USS ''Newberry'' (APA-158) was a ''Haskell''-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1984.

History

''Newberry'' was laid down under Maritime Commission contract 10 June 1944 by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oregon; launched 24 August 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Joseph M. McDonald; acquired by the Navy on a loan-charter basis 6 October 1944; and commissioned the next day.

World War II

''Newberry'' conducted shakedown off the U.S. West Coast, then departed San Francisco, California, for Hawaii, where she conducted final training in amphibious operations. On 31 December 1944 she embarked the 1st Battalion 23rd Marines and their Shore Party A Co 133 NCB plus half of A Co 4th Pioneers--- U.S. 4th Marine Division, and left Pearl Harbor for the invasion of

Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...

. After landing her Marines, for 10 days following D-day, she took on a total of 439 wounded. Speedy medical attention doubtless saved many from certain death. ''Newberry'' departed Iwo for Guam on the 27th. Sailing via

Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...

, she embarked part of the U.S. 2d Marine Division at Guam on 8 March 1945, and on the 27th, got underway for the Okinawa operation. Standing in reserve, her troops were not needed; and she returned them to

in April. ''Newberry'' remained there until early in June, then sailed to Espiritu Santo for supplies. She returned to Guam 2 July and sailed for San Francisco less than two weeks later, arriving on the 27th. The attack transport departed the U.S. West Coast 12 August, carrying replacement troops to the Philippines. At Leyte she took on Army units destined for occupation duty in the Japanese home islands, debarked them at

Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...

Honshū , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...

, and began “

Operation Magic Carpet Operation Magic Carpet was the post-World War II operation by the War Shipping Administration to repatriate over eight million American military personnel from the European, Pacific, and Asian theaters. Hundreds of Liberty ships, Victory ships ...

” duty. She sailed 29 September for

, where she took on 2,500 passengers for

. Exchanging these for another 2,300 veterans, she stood out from Saipan for San Francisco, arriving 24 October. Two weeks later she headed for Okinawa with replacements, and returned to California with still another full load of veterans.

Decommissioning and fate

''Newberry'' was decommissioned on 21 February 1946 and returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) 3 March at Lee Hall, Virginia, and struck from the Navy List 12 March. She was berthed at James River, Virginia, as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. She was sold for scrapping on 17 September 1983 to Desguaces Aviles S.A., Spain, and completely scrapped as of 8 June 1984.

References

External links

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - APA-158 Newberry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newberry Haskell-class attack transports Newberry County, South Carolina World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Troop ships Ships built in Portland, Oregon 1944 ships