 November with her first group of veterans.Karnes ended a second "Magic Carpet" cruise 12 January 1946, returning American fighting men from China.
On 13 February she departed San Francisco and arrivedNorfolk, Virginia, 2 March where she decommissioned 11 April 1946 and was struck from theNavy list.Karnes was returned to theWar Shipping Administration (WSA) 24 April 1946. She entered theNational Defense Reserve Fleet and was berthed inJames River, Virginia. In 1974Karnes was sold for scrapping.
Karnes received onebattle star forWorld War II service atOkinawa.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
