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

(1969) Vol. 4, pp.321, 486.





MENDOCINO



	Mendocino:  A county in northern California along the 

Pacific coast.





APA-100



Displacement: 8,392 t. (light displacement)

Length:  492’

Beam:  69’6”

Draft:  26’6”

Speed:  16.5 k.

Complement:  588

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





	MENDOCINO (APA-100) was laid down under Maritime 

Commission contract by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., 

Pascagoula, Miss., 20 September 1943; launched 11 February 

1944; sponsored by Mrs. William Tillotson; acquired by the 

Navy 23 May 1944; placed in ferry commission from 23 May to 

3 June 1944 for transfer to Bethlehem Steel Co., Hoboken, 

N.J., prior to conversion to an attack transport; and 

commissioned at Hoboken 31 October 1944, Capt. Walton R. 

Read in command.



	After shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, MENDOCINO embarked 

705 naval passengers and departed Norfolk for the Pacific 

10 December.  She reached San Pedro, Calif., Christmas Day; 

and, following a run to Pearl Harbor and back, she departed 

San Francisco Bay 5 February 1945 for the Philippines.  She 

entered Leyte Gulf 28 February and during much of the next 

month, trained for the forthcoming invasion of Okinawa.



	As flagship of Transport Squadron 14, she sortied with 

ships of the Southern Attack Force 27 March, and closed 

Okinawa early 1 April.  During the amphibious assault 

against the Hagushi Beaches, she debarked troops of the 96th 

Infantry Division off Beach White I and, until 6 April, she 

off-loaded support equipment.  She embarked Army wounded and 

transported them to Saipan before steaming to Pearl Harbor 

where she arrived 22 April.



	As flagship of Transport Squadron 19, MENDOCINO trained 

in Hawaiian waters until returning to San Francisco 4 June 

to embark troops and load cargo.  Between 29 June and 

16 July, she sailed to Guam; thence, she carried veterans of 

the Pacific campaigns to the west coast, arriving San 

Francisco 4 August.  After the end of hostilities, she 

transported 1,523 Army officers and men to the Philippines; 

after embarking occupation troops at Legaspi, Luzon, she 

sailed in convoy for Japan 4 October.  Arriving Yokohama 

13 October, she discharged troops and cargo.  Three days 

later, she joined the "Magic Carpet" fleet and, from 

26 October to 8 November, she carried returning veterans 

back to the United States.  After completing a second troop 

lift 27 December, she departed San Francisco 14 January 1946 

and reached New York 1 February.  She decommissioned there 

27 February 1946 and was returned to the War Shipping 

Administration the same day.  Her name was struck from the 

Navy list 12 March 1946.  Subsequently, MENDOCINO was sold 

to Pope & Talbot, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., and was 

renamed P. & T. SEAFARER.



	MENDOCINO received one battle star for World War II 

service.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com