>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1969) Vol. 4, pp.431, 486.





MONTOUR





	Montour:  A county in Pennsylvania.





APA-101



Displacement: 8,392 t. (light displacement)

Length:  492’

Beam:  69’6”

Draft:  26’6”

Speed:  18.4 k.

Complement:  540

Troop Capacity:  1,740

Armament:  2 5”; 4 40mm; 18 20mm

Class:  BAYFIELD

Maritime Commission Standard Type:  C3-S-A2





	Class Statistics



BAYFIELD class (APA 33-48,92,93,95,96,99-102,104,106-116)



Overall Length:  492’

Extreme Beam:  69’6”

Trial Displacement:  11,760 t.

Limiting Draft:  23’3”

Trial Speed:  18.4 k.

Accommodations:  (all ships)

	Ship’s Company:

		Officers:  51

		Enlisted:  524

	Troop Capacity:

		Officer:  80

		Enlisted:  1,146

	Flag Accommodations:

		Officer:  43

		Enlisted:  108

Cargo Capacity:  

	200,000 cu.ft.; 4,700 t. (APA 33-39)

	175,000 cu.ft. (APA 40-48)

	180,500 cu.ft. (APA 92,93,95,96,99-102,104,106-116)

	  4,700 t. (APA 33-48)

	  4,500 t. (APA 92,93,96,106-116)*

	  4,800 t. (APA 95,106-116)*

		* duplicate entry

Armament:  (Aug 1945)

	 1 5”/38:  all ships

	 2 single 40mm mounts:  all ships

	 2 twin 40mm mounts: 

		(APA 33,47,93,96,100-102,106-112,114-115)

	 4 twin 40mm mounts: 

		(APA 35-42,45,46,92,95,104,113,116)

	 3 twin 40mm mounts (APA 44)

	18 single 20mm mounts:  all ships

	 2 quad 1.1” mounts (APA 34,43,48)

Engines:  Geared turbine drive

	General Electric:  

		(APA 33-45,92,93,96,99-102,104,106-116)

	Westinghouse:  (APA 46-48,95)

Boilers:  2 each

	Combustion Engineering D-type:  

		(APA 33-39,92,93)

	Foster-Wheeler D-type:

		(APA 40-48,95,99-102,104,110-116)

	Babcock & Wilcox D-type:

		(APA 96)

Propulsion:

	Propellers:  1

	Designed Shaft Horsepower:  8,500





	MONTOUR (APA-101) was laid down under Maritime 

Commission Contract 20 October 1943 by the Ingalls 

Shipbuilding Co., Pascagoula, Miss.; launched 10 March 1944; 

sponsored by Mrs. Walter Gulley; acquired by the Navy on a 

load charter basis and placed in partial commission 9 June 

1944 to steam to Brooklyn, N.Y., for conversion by the 

Bethlehem Steel Corp.; and commissioned at New York 

9 December 1944, Capt. James H. Thatch, Jr., in command.



	Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, MONTOUR sailed 

for Hawaii, arriving Pearl Harbor 1 February 1945.  Three 

days later, she proceeded to San Pedro, Calif., where she 

reported for yard work.  Between 26 March and 1 August, she 

made two voyages to the Marianas.  She embarked troops at 

San Francisco 11 August, and sailed for the Philippines, 

arriving San Pedro Bay, Leyte, on 5 September.  Assigned to 

transport troops destined for occupation duty in Japan, she 

departed Lingayen Gulf, arriving at Wakayama Ko, Honshu, 

7 October.  MONTOUR debarked soldiers at Ise Wan, Honshu 

27 October, and then reported for duty with the “Magic 

Carpet” fleet for the next four months.



	She made two voyages from Okinawa to the west coast, 

disembarking troops at Portland and San Francisco.  

Returning to the east coast, she decommissioned at Norfolk, 

Va., 19 April 1946.  Delivered to the War Shipping 

Administration 23 April, MONTOUR was struck from the Naval 

Register 8 May.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com