_underway_in_San_Francisco_Bay%2c_California_(USA)%2c_circa_in_late_1945_(NH_98744).jpeg) Rawlins in San Francisco Bay, circa in late 1945 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USSRawlins (APA-226) |
| Namesake | Rawlins County, Kansas |
| Builder | Kaiser Shipbuilding |
| Laid down | 10 August 1944 |
| Launched | 21 October 1944 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs C. C. Connors |
| Acquired | 11 November 1944 |
| Commissioned | 11 November 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 15 November 1946 |
| Stricken | 1 October 1958 |
| Honours & awards | Onebattle star for World War II service |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, August 1987 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Haskell-classattack transport |
| Displacement | 6,873 tons (lt), 14,837 t. (fl) |
| Length | 455 ft |
| Beam | 62 ft |
| Draft | 28 ft 1 in |
| Propulsion | 1 xWestinghouse geared turbine, 2 xCombustion Engineering header-type boilers, 1 x propeller, designed shafthorsepower 8,500 |
| Speed | 18knots |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 xLCM, 12 xLCVP, 3 xLCPU |
| Capacity | 86 Officers 1,475 Enlisted |
| Crew | 56 Officers, 480 enlisted |
| Armament | 1 x5"/38 caliber dual-purpose gun mount, 1 x quad40mm gun mount, 4 x twin 40 mm gun mounts, 10 x single20mm gun mounts |
| Notes | MCV Hull No. 672, hull type VC2-S-AP5 |
USSRawlins (APA-226) was aHaskell-classattack transport in service with theUnited States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1987.
Rawlins was named afterRawlins County, Kansas. She was built underMaritime Commission contract (MCV hull 672), was laid down byKaiser Shipbuilding ofVancouver, Washington on 10 August 1944, launched 21 October 1944, and delivered to the Maritime Commission 10 November 1941. She was acquired by the Navy on loan-charter basis and commissioned 11 November 1944, Comdr.C. S. Beightler in command.
Following shakedown and training off theCalifornia coastRawlins put into San Francisco for loading and routing toSouth Pacific ports. On 16 January 1945, she sailed forNew Caledonia with miscellaneous cargo and Army replacement units. After delivery toNouméa, she continued on toGuadalcanal, arriving 8 February to join TransRon 18, then rehearsing forOperation Iceberg, the assault onOkinawa.
On 14 MarchRawlins, with 1st Marine Division units embarked, got underway forUlithi for final logistics and on 27 March sailed for theHagushi beaches on Okinawa. Arriving 1 April she remained until the 5th then retired toSaipan, whence she continued east to San Francisco. In July she returned to Okinawa with reinforcements, then, in early August, carried fresh troops to thePhilippines from theeast coast.
After the cessation of hostilities,Rawlins ferried occupation troops to Japan, then at the end of October was assigned to transport Army troops from the Philippines to San Francisco. On 27 July 1946 she terminated her lastOperation Magic Carpet run atPearl Harbor, then swung south, transited thePanama Canal, and on 5 August arrived at Norfolk for inactivation.
Navy owned as of 26 May 1946,Rawlins decommissioned 15 November 1946 and was berthed at Norfolk as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. There for the next 12 years,Rawlins was transferred to theMaritime Administration 19 September 1958 and her name was struck from the Navy List 1 October 1958. She was sold for scrap in August 1987.
Rawlins received onebattle star for World War II service.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
