The USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30) was a significant ship in the US Navy's fleet during World War II. Commissioned in 1943, it played a crucial role in supporting amphibious assaults and transporting troops.
This ship was part of the attack transport class, designed for carrying troops, supplies, and equipment. Its primary function was to provide logistical support to ground troops during amphibious assaults.
The USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30) served in several key operations, including the assault on Guam and the assault on Iwo Jima.
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USS Thomas Jefferson History
The USS Thomas Jefferson was a transport ship that served in the US Navy during World War II.
It was originally built as a cargo ship, but was converted into a transport ship in 1941.
The Thomas Jefferson was commissioned on July 1, 1941, in New York City.
It was 455 feet 3 inches long and 63 feet 5 inches wide, making it a significant vessel.
The ship had a crew of over 400 officers and enlisted men.
During its service, the Thomas Jefferson played a crucial role in transporting troops and supplies across the globe.
It was eventually decommissioned on June 23, 1946.
Ship Details
The USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30) was a Bayfield-class attack transport. It was launched on September 14, 1943.
The ship measured 455 feet 3 inches in length and had a beam of 62 feet 1 inch. It had a draft of 24 feet 1 inch.
The USS Thomas Jefferson was powered by a single screw steam turbine and had a top speed of 18.9 knots.
Transfer to Pacific Theatre
The Thomas Jefferson's transfer to the Pacific Theatre was a significant event in her history. On 27 December 1942, she steamed in a convoy bound for the South Pacific.
She disembarked troops at New Caledonia and Australia in late January 1943. This marked a major milestone in her service.
During the passage back to Panama, the Thomas Jefferson was reclassified as an attack transport and redesignated APA-30 on 1 February 1943. This change in designation would have a lasting impact on her role in the war effort.
She departed the Panama Canal Zone on 3 March with a convoy bound for New York City via Norfolk.
Supporting the Sicily Invasion
The attack transport Thomas Jefferson played a crucial role in the invasion of Sicily. She returned to Norfolk in mid-April for landing exercises to prepare for the invasion.
The sea was rough on the morning of 10 July as the troops clambered down Jefferson's debarkation nets into landing craft. The troops landed in the "Bailey's Beach" area of Sicily with very little opposition.
The transport's gunners shot down two enemy planes during the operation. The invasion was a significant event in the war.
The transport returned to Algeria and was assigned to the Transport Group of the Southern Attack Force for the assault on Salerno.
Korean War Support
The attack transport played a significant role in the Korean War. It remained at San Francisco from 1 December 1950 to 24 January 1951.
The ship headed directly to Pusan with troops and cargo, off-loading between 8 and 10 February. It then returned to the United States.
The transport made multiple voyages to Korea, returning to San Francisco on 10 September 1951. It stayed there long enough to embark troops and supplies before beginning the return voyage to Japan.
The ship made additional voyages to Korea in May and August.
Ship Name and Designation
The Ship Name and Designation section is a crucial part of a ship's history, listing all the names and designations it had during its lifetime in chronological order.
This section is a treasure trove of information, providing a detailed account of a ship's identity over time.
Naval Covers
If you're looking to collect naval covers, you'll want to start with the "Naval Covers" section of the ship details. This section lists active links to pages displaying covers associated with the ship, organized in chronological order.
Each page link is accompanied by a date range for covers on that page. For example, the USS Thomas Jefferson APA-30 Covers Page 1 covers a period from 1944 to 1947.
You'll notice that covers may be split among multiple pages to prevent loading issues. This means you may need to visit several pages to see all the available covers for a particular ship.
Military Awards
The USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30) received several military awards during its service.
The ship earned two battle stars for its service in World War II.
The USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30) played a significant role in the war, and its bravery was recognized with these awards.
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