Tolland-class attack cargo ship

The Tolland-class attack cargo ships were built by North Carolina Shipbuilding Co. in Wilmington, North Carolina during the latter stages of World War II.[1]

A typical Tolland-class attack cargo ship
Class overview
BuildersNorth Carolina Shipbuilding Company
Operators United States Navy
Built1944–1945
Completed32
General characteristics
TypeAttack cargo ship
Displacement13,910 tons full
Length459 ft 2 in (140 m)
Beam63 ft (19 m)
Draft26 ft 4 in (8 m)
Speed16.5 kn (31 km/h)
Complement375 (varies)
Armament

All these ships were built on the same standard hull design, but there were some differences from ship to ship. The armament varied, as did that of the other ships of the day. During 1944-1945, the 5"/38 was recognized as the best gun for the dual role of antiaircraft and naval gunfire support, and the 40 mm was seen as the best antiaircraft gun. The older 20 mm and .50 caliber guns had been recognized to be of limited value, and were being phased out, though they appeared on some of these ships. The 20 mm guns were later removed from all of them, but it is not clear just when this happened.[citation needed]

The complement varied as well, but the DANFS figures sometimes seem to confuse ship's company with embarked troops in determining a ship's complement.[vague]

Ships in Class

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Hull no. Ship Keel laid Launched Commission Decomm Fate
AKA-64 Tolland 22 April 1944 26 June 1944 4 September 1944 1 July 1946 Sold into merchant service 3 October 1947

Scrapped June 1971

AKA-65 Shoshone 12 May 1944 17 July 1944 24 September 1944 28 June 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1947

Scrapped, 1971

AKA-66 Southampton 26 May 1944 28 July 1944 16 September 1944 21 June 1946 Sold into civilian service, American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines as SS Flying Clipper
AKA-67 Starr 13 June 1944 18 August 1944 29 September 1944 31 May 1946 Sold into merchant service, 3 December 1947, Sold for scrapping, 9 September 1970
AKA-68 Stokes 26 June 1944 31 August 1944 12 October 1944 9 July 1946 Sold to Oceanic Steamship Company, Scrapped in Taiwan by Kenematsu-Gosho, Ltd. 4 September 1971
AKA-69 Suffolk 11 July 1944 15 September 1944 23 October 1944 27 June 1946 Sold for commercial service, Scrapped in Taiwan, 1971
AKA-70 Tate 22 July 1944 26 September 1944 25 November 1944 10 July 1946 Sold into merchant service, scrapped October 1970
AKA-71 Todd 10 August 1944 10 October 1944 30 November 1944 25 June 1946 Sold for commercial service, scrapped 22 February 1972
AKA-72 Caswell 1944 24 October 1944 13 December 1944 19 June 1946 Sold into merchant service, 15 September 1947, Scrapped at Santander, Spain starting in August 1972
AKA-73 New Hanover 31 August 1944 31 October 1944 22 December 1944 30 July 1946 Sold into merchant service 31 June 1947, Sold for scrapping 16 October 1970
AKA-74 Lenoir 7 September 1944 6 November 1944 14 December 1944 13 June 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1 October 1947, Scrapped 1971
AKA-75 Alamance 15 September 1944 11 November 1944 22 December 1944 25 June 1946 Sold for merchant service, Scrapped 1971 in Taiwan
AKA-76 Torrance 1 April 1944 6 June 1944 18 November 1944 20 June 1946 Sold into merchant service, 15 September 1947, Scrapped at Santander, Spain starting in August 1972
AKA-77 Towner 8 April 1944 13 June 1944 3 December 1944 10 June 1946 Sold for civilian use, abandoned July 1967 as a constructive total loss & scuttled.
AKA-78 Trego 14 April 1944 20 June 1944 21 December 1944 21 May 1946 Sold for merchant service, scrapped 27 October 1969
AKA-79 Trousdale 22 April 1944 3 July 1944 21 December 1944 29 April 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1947, Sold for scrapping, 1970
AKA-80 Tyrrell 6 May 1944 July 1944 4 December 1944 19 April 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1948
AKA-81 Valencia 20 May 1944 22 July 1944 9 January 1945 8 May 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1946, Scrapped May 1970
AKA-82 Venango 6 June 1944 9 August 1944 2 January 1945 18 April 1946 Sold into merchant service February 1947, Scrapped February 1971
AKA-83 Vinton 20 June 1944 25 August 1944 23 February 1945 16 March 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1947, Scrapped 22 November 1971
AKA-84 Waukesha 3 July 1944 6 September 1944 23 February 1945 10 July 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1947, Scrapped October 1970
AKA-85 Wheatland 17 July 1944 21 September 1944 3 April 1945 25 April 1946 Sold for merchant service, 3 April 1947, Scrapped at Taiwan, December 1973
AKA-86 Woodford 17 July 1944 5 October 1944 3 March 1945 1 May 1946 Sold into merchant service, 31 October 1947, Scrapped, 19 May 1973
AKA-87 Duplin 18 August 1944 17 October 1944 15 May 1945 21 May 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1946, Scrapped in 1971
AKA-101 Ottawa 5 October 1944 29 November 1944 8 February 1945 10 January 1947 Sold into merchant service, 1946, Lost, 1951
AKA-102 Prentiss 10 October 1944 6 December 1944 11 February 1945 31 May 1946 Sold into merchant service, 1947, Scrapped, March 1970
AKA-103 Rankin 31 October 1944 22 December 1944 25 February 1945 21 May 1947 Recommissioned 1952-1971, Sunk as a fishing & diving reef off Stuart, Florida, 24 July 1988
AKA-104 Seminole 28 December 1944 8 March 1945 23 December 1970 Sold for scrapping, 16 November 1977
AKA-105 Skagit 21 September 1944 18 November 1944 2 May 1945 30 June 1949 Recommissioned 1950-1969, Sold for scrap, 22 April 1974
AKA-106 Union 27 September 1944 23 November 1944 25 April 1945 5 June 1970 Sold for scrap, September 1977
AKA-107 Vermilion 17 October 1944 12 December 1944 23 June 1945 26 August 1949 Recommissioned 1950-1971, Sunk as artificial reef 24 August 1988
AKA-108 Washburn 24 October 1944 18 December 1944 17 May 1945 16 May 1970 Sold for scrap
AKA-109 San Joaquin 17 August 1945 Cancelled 27 August 1945

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bridgman, Jeff. "WWII U.S. NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT FROM THE U.S.S. CASWELL, TOLLAND-CLASS ATTACK CARGO SHIP, COMMISSIONED DEC. 13, 1944, THAT PARTICIPATED IN OKINAWA IN SUPPORT OF THE 6TH MARINES". www.jeffbridgman.com. Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags and Painted Furniture. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
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