USS ''Olmsted'' (APA-188) was a that saw service with the US Navy for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. ''Olmsted'' was named for Olmsted County, Minnesota.

World War II service

''Olmsted'' (''APA–188''), approved 16 March 1944, was laid down by

Kaiser Shipbuilding The Kaiser Shipyards were seven major shipbuilding yards located on the United States west coast during World War II. Kaiser ranked 20th among U.S. corporations in the value of wartime production contracts. The shipyards were owned by the Kaise ...

Co., Vancouver, Washington, 11 April 1944, as MCV Hull no. 656; launched 4 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Duncan Gregg; accepted and commissioned 5 September 1944.

Western Pacific operations

On completion of shakedown 27 October 1944, ''Olmsted'' joined the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Transporting troops and supplies in support of amphibious operations, she spent the last year of the war in the Pacific Ocean with an itinerary that reads like a summary of the war's climactic stages: New Guinea, the Admiralties, Leyte,

Lingayen Gulf The Lingayen Gulf is a large gulf on northwestern Luzon in the Philippines, stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central. The Agno River and the Balili ...

, Okinawa and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Apparently charmed, she was bombed at Luzon and again at Okinawa without damage. Twice before the surrender of Japan, she returned to the States to lift reserve troops into the battle zone. She was in Japan to participate in the first occupational landings there, debarking the Army's 81st (Wildcat) Division.

Getting U.S. troops back to the States

Landing the 81st at

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 ...

was ''Olmsted’s'' last full dress amphibious operation before post war “

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. Olmsted made three voyages from the states to the war torn Western Pacific to return veterans and materials until she was ordered to the

U.S. East Coast The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard ...

for deactivation.

Reactivated during Korean War

On 21 February 1947, ''Olmsted'' was placed out of commission in reserve at

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 ...

. Due to deteriorating international conditions, ''Olmsted'' was recalled to active service and commissioned 2 February 1952 under command of Captain R. C. Leonard, and assigned to the

Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT) is a post within the United States Fleet Forces Command. As Naval Surface Force Atlantic, it is a military formation (military), formation, but the organization is often known as SURFLANT. ...

. After shakedown, operating out of Norfolk, ''Olmsted'' participated in training exercises along the

, at

Guantánamo Bay Guantánamo Bay ( es, Bahía de Guantánamo) is a bay in Guantánamo Province at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the largest harbor on the south side of the island and it is surrounded by steep hills which create an enclave that is cut off ...

and in the Mediterranean conducting amphibious assault landings. Her primary mission was training Marines and Sailors in Amphibious Warfare tactics. She also conducted training cruises for

Midshipmen A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

and Naval Reservists. With interim periods for overhaul and operational readiness training, ''Olmsted'' served in this capacity until she decommissioned 27 February 1959, at

, and was assigned to the Norfolk Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, 14 January 1960.

Fate

Transferred to the custody of MARAD, 30 June 1960, ''Olmsted'' was struck from the

Naval Register A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval author ...

1 July 1960. On 1 August 1983, the Waterman Steamship Corporation bought ''Olmsted'' and then resold her to Balbao Desquaces Maritimos for scrapping. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 16 September 1983.

Military awards and honors

''Olmsted'' earned one battle stars for service in World War II.

References

Bibliography

Online resources * * * * *

External links

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - APA/LPA-188 Olmstead
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olmsted (Apa-188) Olmsted County, Minnesota Haskell-class attack transports World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Korean War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Troop ships Ships built in Vancouver, Washington 1944 ships