USS Ormsby (APA-49)

USS "Ormsby" (APA-49) was an "Ormsby"-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.

"Ormsby" (APA-49) was named after Ormsby County, Nevada. She was originally laid down by the Moore Dry Dock Company of Oakland, California on 21 July 1942 as SS "Twilight"; authorized for acquisition as "Ormsby" AP-94 on 5 October 1942; launched 20 October 1942; reclassified APA-49 on 1 February 1943; acquired 10 March 1943; and commissioned 28 June 1943, Captain Leonard Frisco, USNR, in command.

World War II

Upon completion of her conversion and shakedown in July 1943, "Ormsby" sailed from San Francisco en route to San Diego to load Marines and cargo for Pearl Harbor. From Pearl she loaded more Marines, Seabees and equipment and departed 14 August for Nukufetau in the Ellice Islands.

Invasion of Tarawa

Continuing southward, she stopped in Pago Pago, Samoa, and then sailed on to Wellington, New Zealand, arriving on 11 September. There she embarked Marines and carried out amphibious warfare training until the end of October.

From Wellington, New Zealand "Ormsby" steamed via Efate to Tarawa, Gilbert Islands and landed her troops there for that historic battle on 20 November 1943.

Returning to Pearl Harbor on 7 December she again loaded troops and supplies and conducted training through January 1944.

Invasions of Kwajalein and New Guinea

On 31 January "Ormsby" participated in another amphibious assault landing her troops at Kwajalein in the Marshalls. Following this operation, she moved on to Guadalcanal in February and trained Army units until 28 March, when she landed reinforcements at Bougainville and continued to Milne Bay, New Guinea. In April she sailed to Buna, Finschafen and then to Aitape, New Guinea where on the 23rd army assault troops were landed. A reinforcement voyage to Aitape followed on 3 May.

Invasion of Guam

Returning to the Russell Islands and Guadalcanal, "Ormsby" loaded Marines of the First Provisional Brigade, trained then in May, and landed them on Guam 21 July. While at Guam she suffered her only casualties of the war when one officer and an enlisted man were killed as a shell hit in the bow.

Invasions of Peleliu and Leyte

"Ormsby" trained Marines of the famed 1st Marine Division at Guadalcanal prior to landing them at Pelelieu, Palau Islands. Proceeding to Hollandia and loading Army units, she made another assault at Leyte in the Philippines on 20 October with a rerun on 14 November.

In the latter part of November "Ormsby" was finally given a rest and she returned to the United States for availability.

Leaving California behind, "Ormsby" with Seabees from Port Hueneme set course for Guam, arriving on 11 April 1945 and then returning to Portland, Oregon on 22 May with a full load of returning service veterans.

After hostilities

Making another "Magic Carpet" run with veterans in June, "Ormsby" returned to San Francisco via Tinian and Saipan from Guam on 13 July. She departed San Francisco on 31 July en route to Manila to lift members of the 43rd Division to Tokyo, arriving there on 13 September.

Transport missions

Weathering a typhoon she returned to Guam and embarked troops for Tsingtao, China participating in the occupation landings there. Underway on 17 October, "Ormsby" sailed first to Manila and then to Haiphong, French Indochina where she embarked the 62nd Chinese Army for Formosa. She landed the Chinese occupation forces at Port Saei on 18 November and sailed for Manila arriving 21 November.

In December "Ormsby" made one more "Magic Carpet" voyage to Portland, Oregon, arriving on the 20th. This was her final passage after untiring war effort.

Decommission

"Ormsby" decommissioned 15 March 1946 and was struck from the U.S. Naval Register on 17 April 1946. She was delivered to the War Shipping Administration on 16 May 1946.

Awards

"Ormsby" earned six battle stars for service in World War II.

Commercial career

"Ormsby" was eventually acquired for commercial service by United States Lines and renamed SS "American Producer". In March 1969, "American Producer" was severely damaged after striking the pier at San Francisco while outbound for Da Nang, Vietnam, with a cargo of bombs. Consequently, she was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in July 1969.

References

* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/amphib/apa49.htm USS "Ormsby" (APA-49)] , DANFS Online.
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03049.htm APA-49 "Ormsby"] , Navsource Online.