Haskell-class attack transports were amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy created in 1944. They were designed to transport 1,500 troops and their combat equipment, and land them on hostile shores with the ships' integral landing craft.
The VC2-S-AP5 design was intended for the transport and assault landing of over 1,500 troops and their heavy combat equipment. During Operation Magic Carpet, up to 1,900 personnel per ship were carried homeward. The Haskells carried 25 landing craft to deliver the troops and equipment right onto the beach. The 23 main boats were the -long LCVP. The LCVP was designed to carry 36 equipped troops. The other two landing craft were the -long LCM, capable of carrying 60 troops or 30 tons of cargo, or the LCM. They also carried one gig. The Haskell-class ships were armed with one 5"/38 caliber gun, twelve Bofors 40 mm guns, and ten Oerlikon 20 mm guns.
Ships of the ''Haskell'' class
, California, in late 1945 or early 1946. She is returning troops from the western Pacific to the United States as part of Operation Magic Carpet. Note the long homeward bound pennant trailing from her after mast, and the sign on shore stating "Welcome Home, Well Done." Haskell-class attack transports included APA-117,, the lead ship, through APA-247, the never completed USS Mecklenburg. The hulls for APA-181 through APA-186 were repurposed to be hospital ships before they were named. Ultimately those hospital ships were built on larger C4 plan and the six VC2 hulls were built in a merchant configuration. APA-240 through APA-247 were named, but cancelled in 1945 when the war ended. With the special exception of, the Haskell-class ships were all named after counties of the United States.
Fate
Most of the Haskell-class ships were mothballed in 1946, with only a few remaining in service. Many of the Haskell class were scrapped in 1973–75. A few were converted into Missile Range Instrumentation Ships.
, the last remaining ship in the Haskell configuration, was scrapped in 2009 at ESCO Marine, in Brownsville, Tx.
, which was converted and renamed, lasted until she was scrapped in 2012.
SS Rutland Victory was sold to a private company and sank on February 13, 1976 600 miles East of Tokyo, Japan.
in 1945
Notable incidents
had Kamikaze attack damage on 1 April 1945 at Okinawa. Over 15 men were killed. The extensive engine room damage was later repaired.
on 13 August 1945 damaged in last kamikaze attack of WW2, 21 sailors killed and 89 wounded.
had mine damage on 17 September 1945, off Okinawa, this caused the death of three men and damaged the ship extensively.
on 2 April 1945 was hit by kamikaze attacked, the plane hit the side of the ship then dropped into the sea. She was later repaired.
In fiction
The 1956 movie Away All Boats presents operations on an attack transport. It was based on a popular novel of the same name, written by an officer who served on one during World War 2.
