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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Lavaca (APA-180)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Uniform - Romeo
 NDUR
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 - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 146) at Oregon Shipbuilding Group, Portland OR.
  • Launched, 27 November 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and commissioned USS Lavaca (APA-180), 17 December 1944, CAPT. Walter S. Gabel, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Lavaca was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Twenty-Two, COMO. S.P. Jenkins;
     TransDiv Sixty-Five, flagship, CAPT. E.C. Rogers USN (18)
  • Following World War II USS Lavaca was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 to 8 September 1945 
    24 September to 17 October 194524 September to 17 October 1945
    24 to 29 December 1945 
    5 to 21 May 1946 
    9 to 14 June 1946 

  • Decommissioned, 31 January 1947, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk VA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 17 September 1958 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington N.C.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1958
  • Towed by USS Utina (ATF-163) from Wilmington (departed 30 September 1964) to the James River National Defense Reserve Fleet,, Lee Hall, VA.(arrived 2 October 1964)
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 14 October 1992, to Global Marketing Systems, Newport News, VA, for $125,244, Removed, 17 November 1992, to Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Speed 17.7 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 99
    Enlisted 593
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 80
    Enlisted 1,440
    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
    10 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 Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
    three turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Lavaca 80k USS Lavaca (APA-180) in San Francisco Bay, CA., in late 1945 or early 1946. She is returning veterans from the Western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation "Magic Carpet.".
    US Navy photo # NH 98737 from the collections of the Naval Historical Center, donated by Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN (Retired), 2003.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS Lavaca (APA-180)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Gabel, Walter Samuel, USNR17 December 1944 - 7 April 1946
    02CAPT. Christensen, Waldeman Nicholas, USN (USNA 1925)7 April 1946 - 2 September 1946
    03LCDR. Parr, Warren Sherman. USN (USNA 1923)2 September 1946 - 12 December 1946
    04CDR. Byrd, Marion Moore, USN (USNA 1927)12 December 1946 - 31 January 1947
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    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 5 May 2017