USS Hugh L. Scott (AP-43)

USS "Hugh L. Scott" (AP-43) was a "Hugh L. Scott"-class transport. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy for use in World War II, and was assigned the task of transporting troops to and from battle areas. Operating in dangerous waters on 12 November 1942, she was sunk after being struck by a German submarine’s torpedo at Fedala Bay, Morocco.

Acquisition history

"Hugh L. Scott" was built in 1921, as SS Hawkeye State, under a USSB contract, at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland, then operated as SS President Pierce by Dollar Steamship Co., and later for the American President Lines. She was named in honor of Gen. Hugh L. Scott, who was Army Chief of Staff from 1914-1917.

U.S. Army service

Taken over by the U.S. Army 31 July 1941, she was renamed USAT "Hugh L. Scott" and made four voyages to the Far East before sailing to the U.S. East Coast in July 1942.

Acquisition by the U.S. Navy

The ship was taken over by the U.S. Navy 14 August 1942, and converted to an attack transport at Tietjen and Lang (later Todd Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.), Hoboken, New Jersey. She commissioned 7 September 1942, Captain Harold J. Wright commanding.

North Africa operations

The transport was slated for participation in the North Africa landings, the giant amphibious assault mounted across the entire width of the Atlantic Ocean. "Hugh L. Scott" joined Transport Division 3 for this, our first offensive move in the European-African theater, and sailed 24 October after intensive amphibious training. She approached the beaches at Fedhala, French Morocco, early on the morning of 8 November and. after bombardment by surface ships, landed her troops. "Hugh L. Scott" then cleared the immediate invasion area, and did not return until 11 November, when she entered the refueling area and then anchored in the exposed Fedhala roadstead to unload her supplies.

Torpedoed by a German submarine

During the evening of 11 November, German submarine U-173 slipped inside the protective screen to torpedo transport "Joseph Hewes" (AP-50), tanker "Winooski" (AO-38), and destroyer Haniberton. "Hugh L. Scott" and the other transports went to battle stations the entire night, and resumed unloading the next day. That afternoon, 12 November, another submarine, U-130 commanded by Ernst Kals, stalked the transports and torpedoed "Hugh L. Scott", "Edward Rutledge" (AP-52), and "Tasker H. Bliss" (AP-42).

Ship founders

"Hugh L. Scott", hit on the starboard side, burst into flames and foundered, but owing to the availability of landing craft for rescue, casualties were held to a minimum of 8 officers and 51 men. U-173 was later sunk by destroyers, but U-130 escaped.

References

See also

* List of United States Navy ships
* World War II

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22043.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AP-43 Hugh L. Scott]