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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Rockwall (APA-230)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Sierra - Hotel
 NPSH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia or Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Haskell Class Attack Transport:
  • Laid down, 9 September 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 676) at Kaiser Shipbuilding Vancouver, WA.
  • Launched, 5 November 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission under loan-charter
  • Commissioned USS Rockwall (APA-230), 14 January 1945, at Astoria OR., CAPT. Charles W. Roland USN (21)in command
  • During World War II USS Rockwall was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Twenty, COMO. H. W. Graf USN (15);
     TransDiv Fifty-Nine, CAPT. J K. Davis and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 10 to 11 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Rockwall was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    12 September to 12 December 194512 September to 12 December 1945

  • USS Rockwall (APA-230) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.3.1 Transportation Group (Transportation Division (TRANSDIV 31) for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 15 March 1947, for lay up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 3 March 1951, at San Francisco, CA.
  • USS Rockwall was also assigned to Occupation service in Europe from 20 January to 17 May 1954
  • Decommissioned, 28 September 1955, for lay up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1958
  • USS Rockwall earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration, 23 June 1959, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 1 August 1983, to Waterman Steamship Corp., resold to Balboa Desquaces Maritimos, S.A., Spain. Removed, 18 November 1983, Scrapping completed, 4 May 1984
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t.(lt) 14,837 t.(fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Speed 17.7 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 56
    Enlisted 480
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 86
    Enlisted 1,475
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWTs
    non-refrigerated 150,000 cu ft.
    Boats
    two LCMs
    one open LCPL
    one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)
    two LCPRs
    eighteen LCVPs
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual-purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    one quad 40mm AA gun mount
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 7780 Bbls
    Diesel 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear
    three turbo-drive Ship's Service Generators 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    one propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Rockwall 221k USS Rockwall (APA-230) at anchor with boats in the water, date and location unknown. David Wright, from the collection of Walter F. Tilden, Sea1c (RM striker)
    Rockwall 199k
    Rockwall 206k USS Rockwall (APA-230) H Division inspection, 1945, location unknown. David Wright, from the collection of Walter F. Tilden, Sea1c (RM striker)
    Rockwall 60k USS Rockwall (APA-230) departing San Francisco Bay in 1945. Photo by Howard Herzog
    Rockwall 30k USS Rockwall (APA-230) at anchor, date and location unknown. Russ Padden
    Rockwall 196k USS Rockwall (APA-230) at anchor, date and location unknown. David Wright, from the collection of Walter F. Tilden, Sea1c (RM striker)
    Rockwall 196k
    Rockwall 19k USS Rockwall (APA-230) anchored at Asinara, Sardinia in 1956. Larry Bohn
    Rockwall 139k USS Rockwall (APA-230) at anchor, 24 April 1954, location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 86823-A. Courtesy of William H. Davis, 1981.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Rockwall 64k Ex-USS Rockwall (APA-230) laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., date unknown. Maritime Administration
    USS Rockwall (APA-230)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Roland, Charles William USN (USNA 1921-B)14 January 1945 - 30 July 1945
    02CAPT. Biesemeier, Harold, USN (USNA 1918)30 July 1945 - ?
     Decommissioned15 March 1947 - 3 March 1951
    03CAPT. Taylor, Arthur Howard, USN (USNA 1927)3 March 1951 - August 1952
    04CAPT. Gentry, Kenneth McLoud, USN (USNA 1930)August 1952 - November 1953
    05CAPT. Grantham Jr., Elonzo Bowden, USNNovember 1953 - November 1954
    06CAPT. Simons Jr., Manley Hale, USN (USNA 1930) :RADMNovember 1954 - 28 September 1955
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 9 August 2019