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

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Okanogan (LPA-220)
ex
USS Okanogan (APA-220) (1944 - 1969)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Quebec - Whiskey
NPQW
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Keybrook Bravo

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 (1)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (6) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits, Quemoy-Matsu, Vietnam, Cuba) - Vietnam Service Medal (5)
Fourth Row - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal

Haskell Class Attack Transport:

Laid down, 10 August 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 568), at Permanente Metals Corp., Yard No. 2, Richmond, CA.

Launched, 26 October 1944

Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission on loan-charter and Commissioned USS Okanogan (APA-220), 3 December 1944, CDR. Frederick Fender, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Okanogan was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Nineteen, COMO. C.D. Edgar USN (12);
TransDiv Fifty-Seven, CAPT. G.F. Galpin USN (21) and participated in the following campaign;

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 17 to 22 April 1945

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

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
25 to 26 September 1945	11 to 16 May 1951
21 to 31 October 1945

During the Korean War USS Okanogan participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
North Korean Aggression 27 September 1950 8 October to 2 November 1950	Communist China Spring Offensive 29 April to 6 May 1951
Communist China Aggression 3 to 15 November 1950 4 December 1950 to 13 January 1951	Second Korean Winter 20 to 22 April 1952
First UN Counter Offensive 11 February to 7 March 1951	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 17 to 18 October 1952

During the Vietnam War USS Okanogan participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 11 to 28 June 1960 6 to 10 November 1963 21 to 29 May 1965 15 to 17 Hybe 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase IV 13 to 20 June 1968
Vietnam Defense 4 to 8 July 1965 16 August to 15 October 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase V 14 July to 3 September 1968 24 September to 4 October 1968 20 to 25 October 1968 30 October to 1 November 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase II 1 to 3 July 1966 29 November to 4 December 1966 17 December 1966 to 3 February 1967 15 February to 18 March 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase VI 2 to 7 November 1968

Redesignated Amphibious Transport (LPA-220), 1 January 1969

Decommissioned, 5 February 1970, at San Diego, CA.

Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 20 April 1971 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay Benicia, CA.

Title transferred to MARAD, 7 January 1972

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973

USS Okanogan earned one battle star for World War II service, six battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Final Disposition, sold by MARAD for scrapping, 2 October 1979, under the Trade-In Exchange program, to Nissho-Iwai American Corp.

According to a Naval Message [dated 3 Oct 1979] from MARAD (Director of Office of Ship Operations) to CNO: OKANOGAN, along with LOGAN, ROCKINGHAM, and BRONX, "were exchanged on 2 Oct 1979 (pursuant to Section 510(I) Merchant Marine Act of 1936 as amended, for SS SANTA RITA. Exchange agreement concluded with United States Steamship Company and immediately resold to Nissho-Iwai for scrapping in either Taiwan or South Korea." Removed 19 November 1979

Specifications:
Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
Length 455'
Beam 62'
Draft 24' (limit)
Speed 17.7 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 56

Enlisted 480

Troop Accommodations

Officers 86

Enlisted 1,475

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

Propulsion

one Westinghouse geared turbine

two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465psi 750°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears

