- USS Renville (APA-227)
USS "Renville" (APA-227) was a sclass|Haskell|attack transport that saw service with the
US Navy in World War II, theKorean War and theVietnam War ."Renville" was named after counties in
Minnesota andNorth Dakota . She was laid down 19 August 1944 as MCV hull 673 byKaiser Shipbuilding ofVancouver, Washington , launched 25 October 1944, and commissioned 15 November 1944, Capt. William W. Ball in command.Operational service
World War II
Following shakedown out of San Diego, "Renville" sailed in January 1945 for
Guadalcanal , where in March she embarked 1,620 combat-ready troops for the invasion ofOkinawa .Invasion of Okinawa
"Renville"'s assault boats transported the troops to the beach at Okinawa 1 April. Departing on the 5th, she steamed via
Saipan andPearl Harbor to San Francisco. During the remainder of the war, she transported troops and supplies between various Pacific Islands and the United States.After hostilities
In September, she carried 1,436 Allied prisoners of war from Japan to
Manila . In 1946 she returned additional troops to the United States, and then operated along the Pacific coast.Peacetime missions
Operating in the western Pacific, "Renville" was ordered to
Jakarta ,Indonesia , in December 1947. "Renville" became Headquarters ship for the U.N. Truce Commission that negotiated settlement terms between Dutch military forces and Indonesiannationalist s. This resulted in the "Renville" agreement. After operating off the West Coast from May 1948 to January 1949, she voyaged to China later in January, and returned 8 February.Korean War
Decommissioned 30 June 1949 at
Mare Island, California , "Renville" recommissioned 5 January 1952 for service in the Korean War. Departing San Francisco for the western Pacific 13 November 1952, she shuttled troops between Japan andKorea n ports such asPusan andInchon . After June 1953, she steamed toSan Diego .Peacetime missions
Sailing for the western Pacific in September 1954, she carried marines to
Kobe , Japan, and conducted amphibious training in Korea, before returning to San Diego 17 March 1955. Departing San Diego in August, she participated in a landing exercise atIwo Jima in February 1956, and returned to San Diego in March. In January 1957, she joined a landing exercise atCamp Pendleton . On WestPac tour from February to September, she joined a major landing exercise on easternLuzon in March and another in thePohang -Dong area of Korea in June.After duty at
Eniwetok from January to June 1958, she operated in the western Pacific from October 1958 to March 1959. In May 1959 she joined a landing exercise at Camp Pendleton. On WestPac tour from October 1959 to April 1960, she was station ship atHong Kong in January and February, and participated in a joint landing exercise atTaiwan in March. Again in theFar East from April to 5 December 1961, she sailed to Okinawa,Subic Bay , Hong Kong, Taiwan, andYokosuka .Cuban missile crisis
Following West Coast duties in early 1962, she headed for the Caribbean 27 October 1962 in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis, returning to San Diego 13 December. Deployed to WestPac from December 1962 to May 1963, she ended 1963 in West Coast operations.
Role in Hollywood film
Sailing for WestPac in June 1964, she participated in the filming on
Oahu ,Hawaii , ofOtto Preminger 's movie "In Harm's Way " in July.Vietnam War
In response to the
Gulf of Tonkin Incident in August, she ranged the coast of Vietnam from Da Nang to Saigon with 1,350 marines on alert status for 67 consecutive days. Replenished at Yokosuka, she performed similar duty offVietnam in November, before returning to San Diego 18 December.After a landing exercise at Camp Pendleton, California, in March 1965, her WestPac tour of May to August took her to Hawaii, Okinawa,
Da Nang ,Qui Nhon , Sasebo, and Yokosuka. After local duty, she began her WestPac tour of March 1966 to October, carrying marines to Okinawa andChu Lai , Vietnam, before serving as station ship at Da Nang in August and September.Decommission
In 1967 she prepared for deactivation. Transferred to the
Maritime Administration (MARAD) 23 April 1968, she joined theNational Defense Reserve Fleet ,Suisun Bay , California. She was redesignated an amphibious transport (LPA-227) on January 1, 1969. She was struck from theNaval Vessel Register on 1 September 1976 and disposed of by MARAD on 19 February 1982. Her final disposition is unknown.Decorations
"Renville" received one
battle star for World War II service, two for the Korean War, and four for the Vietnam War.References
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/amphib/apa227.htm "Renville" (APA-227)] , DANFS Online
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03227.htm APA/LPA-227 "Renville"] , Navsource Online
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