USS Okaloosa (APA-219)
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USS ''Okaloosa'' (APA-219) was a in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1949. She was scrapped in 1972.


Construction

''Okaloosa'' was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type and was named after Okaloosa County, Florida. She was laid down 8 August 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCV Hull 567, by
Permanente Metals Corporation Permanente Metals Corporation (PMC) is best known for having managed the Richmond Shipyards in Richmond, California, owned by one of industrialist Henry J. Kaiser's many corporations, and also engaged in related corporate activities. These four ...
, Yard No. 2,
Richmond, California Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was municipal corporation, incorporated on August 7, 1905, and has a Richmond, California City Council, city council.
; launched 22 October 1944; acquired by the Navy on a loan charter basis 28 November 1944; and commissioned the same day.


Service history


World War II

Following commissioning and fitting out, ''Okaloosa'' departed Seattle with troops 26 January 1945, for Honolulu, then operated out of Pearl Harbor until sailing 29 March, with US Army units for Eniwetok, Ulithi, and Okinawa. She arrived off Okinawa 26 April, and offloaded troops without incident during the next four days, despite frequent enemy air attacks. The transport then returned to the West Coast, arriving San Francisco 22 May. Her stay was short, however, and she embarked troops and cargo immediately, leaving 30 May, for Manila and Leyte, Philippines. Except for a brief voyage to New Guinea in early July, ''Okaloosa'' shuttled troops and cargo among the Philippine Islands until departing Manila Bay 7 September, for Tokyo Bay with occupation units.


Post-war service

From Tokyo Bay, ''Okaloosa'' sailed, in turn, to Guam;
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, China; Manila; and Haiphong, French Indo-China; where she loaded elements of the Chinese 52nd Army bound for the
Gulf of Bohai The Bohai Sea () is a marginal sea approximately in area on the east coast of Mainland China. It is the northwestern and innermost extension of the Yellow Sea, to which it connects to the east via the Bohai Strait. It has a mean depth of a ...
, China.


Operation Magic Carpet

Assigned to
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 ...
on 16 November, ''Okaloosa'' sailed to Jinsen, Korea, took on her full capacity of returning troops, and sailed 30 November, for Tacoma, Washington, arriving 17 December. Four days later, she entered Puget Sound Navy Yard for overhaul. She sailed 11 January 1946, via the Panama Canal for
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, arriving on the last day of the month. Also, on 14 January, she came under full ownership of the Navy.


Peacetime cruises

For the next few years, ''Okaloosa'' operated out of Norfolk, many times with Marines from nearby bases. Three times, in June and July 1947, and June 1948, she conducted cruises for large numbers of
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reservists, sailing to Bermuda on the last two. In addition, amphibious exercises took her to Puerto Rico and other
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islands on a number of month-long cruises and several shorter ones.


Decommissioning and fate

On 15 April 1949, ''Okaloosa'' sailed from Norfolk for Orange, Texas, and deactivation. After overhaul, she decommissioned on 21 July, and entered the Texas Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) 23 September 1955, with permanent custody transferred 26 September 1958. She was struck from the
Navy Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...
1 October 1958. On 28 October 1971, ''Okaloosa'' was sold to Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation, along with eight other ships, for $467,100, with the condition that they would be scrapped. At the time she was part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet,
Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
, Group. On 30 May 1972, she was officially withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet.


Ship's bell

When the vessel was dismantled, its relics were salvaged and Baldwin County, Alabama requested the ship's bell for a war memorial at its satellite courthouse in Foley. Okaloosa County Judge T. Patterson Maney, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, discovered the bell during a visit to Foley and worked to bring it back to its namesake county. On 4 January 2012, county officials of Okaloosa County, Florida, retrieved the bell from Foley for display in front of the Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport. In exchange, the U.S. Navy presented Baldwin County with the bell from for its memorial. Okaloosa County held a dedication on 26 April 2012. "The Baldwin County Commission has been extremely gracious," said Tracy Stage, projects manager for the airport, of the transfer of the bell. "We're bringing it back to Okaloosa County where it belongs. I can't think of a better way to recognize the Navy, the Marine Corps and all the veterans."


Awards

''Okaloosa'' received one battle star for World War II service.


Notes


Bibliography

Online resources * * * * * *


Further reading

*


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Okaloosa (APA-219) Haskell-class attack transports World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Okaloosa County, Florida United States Navy ship names Troop ships Ships built in Richmond, California 1944 ships Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group Mobile Reserve Fleet