USS Gage (APA-168)

USS "Gage" (APA-168) is a "Haskell"-class attack transport late of the US Navy. She was built and used during World War II. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. "Gage" is named after Gage County, Nebraska. "Gage" is the sole remaining example of the 117 ship "Haskell"-class.

World War II service

"Gage" was built under United States Maritime Commission contract by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland, Oregon; launched 1944-10-14; sponsored by Mrs. H. L. Edmunds ; acquired by the Navy 1944-11-04; and commissioned 1944-11-12, Comdr. L. J. Alexanderson, USNR, in command.

After shakedown out of San Diego, California, "Gage" sailed from San Francisco 1945-01-17 for the South Pacific. Following the landing of a military civil affairs group at Kaurimarau, Russell Islands, she arrived off West Kokum Beach, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 1945-02-04 with 298 Marines and military cargo. She became a unit of Division 34, Transport Squadron 12, and spent the ensuing weeks in amphibious warfare maneuvers in the Solomons. On 1945-03-15, the attack transport departed Guadalcanal for Ulithi, the staging base for the Okinawa invasion. From there she sailed to Hagushi Beach, Okinawa, where she joined in the initial assault 1945-04-01 conducted under cover of heavy naval gun and plane bombardment.

Through five grueling days and nights of almost continual "Flash Red" alerts against Japanese suicide planes, "Gage" landed marines of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 6th Division; a Navy construction battalion; a medical company, and combat equipment. Her mission completed 5 April, she proceeded via the Marianas and Hawaii to San Francisco, where she arrived 1945-05-11. Here "Gage" embarked the men and equipment of an Army Air Corps Casuals and landed them at Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 1945-06-12.

"Gage" reported for duty with Amphibious Group 9 at Leyte 1945-06-22 and was dispatched to New Guinea. After embarking troops at Langemak and Humboldt Bays for transport to Iloilo, Panay Island, P.I., she steamed to San Francisco, Calif., where she arrived 1945-08-02. The announcement of Japanese capitulation found her under repair in Todd's Dry Dock at Seattle, Washington.

"Gage" stood out from Seattle 1945-08-21 with 1,724 Army casual replacements who disembarked at Saipan in the Marianas 5 September. Thirteen days later she departed with some 1,500 marines whom she landed late in October as part of the occupation forces at Hiro Wan, Honshū, Japan. Homeward bound, she served as the "Magic-Carpet" for 1,700 Army veterans embarked at Okinawa and Manila. She reached Portland, Oregon 1945-12-14. The attack transport made a "Magic-Carpet" voyage from San Francisco to Yokosuka and back (10 January to 1946-02-25); followed by one to Samar, P.I., and back (4 April to 1946-05-10). She again departed San Francisco 1946-05-28 to support Navy occupation forces at the Chinese ports of Tsingtao and Tientsin and the Japanese ports of Yokosuka and Sasebo.

"Gage" departed Sasebo 26 June; embarked Army veterans in the Marianas and Hawaii; then transited the Panama Canal for Norfolk, arriving 1946-07-29. She remained in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard until decommissioning 1947-02-26. "Gage" was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and was inactive until her name was struck from the Navy List 1958-10-01. She was transferred the same day to the Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet and at present is berthed in James River, Virginia.

Present status

"Gage" was slated to be used as a target in SINKEX 2004. This was canceled pending historical review, and she remains in the James River Reserve Fleet. There is an effort underway to preserve "Gage", the last ship remaining in the "Haskell"-class configuration, as a museum ship. As of the 29 February 2008 MARAD Inventory, "Gage" is listed with the status "Historic Hold" (previously she was listed for "Disposal").

Award

"Gage" received one battle star for World War II service.

External links

* [http://www.ussgage.com/ APA Historical Preservation Project - USS "Gage"]
* Location of "Gage", as of last Google Maps "Satellite" image coord | 37.120094 | -76.644745 | type:landmark_scale:2500_region:US | display=inline,title
* [http://www.rpadden.com/168-2000/168-2000.htm Photo tour of Gage in the Ghost Fleet, 2000]

References

*
* [http://www.marad.dot.gov/offices/ship/Current_Inventory.pdf MARAD National Defense Reserve Fleet "Current Inventory"]
*