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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Clinton (LPA-144)
ex
 USS Clinton (APA-144) (1945 - 1968)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Papa - Tango
 NDPT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 27 September 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 60) at California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 29 November 1944
  • Ferried/towed to Astoria OR. for fitting out as an Attack Transport
  • Acquired by the Navy 1 January 1945 from the Maritime Commission
  • Commissioned USS Clinton (APA-144), 1 February 1945, at Naval Station Astoria OR., CDR. Joseph A. Ivaldi, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Clinton was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Twenty-Four, COMO. E. L. Short;
    TransDiv Seventy-Two (flagship), CAPT. N.Y. McCown USN (18) and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 27 to 31 May 1945

  • Following World War II USS Clinton was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East and China service for the following periods;

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    13 to 19 September 194511 to 14 October 1945
     24 October to 21 November 1945

  • Title transferred to the Navy Department from the Maritime Commission, 14 January 1946
  • Decommissioned, 2 May 1946, at Norfolk VA. and laid up in reserve
  • USS Clinton (APA-144) earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 25 August 1958, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C.
  • Withdrawn from the National Defense Reserve fleet, Wilmington Group, 24 to 27 September 1964, under tow to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1958
  • Redesignated Amphibious Transport (LPA-144), 1 January 1969
  • Withdrawn from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, 9 November 1983 by the US Navy
  • Final Disposition, disposed of as a fleet exercise target, 1 August 1984, off the Virginia Capes
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 24'
    Speed 17.7 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 99
    Enlisted 593
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 86
    Enlisted 1,465 Enlisted
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWT
    non-refrigerated 150,000 Cu ft.
    Boats
    two LCMs
    one open LCPL
    one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)
    two LCPRs
    eighteen LCVPs
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual-purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 7,780 Bbls
    Diesel 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465psi 750°
    double Joshua-Hendy Main Reduction Gear
    three 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Clinton 196k USS Clinton (APA-144) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo probably taken from an airship from Lighter-than-Air Airship Squadron (ZP-31), NAS Santa Ana, CA.    		 David Buell
    Clinton 53k Bow on view of USS Clinton (APA-144) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Tommy Trampp
    Clinton
    100314409    		 133k Chinese “coolies” sit on the dock waiting to unload gear from USS Clinton (APA-144) tied at the docks with troops of Major General Lemuel C. Shepard, Jr’s Sixth Marine Division, at Tsingtao, China, 11 October 1945.
    Photo from flickr.com via National Museum of the U.S. Navy    		 John Spivey
    Clinton 155k USS Clinton (APA-144) drydocked at Long Beach Navy Yard, San Pedro, CA. in December 1945. Dave Way Curator Battleship Iowa BB 61 Pacific Battleship Center
    Clinton 127k
    Clinton 152k
    Clinton 78k
    Clinton 101k
    Clinton 158k
    Clinton 21k APAs moored in the James River Group of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, VA.. From left to right: USS Crockett (APA-148), USS Deuel (APA-160), USS Mellette (APA-156) and USS Clinton (APA-144), date unknown. USS Deuel Association
    USS Clinton (APA-144 / LPA-144)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Ivaldi, Joseph Albert USNR1 February 1945 - 14 April 1945
    02CAPT. Murphy, Chester Henry USN (USNA 1920)14 April 1945 - 28 February 1946
    03LCDR. Ross, James Edward, USN28 February 1946 - 2 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites and Material of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    SS Clinton Launching Program
    Back To the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 17 January 2025