USS Windsor (APA-55) Class

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USS Dutchess (APA-98) circa November 1944
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        WINDSOR (APA-55)
Design:        MC C3-S-A3
Displacement (tons):        8,276 light, 13,143 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        473.1' oa, 450.0' pp x 66.0' e x 25.0' lim
Original Armament:        2-5"/38 2-1.1"Q 12-20mm (1943: APA 55)
Later armaments:        2-5"/38 2-1.1"Q 18<22-20mm (1943-44: APA 55-56)
2-5"/38 2-40mmT 18-20mm (1944-45: APA 55, 91, 97-98, 103, 105);
2-5"/38 4-40mmT 14-20mmT (1945-46: APA-56)
Complement:        470 (1944)
Speed (kts.):        18.6
Propulsion (HP):        8,000
Machinery:        Bethlehem turbine, 1 screw

Construction:

APA	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
55	WINDSOR	17 Jun 43	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt. SY	23 Jul 42	28 Dec 42	17 Jun 43
56	LEEDSTOWN	15 Jul 43	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt. SY	26 Aug 42	13 Feb 43	16 Jul 43
91	ADAIR	15 Jul 44	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt. SY	28 Jul 43	29 Feb 44	15 Jul 44
97	DAUPHIN	23 Sep 44	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt. SY	22 Dec 43	10 Jun 44	23 Sep 44
98	DUTCHESS	4 Nov 44	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt. SY	1 Feb 44	26 Aug 44	4 Nov 44
103	QUEENS	16 Dec 44	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt. SY	2 Mar 44	12 Sep 44	16 Dec 44
105	SHELBY	20 Jan 45	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt. SY	13 Jun 44	25 Oct 44	20 Jan 45

Disposition:

APA	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
55	WINDSOR	4 Mar 46	12 Apr 46	1 Aug 46	MC/D	14 Apr 47
56	LEEDSTOWN	7 Mar 46	12 Apr 46	1 Jul 46	MC/D	17 Feb 47
91	ADAIR	30 Apr 46	8 May 46	3 May 46	MC/D	23 May 47
97	DAUPHIN	3 Apr 46	17 Apr 46	4 Apr 46	MC/D	22 Jun 48
98	DUTCHESS	4 Apr 46	17 Apr 46	5 Apr 46	MC/D	22 Sep 48
103	QUEENS	10 Jun 46	19 Jun 46	11 Jun 46	MC/D	22 Jun 48
105	SHELBY	14 May 46	5 Jun 46	16 May 46	MC/D	4 Nov 48

Class Notes:
FY 1943 (APA 55-56), 1944 (others). The C3-S-A3 type was practically identical to the C3-E, which was among the first C3 types built under the Maritime Commission's shipbuilding program. The C3-E was designed privately for the American Export Line and differed from all later C3's in being shorter (473 vice 489 to 492 feet) and in having an old fashioned counter stern (a distinctive feature of American Export ships into the 1950s). The first four C3-E's (including AK-41), ordered in August 1938, were followed by four more C3-E's (including AP-67 and AKA-10), and then by 15 ships of the C3-S-A3 type (including the APA-55 class). All ships of the APA-55 class were completed under the MC Military Program and were converted to APAs by their builder before delivery.

On 28 Aug 42 CominCh directed the acquisition of 24 combat loaded transports and 6 combat loaded cargo ships. The Bureau of Ships, forewarned of this program on 20 Aug 42, had been told that the vessels would have to be acquired from the Army and that three quarters of them would probably be of older types. By early September the Navy planned to ask for larger ships of at least 15 knots speed and had gained the support of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On 17 Sep 42 the JCS wrote to the Maritime Commission in support of the Navy request, stating that there was a need to increase the number of combat loaded transports and cargo ships, that 30 C2, C3 or equivalent hulls were needed, that these ships would be continually employed for war operations, and that they should be in addition to any ships then building for Army or Navy account. The Auxiliary Vessels Board determined on 19 Sep 42 that the only available source for these ships was the Maritime Commission building program. It identified 30 candidate C2 and C3 hulls (along with three for acquisition as AGC 1-3) and directed acquisition of the ships. On 24 Sep 42 MC confirmed that it would provide the ships. The 24 APAs (APA 33-56) were to be taken from the production lines of five yards: Western Pipe and Ingalls (C3-S-A2 design, APA 33-48), Moore (C2-S-B1 design, APA 49-51), Gulf (C2-S-E1 design, APA 52-54), and Bethlehem Sparrows Point (C3-S-A3 design, APA 55-56).

On 9 Jul 43 CominCh wrote that the known requirements for APAs and AKAs now exceeded the total numbers provided for by existing construction and conversion programs and directed that enough MC hulls be acquired to support the immediate acquisition of 8 APAs and 6 AKAs and the subsequent delivery of one APA every month and one AKA every two months. The Auxiliary Vessels Board on 16 Jul 43 identified 14 MC hulls (soon increased to 15) for conversion to APA 91-105 and 11 to become AKAs and directed their acquisition. The name BOONE was originally proposed on 30 Aug 43 for APA-105 but was rejected because a Coast Guard ship already had it, and the name SHELBY was proposed instead on 3 Sep 43. APA 97-98, 103, and 105 were rebuilt as passenger and cargo ships after the war and served as American Export's "Four Aces" during the 1950s.

Ship Notes:

APA	Name	MC#	Notes
55	WINDSOR	589	Ex merc. EXCELSIOR (completed and to WSA 16 Jun 43). Ex AP-100 1 Feb 43. Merc. PAUL REVERE 1947, EXPEDITOR 1949. Scrapped 1972.
56	LEEDSTOWN	590	Ex merc. EXCHEQUER. Ex AP-101 1 Feb 43. Ex USS WOOD 17 Mar 43. Merc. MINUTE MAN 1947, EXILONA 1949. Scrapped 1970 as ILONA.
91	ADAIR	594	Ex merc. EXCHESTER. Merc. EXPRESS 1947. Scrapped 1970 as PRESS.
97	DAUPHIN	1675	Merc. EXOCHORDA 1948 (rebuilt as passenger & cargo ship, MC design P1-S1-DR1). To NDRF 1959. Sold by MA 27 Sep 67 (to buyer 4 Oct 67), became dormitory ship STEVENS. Scrapped 1975-79
98	DUTCHESS	1676	Merc. EXCALIBUR 1948 (rebuilt as passenger & cargo ship, MC design P1-S1-DR1). Sold foreign (Liberia) 1965. Scrapped 1974 as ORIENTAL JADE.
103	QUEENS	1677	Merc. EXCAMBION 1948 (rebuilt as passenger & cargo ship, MC design P1-S1-DR1 at Bethlehem Steel, Hoboken, N.J. between 27 Nov 47 and 25 Nov 48). To NDRF 1959. Loaned to Texas Maritime Academy 26 Apr 65 as TEXAS CLIPPER, active to 1995. Replaced by TEXAS CLIPPER II, ex USNS CHAUVENET (T-AGS 29). Towed from the MC Beaumont reserve fleet to Brownsville, Texas, in Nov 06 for preparation for sinking as a fish reef during 2007.
105	SHELBY	1678	Merc. EXETER 1948 (rebuilt as passenger & cargo ship, MC design P1-S1-DR1). Sold foreign (Liberia) 1965. Scrapped 1974 as ORIENTAL PEARL.