Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Russ Padden

USS Hansford (APA-106)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Uniform - Romeo
NZUR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - Iwo Jima, 19 to 22 February 1945) - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (4-KIA, 11-WIA, Iwo Jima, 19 to 22 February 1945)

Bayfield Class Attack Transport:

Laid down, 10 December 1943, as SS Sea Adder, a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1551) at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA.

Renamed Gladwin, date unknown

Launched, 25 April 1944

Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 25 August 1944 and renamed Hansford

Commissioned USS Hansford (APA-106), 12 October 1944, CDR. William A. Lynch USN in command

During World War II USS Hansford was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Thirteen, COMO. M. O. Carlson USN (16);
TransDiv Thirty-Eight CAPT. P. P. Welsh USN (18) and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Iwo Jima operation Assault and capture of Iwo Jima, 19 to 22 February 1945	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 9 to 15 April 1945

Following World War II USS Hansford was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
2 September to 11 October 1945
3 to 8 December 1945
19 to 26 January 1946	19 to 26 January 1946

Decommissioned, 14 June 1946, at Norfolk, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 15 June 1946

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 16 June 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Sold into for commercial service by the Maritime Commission, 11 March 1948, to Isthmian Steamship Co., renamed SS Steel Apprentice

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in Taiwan, 4 May 1973, to Tai Kien Industry Co., Ltd.

Specifications:
Displacement 8,100 t.(lt) 16,100 t.(fl)
Length 492' 6"
Beam 69' 6"
Draft 26' 6"
Speed 18.4 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 41

Enlisted 437

Troop Accommodations

Officers 92

Enlisted 1,470

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity 4,500 DWT

non-refrigerated 180,500 Cu ft,

Boats

twelve LCVP

four LCM (Mk-6)

three LCP(L) (MK-IV)

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts, one fore and one aft

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 8,510 Bbls

Diesel 750 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric geared drive turbine engine

two Foster-Wheeler D-type boilers, 465psi 765°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gears

three turbo-drive 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
USS Hansford (APA-106)
	119k	*USS Hansford* (APA-106) in San Pedro Bay, 19 November 1944. The last four units at Western Pipe (APA 106-109) had two pairs of kingposts connected at the top by light lattice trusses. They also received the additional pair of short kingposts just forward of the bridge introduced in USS Barnstable (APA-93)*. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo No. 19-N-74581*, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Mike Green
	119k	*USS Hansford* (APA-106)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Suzanne S. Schlabs for her father-in-law, Henry Joseph Schlabs USS Hansford
	261k	*USS Hansford* (APA-106)** crew men and Marines hoist out Landing Vehicle Tank # 835 (LVT), while the ship is at anchor off the Iwo Jima beachhead in February 1945. LVT(A)4s such as this vehicle, armed with M3 75 millimeter howitzers or Canadian Ronson flamethrowers, supported the Marines fighting the Japanese on Iwo Jima. US Navy photo # 80-G-303914 from the US Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.	Tommy Trampp and Robert Hurst
100310607 NA 80-G-K-3169	188k	Aboard *USS Hansford* (APA-106), 26 February 1945, an Honor Guard fires the salute during a burial at sea for three Marine casualties taken aboard during the battle for Iwo Jima. The wounded Marines died aboard Hansford** while in transit to Saipan. US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-3170, 80-G-K-3170, 80-G-K-3167 80-G-15862 US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Bob Canchola and Robert Hurst
100310608 NA 80-G-K-3170	435k
100310603 NA 80-G-K-3167	435k
100310609 NA 80-G-15862	239k
Merchant Service
	83k	Ex-*USS Hansford* (APA-106)** in merchant service as the Isthmian Steamship Co. freighter SS Steel Apprentice, moored in June 1971, location unknown.	Suzanne S. Schlabs for her father-in-law, Henry Joseph Schlabs USS Hansford
	277k	SS Steel Apprentice, moored, date and location unknown. ©Alex Duncan.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus