home

fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS AND CRAFT

ALMAACK amphibious cargo ship (1940/1941)

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
AK27, 1.1943- AKA10 Almaack (ex-Executor) 1483 Bethlehem, Quincy 3.1940 21.9.1940 10.1940 // 6.1941 stricken 8.1946

 

Displacement standard, t

8600

Displacement full, t

14460

Length, m

144.2

Breadth, m

20.3

Draught, m

8.70

No of shafts

1

Machinery

1 set geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Power, h. p.

8000

Max speed, kts

18.6

Fuel, t

oil 1659

Endurance, nm(kts) 19345(12)

Armament

1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20

Military load

15 - 16 LCVP, 8 LCM(3), cargo, troops

by 1945: 6 LCM(6), 2 LCM(3), 8 LCVP, 1 LCPL, 5175 t of cargo, 167 marines

Complement 426

Project history: USN military transport vessels were sectioned into two groups: ÀÐ for transportation of troops and ÀÊ for carriage of goods and technics. The majority of them were built on the basis of standard types Ñ2, Ñ3 and Ñ4 and differed from usual cargo ships a little.

For delivery of troops and cargoes directly to a beaching place assault landing transport ships (ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ) served, which main difference from ÀÊ and ÀÐ consisted that they were extra equipped with disembarkation craft of LCVP, LCM and LCP (L) types; with their help delivery of people and cargoes to beach also was effected.

Originally similar ships were not outlined in own subclass and were registered as ÀÐ and ÀÊ. In February, 1943 reorganisation was done and assault transports have received indexation ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ.

Two ships of Doyen class, projected even on the eve of war for landing operations in Caribbean basin, became the first American assault military transports. The overwhelming majority of remaining ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ has been converted from merchant cargo and cargo-passenger vessels or constructed in hulls of standard cargo vessels built by the big series in days of war. An exception were specially projected as assault transports Gilliam (ÀÐÀ) and Artemis (ÀÊÀ) classes.

Besides the large landing transport ships of ÀÐÀ and ÀÊÀ classes, small landing parties and subversive groups were landed by fast landing transports (APD) converted from become outdated Wickes and Clemson classes destroyers and destroyer escorts of Buckley and Rudderow classes.

Almaack was built in standard type C3-E hull. Ship was ordered by American Export Lines but purchased by Navy before completion.

Modernizations: by 1945 ship was presumably armed with 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 18 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

1/1946: 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20/21, 18 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

Naval service: No significant events.

Almaack 1943

© Ivan Gogin, 2014-15