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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Wayne (APA-54)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Uniform - Juliet
NKUJ

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)

Sumter Class Attack Transport

Laid down, 20 April 1942, as SS Afoundria, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-E1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 476) at Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., Chickasaw, AL.

Redesignated a Naval Transport, and renamed Wayne (AP-99)

Launched, 6 December 1942

Reclassified Amphibious Attack Transport (APA-54), 1 February 1943

Acquired by the Navy, 30 April 1943

Placed in commission "in ordinary" the next day for transit to her conversion yard, Bethlehem Steel Corp., Key Highway Yard, Baltimore, MD.

Decommissioned, 11 May 1943

Recommissioned USS Wayne (APA-54), 27 August 1943, CDR. Thomas V. Cooper USN in command

During WWII USS Wayne was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Twelve, COMO. H. B. Knowles;
TransDiv Thirty-Six, CAPT. G.W. Johnson USN (18) and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marshall Islands operation Kwajalein Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944	Leyte operation Leyte landings, 13 to 25 October and 14 November 1944
Bismarck Archipelago operation Admiralty Island landings 11 to 12 April 1944 Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 23 to 25 April 1944	Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 18 January 1945
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 to 25 July 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and capture of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 9 April 1945
Western Caroline Islands operation Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944

Following World War II USS Wayne was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 10 to 27 September 1945

Decommissioned, 16 March 1946, at Gulf Shipbuilding Corp, Chickasaw, AL.

Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946

USS Wayne earned seven battle stars for her World War II service

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, name reverted to SS Afoundria

Merchant Service

Sold to Waterman Steamship Corp, Mobile, AL. in 1947, renamed SS Beauregard, operated into the 1970s with a succession of shipping companies as a container ship, Beauregard Inc, Litton Industries Leasing Corp, Reynolds Leasing Corp. and Sea-Land Service

Final Disposition, SS Beauregard was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in May 1977

Specifications:
Displacement 13,910 t.(fl)
Length 468' 9"
Beam 63'
Draft 23' 3"
Speed 16.5 kts.

Complement

38 Officers

619 Enlisted

Troop Accommodations

93 Officers

1,400 Enlisted

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity 1,300 DWT

non-refrigerated 170,000 cu. ft.

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

ten single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 8,575 Bbls

Diesel 750 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric geared turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 750°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gear

three turbo-drive Ship's Service Generators, 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.

single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Wayne (APA-54)
100305410	66k	Starboard broadside view of *USS Wayne* (APA-54)** at anchor off Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA., 12 September 1943. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 93603	Robert Hurst
	35k	*USS Wayne* (APA-54)** at anchor with covered lighter alongside, 13 September 1943, off Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA.	Robert Hurst
	88k	*USS Wayne* (APA-54)** getting underway, date and location unknown.	>Russ Padden
	44k	*USS Wayne* (APA-54)** underway, date and location unknown.	Grady (Willie) Willmon
100305411	259k	Starboard broadside view *USS Wayne* (APA-54)** at anchor with a tug alongside, date and location unknown.	MARAD
Merchant Service Waterman SS Corp. Sea-Land Services
	56k	Ex-*USS Wayne* (APA-54)** in merchant service as the Waterman Lines freighter SS Beauregard moored pierside, circa early 1950s, location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	95k	Waterman Lines freighter SS Beauregard underway in harbor, circa early 1950s, location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	86k	Ex-*USS Wayne* (APA-54)** in merchant service as the Sea-Land container ship SS Beauregard. Photo courtesy Sea-Land Services Inc.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	442k	Sea-Land container ship SS Beauregard underway, date and location unknown. Photo © M. Lennon.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	59k	Sea-Land container ship SS Beauregard moored pierside, circa late 1960s to mid 1970s, location unknown. Photos © D. Telarico.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	50k		Gerhard Mueller-Debus