USS Clinton (APA-144)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Clinton.

History
United States
Name	USS Clinton
Namesake	Clinton County, Illinois Clinton County, Indiana Clinton County, Iowa Clinton County, Kentucky Clinton County, Michigan Clinton County, Missouri Clinton County, New York Clinton County, Ohio Clinton County, Pennsylvania
Builder	California Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down	27 September 1944
Launched	29 November 1944
Acquired	1 February 1945
Commissioned	1 February 1945
Decommissioned	2 May 1946
Stricken	1 October 1958
Fate	Sunk as a target, 1 August 1984
General characteristics
Class and type	Haskell-class attack transport
Displacement	6,873 tons (lt), 14,837 t (fl)
Length	455 ft (139 m)
Beam	62 ft (19 m)
Draft	24 ft (7 m)
Propulsion	1 × geared turbine, 2 × header-type boilers, 1 × propeller, designed 8,500 shp (6,338 kW)
Speed	17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 × LCM 12 × LCVP 3 × LCPL
Capacity	Troops: 86 officers, 1,475 enlisted Cargo: 150,000 cu ft, 2,900 tons
Complement	56 officers, 480 enlisted
Armament	1 × 5"/38 dual-purpose gun 4 × twin 40mm guns 10 × single 20mm guns late armament, add 1 × 40mm quad mount

USS Clinton (APA/LPA-144) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was sunk as a target in 1984.

History

Clinton was launched 29 November 1944 by California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. L. N. Green; transferred to the Navy 1 February 1945; converted at U.S. Naval Station, Astoria, Oregon; and commissioned 1 February 1945.

Clinton cleared San Francisco, California, 17 April 1945 and sailed to land Marine replacement troops and equipment on Okinawa between 27 and 31 May. She transferred battle casualties to Guam where she embarked ground forces of the 7th Bomber Command for transportation to Okinawa, arriving 2 July. When she sailed 6 days later she was carrying over 1,000 Okinawan and Korean prisoners of war for internment in the Hawaiian Islands. Clinton cleared Honolulu 5 August carrying replacement troops to Saipan.

She sailed on to Manila to embark Army occupation troops whom she landed at Qingdao, China, 11 October 1945. Arriving at Haiphong, French Indo-China, 26 October, she loaded Chinese troops and equipment and carried them to Chinwangtao and Taku for the reoccupation of northern China. Based on an anecdotal description of one of its crew members, the ship may have also been assigned to transport troops to Yokohama to assist in the post-war occupation there. Assigned to "Operation Magic Carpet" duty, Clinton embarked homeward-bound servicemen at Manila and sailed 28 November for San Francisco, California, arriving 18 December. She continued to the U.S. East Coast, arriving at Norfolk, Virginia, 2 February 1946.

Decommissioning and fate

Clinton was decommissioned 2 May 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 1 October 1958. She was redesignated as an Amphibious Transport (LPA-144) on 1 January 1969. Withdrawn from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 9 November 1983, the ex-Clinton was sunk as a fleet exercise target off the Virginia Capes, 1 August 1984.

Awards

Clinton received one battle star for World War II service.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - USS Clinton (APA/LPA-144)