USS ''Clearfield'' (APA-142) was a
''Haskell''-class attack transport in service with the
United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.
History
''Clearfield'' was a
Victory ship design, VC2-S-AP5 and was named after
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. She was launched 21 November 1944 by
California Shipbuilding Corp.
__NOTOC__
California Shipbuilding Corporation built 467 Liberty ship, Liberty and Victory ships during World War II, including Haskell-class attack transport, ''Haskell''-class attack transports. California Shipbuilding Corporation was often ref ...
,
Wilmington, California, under a
Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. F. L. Chambers; acquired by the Navy 11 January 1945; and commissioned 12 January 1945.
''Clearfield'' loaded
construction battalion troops and cargo at
Port Hueneme, California, and departed 9 March 1945 for
Pearl Harbor,
Eniwetok,
Ulithi and
Okinawa, where she arrived 17 April, to disembark her passengers and their equipment at
Ie Shima
, previously romanized in English as Ie Shima, is an island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula on Okinawa Island. The island measures in circumference and covers . As of December 2012 the island had ...
, to build an airfield.
She sailed from Okinawa 26 April to load
Army replacements at
San Francisco and transported these troops to
Manila, arriving 23 June. After moving occupation troops among the Philippine Islands, ''Clearfield'' departed Manila 27 August for
Tokyo, where she landed soldiers 2 September.
From 4 September 1945 ''Clearfield'' operated between Okinawa and Manila and ports in China, supporting the reoccupation of northern China by transporting
Marines and Chinese troops. She got underway for
Tacoma, Washington, 2 December, and after overhaul, sailed to
Norfolk, arriving 4 February 1946. ''Clearfield'' was decommissioned 4 March 1946, and returned to the
War Shipping Administration 6 March 1946.
Fate
Ex-''Clearfield'' was laid up in the
National Defense Reserve Fleet at
James River, Virginia. Between 2 September and 27 October 1955 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet for a Repair Program, GAA- Polarus, and returned.
Ex-''Clearfield'' was sold for
$111,560 to
Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation for scrapping on 9 April 1973.
At 1440
EDT, on 7 September 1973 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and sent to the
breaker's yard.
Awards
''Clearfield'' received one
battle star for World War II service.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clearfield (APA-142)
Victory ships
Ships built in Los Angeles
Haskell-class attack transports
World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
1944 ships