After shakedown, Gasconade departed San Francisco 8 May on a troop transport voyage to the Philippines. Steaming via Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Ulithi, she arrived Samar 3 June. Loaded with mail and cargo, she steamed to San Francisco from 18 June to 6 July; thence transported additional troops to the Philippines. Arriving Leyte Gulf 2 August, she served as receiving ship until mid-August when she proceeded to Manila Bay to stage for the Allied occupation of Japan.
Post-war
Gasconade departed Manila 20 August; and, as part of a huge transport task force carrying the first sea-borne occupation forces to Japan, she entered Tokyo Bay 2 September while surrender terms were being signed on board USS Missouri(BB-63). She debarked her troops at Yokosuka 3 September; steamed to the Philippines from 4 to 11 September, then carried more occupation troops from Mindanao to Kure, Japan, from 19 September to 6 October.
Operation Magic Carpet
After returning to Leyte Gulf 11 October, Gasconade embarked military passengers and sailed for the United States 17 October as part of Operation Magic Carpet. She reached Portland, Oregon, 2 November, transported occupation troops to Nagoya, Japan, 18 November to 5 December; and sailed 8 December on another Magic Carpet voyage, arriving Seattle 19 December. After carrying a garrison force to Guam from 13 to 29 January 1946, she voyaged to Pearl Harbor from 30 January to 8 February with returning veterans embarked.
Operation Crossroads
Gasconade being sunk, 1948.
Assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Gasconade during the next 3 months prepared for Operation Crossroads, a program of nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands. Departing Pearl Harbor 18 May in company with Transport Division 92, she reached Bikini Atoll, Marshalls, 30 May. On 22 June her crew transferred to USS Bexar(APA-237). Designated a target ship for the experiments, she survived an atomic blast 18 July.
Decommissioning and fate
Gasconade decommissioned in the Marshall Islands 28 August. In December she was taken in tow at Kwajalein for transfer to the United States, where she arrived San Francisco 27 January 1947. After undergoing structural and radioactivity tests, she was redesignated a target ship in March 1948. She was sunk by torpedoes 21 July in the Pacific Ocean off lower California.
Gasconade (APA-85), DANFS (from the Hyperwar website).
APA-85 Gasconade, Navsource Online.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Gasconade (APA-85).
August 24, 2023
gasconade, gilliam, class, attack, transport, that, served, with, united, states, navy, from, 1944, 1946, sunk, target, 1948, gasconade, arriving, bikini, atoll, late, 1946historyunited, statesname, namesakegasconade, county, missouribuilderconsolidated, steel. USS Gasconade APA 85 was a Gilliam class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 She was sunk as a target in 1948 Gasconade arriving at Bikini Atoll in late May 1946HistoryUnited StatesNameUSS Gasconade APA 85 NamesakeGasconade County MissouriBuilderConsolidated SteelLaid down7 November 1944Launched23 January 1945Sponsored byMrs Winnie CaveAcquired10 March 1945Commissioned11 March 1945Decommissioned28 August 1946FateSunk as target ship 21 July 1948General characteristicsClass and typeGilliam class attack transportDisplacement4 247 tons lt 7 080 t fl Length426 ft 130 m Beam58 ft 18 m Draft16 ft 4 9 m PropulsionWestinghouse turboelectric drive 2 boilers 2 propellers Design shaft horsepower 6 000Speed16 9 knotsCapacity47 Officers 802 EnlistedCrew27 Officers 295 EnlistedArmament1 x 5 38 caliber dual purpose gun mount 4 x twin 40 mm gun mounts 10 x single 20 mm gun mountsNotesMCV Hull No hull type S4 SE2 BD1 Contents 1 History 1 1 World War II 1 2 Post war 1 2 1 Operation Magic Carpet 1 3 Operation Crossroads 1 4 Decommissioning and fate 2 ReferencesHistory EditGasconade was named after a county in Missouri She was laid down 7 November 1944 under Maritime Commission contract by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Wilmington Los Angeles launched 23 January 1945 acquired by the Navy 10 March 1945 and commissioned 11 March 1945 at San Pedro Los Angeles World War II Edit After shakedown Gasconade departed San Francisco 8 May on a troop transport voyage to the Philippines Steaming via Pearl Harbor Eniwetok and Ulithi she arrived Samar 3 June Loaded with mail and cargo she steamed to San Francisco from 18 June to 6 July thence transported additional troops to the Philippines Arriving Leyte Gulf 2 August she served as receiving ship until mid August when she proceeded to Manila Bay to stage for the Allied occupation of Japan Post war Edit Gasconade departed Manila 20 August and as part of a huge transport task force carrying the first sea borne occupation forces to Japan she entered Tokyo Bay 2 September while surrender terms were being signed on board USS Missouri BB 63 She debarked her troops at Yokosuka 3 September steamed to the Philippines from 4 to 11 September then carried more occupation troops from Mindanao to Kure Japan from 19 September to 6 October Operation Magic Carpet Edit After returning to Leyte Gulf 11 October Gasconade embarked military passengers and sailed for the United States 17 October as part of Operation Magic Carpet She reached Portland Oregon 2 November transported occupation troops to Nagoya Japan 18 November to 5 December and sailed 8 December on another Magic Carpet voyage arriving Seattle 19 December After carrying a garrison force to Guam from 13 to 29 January 1946 she voyaged to Pearl Harbor from 30 January to 8 February with returning veterans embarked Operation Crossroads Edit Gasconade being sunk 1948 Assigned to Joint Task Force 1 Gasconade during the next 3 months prepared for Operation Crossroads a program of nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands Departing Pearl Harbor 18 May in company with Transport Division 92 she reached Bikini Atoll Marshalls 30 May On 22 June her crew transferred to USS Bexar APA 237 Designated a target ship for the experiments she survived an atomic blast 18 July Decommissioning and fate Edit Gasconade decommissioned in the Marshall Islands 28 August In December she was taken in tow at Kwajalein for transfer to the United States where she arrived San Francisco 27 January 1947 After undergoing structural and radioactivity tests she was redesignated a target ship in March 1948 She was sunk by torpedoes 21 July in the Pacific Ocean off lower California References EditThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Gasconade APA 85 DANFS from the Hyperwar website APA 85 Gasconade Navsource Online Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Gasconade APA 85 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Gasconade amp oldid 1148193280, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
