USS President Polk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
USS President Polk (AP-103) was a President Jackson-class attack transport in the service of the United States Navy during World War II.
USS President Polk (AP-103) | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name |
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Namesake | US President James Polk |
Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding |
Laid down | 7 October 1940 |
Launched | 28 June 1941 |
Sponsored by | Miss Patricia Kennedy |
Acquired | (by the Navy): 6 September 1943 |
Commissioned | 4 October 1943 |
Decommissioned | 26 January 1946 |
Stricken | 25 February 1946 |
Identification | MCV Hull Type C3-P&C, MCV Hull No. 110 |
Honours and awards | Six battle stars for World War II service |
Fate | Scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan 1970[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | President Jackson-class attack transport |
Displacement | 9,000 tons (lt), 11,760 t. (fl) |
Length | 491 ft 10 in (149.91 m) |
Beam | 63 ft (19 m) |
Draft | 25 ft 10 in (7.87 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Capacity | Unknown |
Complement | 354 |
Armament |
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President Polk was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company of Newport News, Virginia (MC hull 110) 7 October 1940; launched 28 June 1941; sponsored by Miss Patricia Kennedy.[2] The ship was delivered to American President Lines (APL) in 1941 when she began operating as of 5 December as SS President Polk, a transport under government charter in the Pacific reinforcing Pacific bases, until 6 September 1943 when the ship was requisitioned and acquired by the Navy for conversion to a troop ship.[1] The ship commissioned as USS President Polk (AP-103) at San Diego 4 October 1943.[2] After the war she was returned to APL for commercial operations.[1]