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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Sumter (APA-52)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Quebec - Uniform
NKQU
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Goldwyn Sumter

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)

Sumter Class Attack Transport:

Laid down, 3 April 1942, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-E1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 474) for the Waterman Steamship Co., as SS Iberville at Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw, AL.

Acquired by the US Navy, 30 April 1943

Renamed and classified as the Navy Transport Sumter (AP-97)

Launched, 4 October 1942

Reclassified Attack Transport (APA-52), 1 February 1943

Acquired by the Navy, 30 April 1943, placed in reduced commission, CDR. William A. McHale USNR (APA Ferry Crew #5) in command

Decommissioned, 13 May 1943, at Maryland Drydock Co., Baltimore, MD. for fitting out as an Attack Transport

Re-commissioned in full USS Sumter (APA-52), 1 September 1943, CAPT. Allan D. Blackledge in command

During WWII USS Sumter was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Twelve, COMO. H.B. Knowles USN (17);
TransDiv Thirty-Six, CAPT. G.W. Johnson USN (18) and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944	Leyte operation Leyte landings, San Pedro Bay, 16 to 21 October and 19 to 29 November 1944
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 to 24 June 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and capture of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 5 April 1945
Western Caroline Islands operation Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944

Following World War II USS Sumter was assigned to Occupation service from 13 to 27 October 1945

Decommissioned, 19 March 1946, at Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw AL.

Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946

USS Sumter earned five battle stars for World War II service

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 1 August 1946, for disposal

Merchant Service

Title passed to Waterman SS Co., 8 April 1947

Converted into a containership at Mobile SR Inc., Chickasaw, AL., September 1957, renamed SS Gateway City

Sold to Pan-Atlantic SS. Co., 7 February 1956

Converted to a Cargo Trailership in September 1957

Resold to Coastal Ship Corp., in December 1957

Resold to Donmac Corp., 15 May 1968

Resold to R.J. Reynolds Industries Inc., 12 December 1970

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 31 August 1978, to Four Seas Enterprises Limited for scrapping at Hong Kong in October 1978

Specifications:
Displacement 13,910 t.(fl)
Length 468' 9"
Beam 63'
Draft 23' 3"
Speed 16.5 kts.

Complement

39 Officers

410 Enlisted

Troop Accommodations

91 Officers

1,472 Enlisted

Cargo Capacity 1,300 DWT

non-refrigerated 170,000 cu. ft.

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

ten single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 8,575 Bbls

Diesel 750 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric geared drive turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 750°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gear

three 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Sumter (APA-52)
	23k	*Namesake* Thomas Sumter, (born August 14, 1734, Hanover county, Virginia [U.S.]—died June 1, 1832, South Mount, South Carolina, U.S.), legislator and officer in the American Revolution, remembered for his leadership of troops against British forces in North and South Carolina, where he earned the sobriquet “the Carolina Gamecock.” Sumter served in the French and Indian War and later moved to South Carolina. After the fall of Charleston (1780) he escaped to North Carolina, where he became brigadier general of state troops. After successes over the British at Catawba and at Hanging Rock (Lancaster county), he was defeated the same year at Fishing Creek (Chester county). He defeated Mayor Wemyss at Fishdam Ford and repulsed Colonel Banastre Tarleton at Blackstock (both in Union county) in November 1780. After the war Sumter served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1789–93; 1797–1801) and in the U.S. Senate (1801–10). He was the last surviving general officer of the Revolution. Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor was named for him. Text from the Encyclopedia Britannica	Bill Gonyo
100305208	777k	USS Sumter off Baltimore, MD., 10 May 1943, after arriving on her ferry voyage from Mobile, AL., and before conversion to an attack transport. Note that her rig as delivered by the builder consisted of three single masts. US Nava Bureau of Ships (same as NHHC photo # 19-N-44543) now in the collections US Maritime Administration (MARAD). US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US Maritime Administration (MARAD)	Robert Hurst
100305212	848k		Robert Hurst
US National Archives 80-G-81683	201k	The just completed *USS Sumter* (APA-52)** underway off Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 9 September 1943, her davits as yet empty of landing craft. The two empty gun tubs aft were soon filled by a pair of quad 1.1" machine cannon, ultimately replaced by twin 40 mm guns. NavSource photo #'s NS 1000305206 and NS 100305207, US Navy photos, and text from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman. US National Archives photo # 80-G-81683, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	Robert Hurst Mike Green Terry Tull
NS 100306206	78k
NS 100306206	109k
	43k	*USS Sumter* (APA-52)** underway, date and location unknown.	Terry Tull
	47k	*USS Sumter* (APA-52)** underway, date and location unknown.	Terry Tull
Merchant Service Waterman Steamship Co. Sea-Land Service Inc.
	72k	Ex-Sumter (APA-52) under way while in merchant service as the Waterman Steamship Co.'s SS Gateway City departing Bremen, Germany, on the River Wiser, Germany, in thick fog, September 1966.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	164k	The Waterman Steamship Co.'s SS Gateway City under way in the English Channel, circa early-1950s. ©Skyfotos.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	211k	Ex-*USS Sumter* (APA-52)** the Sea-Land Service Inc. containership SS Gateway City under way in US waters, date and location unknown. ©C. A. Duncan.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus

USS Sumter (APA-52)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
	CDR. McHale, William Alfred, USNR (APA Ferry Crew #5)	30 April 1943 - 13 May 1943
01	CAPT. Blackledge, Allan Douglas	1 September 1943 - 11 December 1943
02	CAPT. Haff, Theodore Germond	11 December 1943 - 30 July 1944
03	CDR. O'Pry Jr., James Theodore	30 July 1944 - 1 December 1945
04	CAPT. Van Swearingen, Earl Kendall USN (USNA 1927)	1 December 1945 - 10 January 1946
05	LCDR. Winkel, Matthew John	10 January 1946 - 22 January 1946
06	LCDR. Callahan, Francis Thomas (Frank), USNR	22 January 1946 - 19 March 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 20 December 2024