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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinksi

AP-90 / APA/ LPA-45 Henrico


Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - India - Golf
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons






Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended)
Third Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle Campaign Medal (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Fourth Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (9)
Fifth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 6-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (3)
Sixth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (49 KIA, Okinawa, 2 April 1945)
Bayfield Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down as SS Sea Darter, a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract, at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS.
  • Assigned to the Navy as Naval Transport (AP-90)
  • Reclassified Attack Transport (APA-45), 1 February 1943
  • Launched, 31 March 1943
  • Acquired by the Navy, 23 June 1943
  • Placed in partial commission, 24 June 1943 through 8 July 1943, for transit to her fitting out yard at Bethlehem Steel Co., Hoboken, N.J.
  • Commissioned in full USS Henrico (APA-45), 26 November 1943, Comdr. J. H. Willis in command
  • During World War II Henrico was served in both the European and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944 Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 May to April 1945
    Invasion of southern France
    Bale de Pompelonne, 13 August 1944     		.

  • During the Korean War Henrico participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    1 August to 12 September 1950
    18 September to 31 October 1950     		Second Korean Winter
    5 to 6, 17 to 18 and 28 to 29 December 1951
    11 January 1952
    Communist China Aggression
    19 November to 29 December 1950     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    5 to 12 and 21 to 26 June 1952
    Inchon Landing
    13 to 17 September 1950     		Third Korean Winter
    17 to 30 April 1952
    First UN Counter Offensive
    5 to 11 February 1951     		Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    1 to 19 May 1953
    29 May to 1 June 1953
    16 and 22 to 25 July 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    6 to 7 November 1951
    13 to 14 November 1951     		.

  • During the Vietnam War Henrico participated in the following campaign:
    Vietnam War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    26 to 31 August 1966
    15 to 30 September 1966
    26 October to 6 November 1966
    31 December 1966 to 16 January 1967
    24 February to 24 March 1967

  • Decommissioned, 14 February 1968
  • Designation changed to Amphibious Transport (LPA-45), 1 January 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Final Disposition, sold by MARAD, 1 October 1979, fate unknown
  • Henrico earned three battle stars for World War II service and nine battle stars for Korean War service plus a Navy Unit Commendation and one campaign star for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 8,100 t.(lt), 16,100 t.(fl)
    Length 492' 6"
    Beam 69' 6"
    Draft 26' 6"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement 51 Officers, 524 Enlisted
    Flag Accommodations 43 Officers, 108 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations 80 Officers, 1,146 Enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 175,000 cu. ft., 4,700 t.
    Boats
    twelve LCVPs
    four LCM (Mk-6)s
    three LCP(L) (MK-IV)s
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, one fore and one aft
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine
    two Foster-Wheeler D-type boilers
    one propeller
    Design shaft horsepower 8,500
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Henrico 32k Henrico (APA-45), date and place unknown. Hyperwar US Navy
    in World War II
    Henrico 70k Henrico (APA-45), circa 1943-45, place unknown.
    U.S. Naval Institute photo    		 .
    Henrico 69k Henrico (APA-45), Korean War - Cold War era (1950s)
    U.S. Naval Institute photo    		 .
    Henrico 65k Henrico (APA-45), Vietnam era (1960s)
    U.S. Naval Institute photo    		 Archie Mustard
    Henrico 48k Henrico (APA-45), date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Stanley C. Svec
    View the Henrico (APA/LPA-45)
    DANFS history located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Henrico APA-45
    Henrico County VA site. USS Henrico (APA-45) page
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Transport (AP) Photo Index Back To The Attack Transport (APA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 25 August 2006