three 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
	79k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** at anchor off NAB Little Creek, VA., 15 August 1946, during CAMID 1946 exercise. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	42k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** at anchor in 1949, location unknown. Photo by Howland.	Frank Jablonski
	53k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** at anchor far distant in 1949, location unknown. Foreground is one of the ships' LCVPs' underway. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	43k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** at anchor off Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, 2 March 1949, during a Blue Beach assault exercise. Note Navy lighter-than-air ship (blimp) overhead. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	80k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** at anchor off Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, 2 March 1949, during a Blue Beach assault exercise unloading equipment into one of the ship's LCVP's. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	43k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way, circa 1950, location unknown. US Navy photos from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	47k		Frank Jablonski
	232k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored pierside at San Diego, CA. August 1950.	Photo by Dr. Bill Kuzman
	231k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored pierside at San Diego, CA. in 1950 while loading 1st Marines.	Photo by Dr. Bill Kuzman
	38k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** at anchor off Wonson, North Korea, 26 October 1950. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	65k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way in San Diego Bay, 2 May 1952. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	77k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored pierside in South Korea in 1952	Photo by Bob Gifford
	84k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored pierside at Otaru, Japan in October 1952.	Photo by Bob Gifford
	90k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way, 9 May 1955, location unknown. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	67k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** outbound to sea off Point Loma, San Diego, CA., 4 November 1957. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	84k	Two views of the stern of *USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** while underway, 4 November 1957 off Point Loma. US Navy photos from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	61k		Frank Jablonski
	231k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way in the Western Pacific, circa 1958.	John Trolinger
	98k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way, circa 1958. US Navy photo "All Hands" magazine August 1958, p. 27.	Robert Hurst
	395k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** LCVP-24 landing a liberty party on the Magnolia Street Landing, Long Beach, CA. in 1960.	Photo by Frank Jablonski
	161k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored pierside at Subic Bay Naval Station, Luzon, Philippines in 1960.	Photo by Frank Jablonski
	148k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored pierside at Saigon, South Vietnam in June 1960.	Photo by Bill Venn RD2
	467k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220) transported Vietnamese art treasure to the United States in mid-1960. Photos by BM2 Eugene Watters - Ships Photographer. Newspaper Article - "Vietnam Art Objects Buffeted By Typhoon En route to U. S.** Saigon - A priceless collection of Vietnam art treasures dating back more than 2,000 years, was buffeted by a typhoon in the South China Sea on its way to the United States aboard a U. S. Navy transport, USS OKANOGAN (APA 220) but apparently escaped harm, according to an AP dispatch from Washington. Mr. Nghiem Tham, chief of the Vietnam Institute for Historical Research, section of Archeology, disclosed this on July 28, following his arrival in Washington to prepare for a fall showing of the art objects at the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. Tham said more than 700 individual items are being shipped in bonded trucks from California to Washington where they will be inspected this week by Thomas Beggs, director of the Smithsonian�s National Collection of Fine Arts. U. S. Customs inspectors also will be on hand for the unloading operation. He said the most valuable single object is a gold medallion unearthed in the ancient Vietnam trading center of Oc Eo, discovered under a flooded rice field near Saigon. The medallion carries the image of Roman Emperor Antoninus who ruled in the second century A.D. The collection also includes a famous bronze Buddha from Dong Duong, dating back to the 4th century A.D., ceramics, ivory and stone carvings, lacquer work, silver and precious stones, jewelry and elaborate group of seven tone musical instruments. Two other Vietnamese collections, one from the Belgian Museum in Brussels, and the other from Harvard University�s Peabody Museum of Archeology are also being sent to Washington for the show. After Washington, the exhibit, to open on October 26, will move to other museums throughout the United States, including Philadelphia, Saint Louis, Cleveland, and Portland.	Frank Jablonski
	90k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way off San Diego, CA., 3 November 1961.	Frank Jablonski
	84k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way, date and location unknown.
	401k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** under way in the harbor at Long Beach, CA., in October 1960.	CWO3 John Trolinger (RD2( USS Okanogan)
	147k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220) transferring cargo to US Army LCU-1585** during Amphibious Exercise in the Philippines in 1962.	CWO3 John Trolinger (RD2) USS Okanogan)
	211k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220) loading Marines and equipment of 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit**, White Beach, Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 15 February 1962.	CWO3 John Trolinger (RD2) USS Okanogan)
	144k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** transiting the Panama Canal, 4 December 1962, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean following the Cuban Missile Crisis.	CWO3 John Trolinger (RD2) USS Okanogan)
	225k		CWO3 John Trolinger (RD2) USS Okanogan)
	431k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored pierside at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, 12 June 1966. The ship was transporting the 7th Comm Battalion to Chu Lai, South Vietnam.	USS Okanogan Association
	224k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** moored at the Newport Docks, Saigon, South Vietnam in 1968.	USS Okanogan Association
	42k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** surrounded by a screen of PBRs while delivering 1500 Royal Thai troops to Saigon, August 1968	Frank Jablonski, USS Okanogan Association
	133k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** anchored at Vung Tau, South Vietnam while serving as station ship, August to September 1968	Frank Jablonski, USS Okanogan Association
	311k	Undated photo of *USS Okanogan* (APA-220)**'s covered LCPL.	CWO3 John Trolinger (RD2) USS Okanogan)
	65k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** outbound to sea off Point Loma, San Diego, CA. circa 1968. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
	45k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** underway in 1969, location unknown. US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives.	Frank Jablonski
100322076	249k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** outbound to sea off Point Loma, San Diego, CA., date unknown. © George Barbaer	Nicholas Tiberio
	33k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** plaque at the US Navy Memorial, Washington, D.C.	Frank Jablonski, USS Okanogan Association
	105k	*USS Okanogan* (APA-220)** plaque at the Nimitz Museum, Fredricksburg, TX.	Frank Jablonski, USS Okanogan Association

