USS Bronx (APA-236)

USS Bronx (APA-236) was a Haskell-class attack transport that was built for service with the US Navy in World War II on the Victory ship design. Commissioned just weeks after the end of the war, she never saw hostilities.

History
United States
Name: USS Bronx (APA-236)
Namesake: Bronx, New York
Builder: Oregon Shipbuilding
Launched: 14 July 1945
Sponsored by: Mrs John W. Greenslade
Acquired: 27 August 1945
Commissioned: 27 August 1945
Decommissioned: 30 June 1949
Stricken: 1 October 1958
Fate: Scrapped, c. 1979
General characteristics
Class and type: Haskell-class attack transport
Tonnage: 150,000 cu. ft, 2,900 tons
Displacement: 6,720 tons (lt), 14,837 t. (fl)
Length: 455 ft
Beam: 62 ft
Draft: 24 ft
Propulsion: 1 x Joshua Hendy geared turbine, 2 x Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 1 x propeller, designed shaft horsepower 8,500
Speed: 17.7 knots
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 x LCM, 12 x LCVP, 3 x LCPU
Capacity: 86 Officers 1,475 Enlisted
Crew: 56 Officers, 480 enlisted
Armament: 1 x 5"/38 caliber dual-purpose gun mount, 1 x quad 40mm gun mount, 4 x twin 40mm gun mounts, 10 x single 20mm gun mounts
Notes: MCV Hull No. 860, hull type VC2-S-AP5

Bronx was named after Bronx, New York. She was launched 14 July 1945 by Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation of Portland, Oregon, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. John W. Greenslade, wife of Vice Admiral John W. Greenslade; acquired by the Navy 27 August 1945; and commissioned the same day Captain E. J. Anderson, USNR, in command.

Operational history

Bronx got underway from San Pedro, California, for Manila, Philippine Islands, 30 October 1945. At Manila she embarked Army personnel for the return trip to San Francisco. She returned to the Philippines in January and brought Naval personnel back to the West Coast. On 4 April 1946 she stood out for Shanghai, China. From here she steamed to Tsingtao and Taku, China, where she embarked Marine and Naval personnel for transportation to San Francisco.

Bronx sailed to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 7 June and received on board military personnel en route to San Francisco. During August she took part in training maneuvers near San Diego. On 28 September and again on 24 October, she departed carrying troops to Olympia, Washington.

She continued these coastwise operations until 9 January 1947 when she got underway for Pearl Harbor with troops. From there she proceeded to Okinawa, China, and Guam carrying passengers and cargo. The ship weighed anchor for San Francisco 22 May 1947. She then operated at various ports in California until January 1948.

On 5 January 1948 she set sail for Tsingtao, China, via Pearl Harbor, transporting cargo. After stopping at Shanghai, she proceeded to Guam and then back to Tsingtao.

Bronx got underway for San Francisco 4 May laden with cargo. She operated along the West Coast transporting men and supplies until 18 January 1949 when she steamed to Kodiak Island, Alaska, for landing exercises.

Decommission

On 18 February she departed for San Francisco with personnel and equipment. Upon arrival at San Francisco she commenced her pre-inactivation overhaul. Bronx was placed out of commission in reserve 30 June 1949. On 15 August 1958, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay.[1] She was later redesignated an Amphibious Transport (LPA-236), on 1 January 1969. On 7 November 1979, she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet in exchange for the Santa Rita. Nominally delivered to States SS Co., Bronx was simultaneously transferred to Nissho-Iwai American Corp. for scrapping in Korea.[1][2] As of April 2011, MARAD does not list any artifacts for the Bronx.[3]

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

  1. "RESERVE FLEET - SHIP PARTICULARS - Bronx". Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  2. "RECORD OF SHIP SALES - BRONX". Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  3. "PMARS Ship Record Detail - BRONX (APA-236)". Retrieved 3 April 2011.
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