USS Begor (APD-127)

USS "Begor" (DE-711/APD-127) was a "Crosley"-class high-speed transport of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant (junior grade) Fay B. Begor (1916 - 1943), a Navy doctor who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

"Begor" was laid down, launched, and partially completed as "Rudderow"-class destroyer escort with the hull number DE-711. She was launched on 25 May 1944 at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Bay City, Michigan, sponsored by Mrs. F. B. Begor, widow of Lt.(jg) Begor. A few weeks after launching, on 17 July 1944, it was decided that "Begor" would be completed as a "Crosley"-class fast transport, with the designation APD-127. She was commissioned on 14 March 1945, with Lieutenant Commander B. T. Brooks, USNR, in command.

Assigned to the Pacific Fleet, "Begor" arrived at Pearl Harbor on 30 May 1945. She arrived at Guam on 17 August after escorting convoys among the Marshall, Caroline, and Philippine Islands from June through August 1945. Departing 20 August with UDT-21 embarked, she joined 3rd Fleet units en route to occupy Japan. "Begor" entered Sagami Wan on 27 August, and on the 30th, her frogmen reconnoitered the landing beaches over which the occupation forces landed the next day. Proceeding to Yokosuka Naval Dockyard, she assisted in the de-militarization of the vessels there, and made dock surveys until departing for the United States on 25 September. "Begor" arrived at San Diego, California on 21 October 1945.

The fast transport operated along the west coast until June 1946, when she sailed for Bikini Atoll to act as a drone control vessel during the Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests. "Begor" returned in October, and during the next four years, carried out normal peacetime operations along the west coast, and made two cruises to the Far East from July 1947 through February 1948, and August through December 1949.

During the Korean conflict, "Begor" served two tours. The first tour, 7 December 1950 through September 1951, included participation in the Hungnam Evacuation from 9 through 24 December, and the landing of Underwater Demolition Teams and British Commandos behind enemy lines for reconnaissance and demolition missions. On 7 April 1951, as part of Special Task Force 74, "Begor" along with destroyers "Wallace L. Lind" (DD-703), and "Massey" (DD-778), landing ship dock "Fort Marion" (LSD-22) and heavy cruiser "Saint Paul" (CA-73), helped to carry out raids on rail lines and tunnels utilizing 250 commandos of the 41st Independent Royal Marines. These highly successful destructive raids slowed down the enemy's resupply efforts, forcing the Communists to attempt to repair or rebuild the rail facilities by night while hiding the work crews and locomotives in tunnels by day. The second tour, from 14 November 1952 through 12 August 1953, consisted of patrol and UDT operations, as well as participation in the post-Armistice prisoner of war exchange.

After Korea, "Begor" continued alternating between the west coast and the Far East. She made a Far Eastern cruise between July 1954 and March 1955, during which she participated in the Vietnamese "Passage to Freedom", from 16 August through 30 September 1954.

"Begor" was decommissioned on 20 July 1959, and laid up in the Reserve Fleet. She was briefly put back in commission in 1961, then laid up again. On 1 January 1969 she was redesignated to Amphibious Transport, Small (LPR-127).

"Begor" was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 15 May 1975, and on 6 December 1976 sold for scrapping for $60,000 to National Metal & Steel Corporation, Terminal Island, California.

Awards

"Begor" received five battle stars for her Korean War service.

References

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/04127.htm navsource.org: USS "Begor"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/amphib/apd127.htm hazegray.org: USS "Begor"]
* [http://www.ussbegor.org ussbegor.org: USS BEGOR (APD-127) Association]