USS Okanogan - Cargo Handling and Boat Operations WESTPAC 1960 Photos by BM2 Eugene Watters - Ships Photographer

For more photos and information about USS Okanogan, see:
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
MARAD Vessel History Database
The Okanogan Association

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Fender, Frederick, USNR	3 December 1944 - 9 March 1946
02	CAPT. Schleif, Edward Llewellyn, USN (USNA 1925)	9 March 1946 - 25 August 1947
03	CAPT. Lampman, Leland Ralph, USN (USNA 1927)	25 August 1947 - 10 May 1948
04	LCDR. Judge, William Edwin, USN	10 May 1948 - 15 June 1949
05	CAPT. Schumm, Brooke, USN (USNA 1927) :RADM	15 June 1949 - October 1949
06	CAPT. Chilton, William Pierce, USN (USNA 1927) :RADM	October 1949 - 20 January 1950
07	CAPT. Donohue, Timothy Francis, USN (USNA 1927) :RADM	20 January 1950 - 28 November 1950
08	CDR. Denton, James Boyce, USN (USNA 1937) (temporary)	28 November 1950 - 22 December 1950
09	CAPT. Gallaher, John Francis, USN (USNA 1926) :RADM	22 December 1950 - August 1951
10	CAPT. Day, Harry Edward	August 1951 - September 1952
11	CAPT. Osborn, Philip Ranson, USN (USNA 1929)	September 1952 - September 1953
12	CAPT. Adamson, Frank Marshall, USN (USNA 1929) :RADM	September 1953 - June 1954
13	CAPT. Winant Jr., Frank Ingersoll, USN (USNA 1930)	June 1954 - August 1955
14	CAPT. Hardman, Ward Forrest USN (USNA 1933)	August 1955 - August 1956
15	CAPT. Oliver, Robert John USN (USNA 1934)	August 1956 - September 1957
16	CAPT. Phillips Jr., Jewett Orean, USN (USNA 1936)	September 1957 - June 1958
17	CAPT. Hathaway, Amos Townsend, USN (USNA 1935)	June 1958 - 23 September 1959
18	CAPT. Cutts, Robert Elwin, USN (USNA 1938)	23 September 1959 - 5 October 1960
19	CAPT. Lewis, William Edward, USN (USNA 1937)	5 October 1960 - 18 January 1962
20	CAPT. Carmichael, Carl, USN	18 January 1962 - 20 May 1963
21	CAPT. Oliver, Ray Earnest, USN (USNA 1941)	20 May 1963 - June 1964
22	CAPT. Hartley, Gordon Ernest, USN	June 1964 - March 1965
23	CAPT. Perkins Sr., James William, USN	March 1965 - 11 June 1966
24	CAPT. Payne, Paul Elbert, USN	11 June 1966 - 1 September 1967
24	CAPT. May Sr., Robert Carl, USN	1 September 1967 - 21 September 1968
25	CDR. Feagin, Frederick K., USN (USNA 1950) (temporary)	21 September 1968 - 8 October 1968
26	*CAPT. Kelly, Merrill Elmer, USN (USNA 1945)	8 October 1968 - 17 November 1968
27	CAPT. Gallatin, Robert Eugene, USN	17 November 1968 - 5 February 1970
*	TAD as CO of USS OKANOGAN off Vietnam while at the same time CO USS PICKAWAY (LPA 222)


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves, Photos courtesy Frank Jablonski

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

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index

Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 11 March 2022

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Okanogan (LPA-220)ex USS Okanogan (APA-220) (1944 - 1969)

USS Okanogan (LPA-220)
ex
USS Okanogan (APA-220) (1944 - 1969)