USS McCracken

	McCracken at anchor in San Francisco Bay, circa 1946.
History
United States
Name	USS McCracken
Namesake	McCracken County, Kentucky
Ordered	as type VC2-S-AP5
Laid down	8 June 1944
Launched	29 September 1944
Acquired	21 October 1944
Commissioned	21 October 1944
Decommissioned	10 October 1946
Stricken	1 October 1958
Fate	Scrapped, 1975
General characteristics
Displacement	14,833 (full load)
Length	455 ft 0 in (138.68 m)
Beam	62 ft 0 in (18.90 m)
Draught	28 ft 1 in (8.56 m)
Speed	17 knots
Boats & landing ; craft carried	two LCM, twelve LCVP, three LCPU
Capacity	150,000 cu. ft, 2,900 tons
Complement	56 Officers 480 Enlisted
Armament	one 5 in (130 mm) gun mount,; twelve 40 mm gun mounts,; ten 20 mm gun mounts;

USS McCracken (APA-198) was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.

World War II service

McCracken (APA 198) was laid down as a Victory ships under United States Maritime Commission contract by Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Vancouver, Washington, 8 June 1944; launched 29 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Albert Bauer; acquired by the Navy21 October 1944; and commissioned at Astoria, Oregon, 21 October 1944.

After shakedown and training along the U.S. West Coast, McCracken embarked troops at San Pedro, Los Angeles, and sailed for Pearl Harbor 27 December. Arriving there 2 January 1945, she departed for the South Pacific Ocean 10 January. Carrying troops and cargo, she reached Nouméa, New Caledonia, 20 January. Thence between 26 and 31 January, she steamed via the Russell Islands to Guadalcanal, Solomons, where she began 6 weeks of intensive training. Assigned to TransDiv 52, she departed Guadalcanal 15 March and steamed for the invasion of Okinawa.

Landing troops and their equipment on Okinawa

After touching at Ulithi, Caroline Islands, McCracken closed the beaches off Okinawa early 1 April and debarked assault troops shortly after sunrise. During the day she off loaded cargo despite enemy air attacks. She remained off Okinawa until 6 April, but heavy weather prevented her from discharging troops and cargo.

Disembarking troops on Saipan and Okinawa

Between 6 and 10 April McCracken steamed to Saipan and debarked her remaining troops. Departing 11 April, she arrived Pearl Harbor the 22d. On 5 May she sailed to San Francisco, California, embarked troops and cargo, and returned to Pearl Harbor 26 May. Three days later she sailed westward carrying Navy Seabees and Army Engineers, arriving Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 5 July. After discharging men and supplies, she embarked elements of the 6th Marine Division at Hagushi 9 July, and from 10 to 16 July transported them to Guam.

Landing troops in the Philippine Islands

McCracken sailed for the U.S. west coast 17 July, arriving San Francisco the 30th. She loaded dry provisions there; embarked more than 1,400 Army troops at San Pedro, Los Angeles; and departed 16 August, arriving Manila 12 September to debark troops. A week later she began embarking troops of the 25th Infantry Division at Lingayen Gulf, and on 1 October she sailed in convoy to carry occupation troops to Japan.

End-of-war operations

McCracken reached Nagoya, Honshū, 28 October and landed occupation troops. Between 4 and 8 November the transport sailed via Yokosuka to Sasebo, Kyūshū, where she embarked 760 sailors. After embarking 737 additional Navy veterans at Nagasaki, she departed for the United States 13 November and reached San Pedro 1 December. Sailing for a second "Operation Magic Carpet" cruise 12 December, McCracken arrived Manila Bay 2 January 1946, boarded veteran troops, sailed 6 January and arrived Los Angeles, California, the 25th.

End-of-war decommissioning and inactivation

McCracken arrived San Francisco 10 March, began inactivation overhaul at Mare Island, California, 2 April, and decommissioned at Stockton, California, 10 October 1946, entering the Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was transferred to the Mare Island Group 17 June 1949; reassigned to the Stockton Group 28 November 1950; and assigned to the San Diego Group 30 March 1958. Authorized for transfer to the Maritime Administration 5 September 1958, her name was struck from the Navy List 1 October 1958. Into 1969 she remained berthed with the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay, California. In 1975 she was scrapped in Portland, Oregon.

Military awards and honors

McCracken received one battle star for World War II service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.