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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive


Contributed by Tom Gonzalez USS Rockbridge 1961-64

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Rockbridge (APA-228)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Romeo - Xray
NPRX
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - Okinawa) - China Service Medal (extended) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia or Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Lebanon)


Haskell Class Amphibious Transport:
  • Laid down, 2 September 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 674), at Kaiser Shipbuilding Co. Vancouver, WA.
  • Launched, 28 October 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and commissioned USS Rockbridge (APA-228) 18 November 1944, CAPT. William W. Cone USN (21) in command
  • During World War II USS Rockbridge (APA-228) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Twenty, COMO. H.W. Grap USN (15);
    TransDiv (Flagship), CAPT. J.K. Davis and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 6 to 16 March 1945
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 24 to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Rockbridge (APA-228) was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    9 September to 7 October 194513 to 20 November1945

  • Decommissioned, 8 March 1947
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 23 December 1950
  • USS Rockbridge (APA-228) was assigned to Occupation service in Europe from 4 May to 17 October 1955
  • Decommissioned, 29 November 1968
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1968 and returned to the Maritime Administration for disposal
  • USS Rockbridge (APA-228) earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 May 1969 to Boston Metals Co., Baltimore MD. (PD-X-827 dated 8 May 1969) for $93,777.77, Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 27 May 1969
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,873 t. (lt) 14,837 t (fl)
    Length 455'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 24' (lim)
    Speed 17.7 kts. (Trial speed)
    Complement
    56 Officers
    593 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    87 Officers
    1,475 Enlisted
    Largest Boom Capacity 35 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,900 DWTs
    non-refrigerated 150,000 cu.l ft.
    Boats
    two LCMs
    one open LCPL
    one covered LCPL (Captain's Gig)
    two LCPRs
    eighteen LCVPs
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 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 7,780 Bbls
    Diesel 970 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    Double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear
    three Ships' Service Generators 300Kw 120/240V D.C.
    single propeller, design shaft horsepower 8,500

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Rockbridge 149k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Mike Smolinski
    Rockbridge 29k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way, date and location unknown. Rockbridge (APA-228)
    Web Site
    Rockbridge 517k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) moored pierside, Savannah, GA. 1952 Steve Anderson
    Rockbridge 566k
    Rockbridge 194k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Mike Smolinski
    Rockbridge 103k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Tom Gonzalez USS Rockbridge
    Rockbridge 72k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Everett M. Ellestad USNR
    Rockbridge 60k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, June 1958
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Rockbridge 126k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) at anchor during amphibious exercises, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1960
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Rockbridge 73k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) Plan of the Day, 23 October 1962, in port Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The day after President Kennedy made his Cuban Missile Crisis speech to the Nation. Tom Gonzalez USS Rockbridge 1961-1964
    Rockbridge 85k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way while enroute to Norfolk, VA. for Radar Antenna repair or replacement, circa early-1963. Tom Gonzalez USS Rockbridge
    Rockbridge 344k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way with the aid of a tug, circa second half of 1963, location unknown. Tom Gonzalez USS Rockbridge
    Rockbridge 70k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way in either the Atlantic Ocean or Mediterranean Sea in 1964 conducting either a high line transfer or a replenishment at sea with USS Capricornus (AKA-57). Photo by Rich Kerbs USS Capricornus
    Rockbridge 94k
    Rockbridge 94k
    Rockbridge 36k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) in the harbor at Valletta, Malta in July 1964. Tom Gonzalez USS Rockbridge 1961-1964
    Rockbridge 91k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) under way in 1965, location unknown.
    Photo from 1966/67 Edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships" , courtesy Dr. Giorgio Arra.
    Robert Hurst
    Rockbridge 234k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) loading Marines at Morehead City, N. C. for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in May 1967 Thomas Livingston
    Rockbridge 94k USS Rockbridge (APA-228) 28 June 1967 Change of Command Program. Ron Reeves

    USS Rockbridge (APA-228
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Cone, William Wheatley, USN (USNA 1920)18 November 1944 - 12 July 1945
    02CDR. Huggins, William B., USNR12 July 1945 - 2 March 1946
    03CAPT. Truesdell, William H., USN (USNA 1925)2 March 1946 - 11 October 1946
    04CDR. Folger, Edward C., USN (USNA 1929)11 October 1946 - 11 March 1947
    05LCDR. Pahr, William Scott, USN1 March 1947 - 8 March 1947
     Decommissioned8 March 1947 - 23 December 1950
    06CAPT. Traua, Harold Francis, USN (USNA 1927) 23 December 1950 - 9 February 1952
    07CAPT. Chamberlin, Leonard Cornelius, USN (USNA 1927)9 February 1952 - 1 August 1953
    08CAPT. Wales, George Herrick, USN (USNA 1929) :RADM1 August 1953 - 1 August 1954
    09CAPT. Bass, Raymond Henry (Benny), USN (USNA 1931) :RADM 1 August 1954 - 8 July 1955
    10CAPT. Lowrance, Vernon Long (Rebel), USN (USNA 1930) :VADM8 July 1955 - 29 July 1955
    11CAPT. Collett, James Dahlman, USN (USNA 1932)29 July 1955 - 23 August 1956
    12CAPT. Smith, John Victor, USN (USNA 1934) :VADM23 August 1956 - 7 October 1957
    13CAPT. Hauck, Philip Frederick, USN (USNA 1934)7 October 1957 - 30 September 1958
    14CAPT. Cheney Jr., Wilbur Haines, USN (USNA 1934)30 September 1958 - 21 August 1959
    15CAPT. Conrad, Edward Everett, USN (USNA 1938)21 August 1959 - 5 July 1960
    16CAPT. McCall, Charles Dewitt, USN (USNA 1939)31 August 1960 - 7 July 1961
    17CAPT. Merritt, Robert Gwathmey, USN (USNA 1939)7 July 1961 - 8 April 1964
    18CAPT. McClellan, Thomas Rufus, USN (USNA 1943) :RADM8 April 1964 - 15 April 1965
    19CAPT. Howe Jr., George Benjamin, USN15 April 1965 - 27 April 1966
    20CAPT. Kinkaid, John Randall, USN27 April 1966 - 28 June 1967
    21CAPT. Willett, Elbert Henry, USN (USNA 1946)28 June 1967 - 29 November 1968
    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