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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Audrain (APA-59)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Oscar - Zulu
 NKOZ
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 (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (3-WIA, 6 April 45, Okinawa)
Gilliam Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 1 December 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BD1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1852), at Consolidated Steel Corp, Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 21 April 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, 1 September 1944
  • Commissioned USS Audrain (APA-59), 2 September 1944, LCDR. George O. Forrest USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Audrain was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Fourteen, COMO. D.L. Ryan USN (16);
    TransDiv Forty and participated in the following campaigns

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Luzon operations
    Lingayen Gulf landing, 9 to 12 January 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 10 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS Audrain was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    15 to 26 September 1945
    22 to 31 October 1945
    14 to 27 January 1946

  • Decommissioned, 15 May 1946, at Pearl Harbor, T.H.
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 25 July 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1947
  • USS Audrain earned two battle stars for her World War II service
  • Final Disposition,sold for scrapping, 7 November 1972, to National Metal & Steel Corp., Terminal Island, CA. (PD-X-949 dated 5 October 1972) for $175,000.00. Withdrawn from the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet and delivered 27 November 1972
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,247 t.(lt), 7,080 t.(fl)
    Length 426'
    Beam 58'
    Draft 16'
    Speed 16.9 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 27
    Enlisted 293
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 47
    Enlisted 802
    Largest Boom Capacity 15 t.
    Cargo Capacity 600 DWT
    non-refrigerated 85,000 cu. ft.,
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,695 Bbls
    Diesel 375 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse steam turbines
    two Babcock & Wilcox D-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 250Kw 450V A.C.
     one turbo-drive 150Kw 450V A.C.
     one turbo-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two propellers, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Audrain
    100305910    		 188k USS Audrain (APA-59) underway at sea, probably on the way to the Lingayen Gulf landings in early January 1945. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 4T. The photo was taken from the escort carrier USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82).
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # 80-G-355074    		 Robert Hurst
    Audrain
    100305912    		 105k USS Audrain (APA-59) at anchor in the Dutch Indies, 30 January 1945. On 18 January, Audrain sailed for Biak, Schouten Islands. There, she took on troops and equipment for transportation to Mindoro, Philippine Islands. She discharged these passengers and their gear on secured beaches in the San Jose area of Mindoro on 9 February and retired to Leyte Gulf. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 4T.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # 80-G-300769    		 Robert Hurst
    Audrain
    100305911    		 150k USS Audrain (APA-59) at anchor, 30 January 1945. Three days later she was off Wakde, Papua New Guinea. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # 80-G-300768. Robert Hurst
    Audrain 709k USS Audrain (APA-59) at anchor, date and location unknown. Photo provided by Dennis Hahn to Mike Wood to honor his grandfather Norman Wood USS Audrain and
    David Buell
    Audrain
    100305903    		 296k USS Audrain (APA-59) in port with many other ships, circa 1945. Alongside is USS San Saba (APA-232). The amphibious command ship USS Appalachian (AGC-1) is moored on the opposite side of the quai. The bow of USS Monrovia (APA-31) is visible in the upper left. Tugs push a Rudderow or John C. Butler-class destroyer escort opposite of Appalachian. Docked alongside the destroyer escort are a tanker and a cruiser.
    U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-NN-APA-59-113946.    		 Robert Hurst
    Audrain
    100305904    		 323k USS Audrain (APA-59) moored outboard of USS San Saba (APA-232). The amphibious command ship USS Appalachian (AGC-1) is moored on the opposite side of the quai.circa 1945, location unknown.
    U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photos    		 MARAD
    Audrain
    100305905    		 329k
    Audrain
    100305906    		 481k USS Audrain (APA-59) overhead deck photos, circa 1945, location unknown.
    Photo # 100305906 - Foremast looking aft
    Photo # 100305907 - Foremast looking forward
    Photo # 100305908 - Mainmast looking forward
    Photo # 100305909 - Mainmast looking aft
    U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photos    		 MARAD
    Audrain
    100305907    		 521k
    Audrain
    100305908    		 578k
    Audrain
    100305909    		 478k
    USS Audrain (APA-59)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Forrest, George Oliver, USNR2 September 1944 - 26 December 1945
    02LCDR. Hodgson Jr., James Thompson, USNR26 December 1945 - 5 January 1946
    03CAPT. Durski, Malen, USN (USNA 1927)5 January 1946 - 15 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    Action Report - Landing of Occupation Forces, Nagasaki Japan, September 1945
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 June 2023