>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” (1969) Vol. 4, p.486; (1970) Vol. 5, p.372. PRESIDENT ADAMS President Adams: The second and sixth Presidents of the United States. APA-19 Displacement: 16,175 t. (full load) Length: 491’10” Beam: 69’6” Draft: 26’6” (mean) Speed: 17.9 k. Complement: 618 Troop Capacity: 1,350 Armament: 1 5”; 4 3”; 8 20mm Class: PRESIDENT JACKSON Maritime Standard Type: C3-passenger and cargo Class statistics PRESIDENT JACKSON Class (APA 18-20,30) Overall Length: 491’10” Extreme Beam: 69’6” Trial Displacement: 11,760 t. Limiting Draft: 26’6” Designed Speed: 17 k. (APA 18-20) 18 k. (APA 30) Accommodations: (APA 18) Ship’s Company: Officer: 35 Enlisted: 477 Troop Capacity: Officer: 70 Enlisted: 1,312 Accommodations: (APA 19) Ship’s Company: Officer: 36 Enlisted: 477 Troop Capacity: Officer: 76 Enlisted: 1,258 Accommodations: (APA 20) Ship’s Company: Officer: 36 Enlisted: 477 Troop Capacity: Officer: 76 Enlisted: 1,312 Accommodations: (APA 30) Ship’s Company: Officer: 58 Enlisted: 535 Troop Capacity: Officer: 68 Enlisted: 1,197 Cargo Capacity: 185,000 cu.ft., all ships 3,500 t. (APA 18,30) 3,600 t. (APA 19) 2,500 t. (APA 20) Armament: (Aug 1945) 4 3”/50, all ships 2 40mm twin mounts (APA 20,30) 2 40mm single mounts (APA 18,19) 12 20mm single mounts (APA 18) 16 20mm single mounts (APA 19) 14 20mm single mounts (APA 20) 18 20mm single mounts (APA 30) Engines: Geared turbine drive Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Boilers: 2 each Babcock & Wilcox; header-type Propulsion: Propellers: 1 Designed Shaft Horsepower: 8,500 PRESIDENT ADAMS (AP-38), built under Maritime Commission contract, was laid down as MC hull 57 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., 6 June 1940, launched 31 January 1941, sponsored by Mrs. Robert R. Jackson, delivered to the Navy 5 June 1941; converted by the Norfolk Navy Yard; and commissioned 19 November 1941, Comdr. C. W. Brewington in command. Stripped for war service with the entry of the United States into World War II, 7 December 1941, PRESIDENT ADAMS fired her guns against the enemy, a U-boat, for the first time on Christmas Day. Following the encounter, she continued her shakedown exercises, then, steamed to the Pacific and trained troops off California as she readied for her first amphibious operation. In June 1942, she embarked the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, and got underway 1 July for the south Pacific. Between 7 and 9 August, as the United States launched the first step on the island paved path to victory in the Pacific, her LCMs and LCVPs landed the marines in the Guadalcanal-Tulagi area. Retiring from the area, the converted liner carried casualties to Samoa, whence she began bringing in reinforcements. For six months, she transported fresh troops and equipment to, and brought out wounded from, Guadalcanal. Organized resistance on that island ceased 9 February 1943, but the campaign for the Solomons was not over. PRESIDENT ADAMS, redesignated APA-19 (effective 1 February), continued to carry men and equipment to and from embattled islands of the south Pacific, escaping serious damage from numerous Japanese air attacks. During March and April, she trained assault troops in New Zealand, then transported men and materiel from there, and from Australia, to Guadalcanal, whence she steamed with Army forces for Rendova. Landing those troops 30 June, she took on survivors from attack transport McCAWLEY (APA-4) 1 July, and sailed to Noumea. From New Caledonia, PRESIDENT ADAMS returned to New Zealand, underwent an abbreviated overhaul, then resumed transporting men and equipment to the Solomons and training assault troops for amphibious operations, this time for Bougainville. On 1 November, after bombarding the beaches at Torokina Point, she landed the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, at Empress Augusta Bay. During the next six months, PRESIDENT ADAMS thrice returned to Bougainville with reinforcements; carried Army Engineers to Emirau; transported two groups of Army reinforcements to Cape Gloucester on New Britain and, then, prepared for action in the Marianas. In June 1944, she steamed to Kwajalein, thence to Saipan, where, as a floating reserve, she stood by to the east of the island as the Battle of the Philippine Sea raged to the west. With the postponement of the assault on Guam and her troops not needed on Saipan, she steamed to Eniwetok where she remained until 17 July. On the 21st, she stood off Guam as that operation got underway and, during the next five days, unloaded men and equipment, sent supplies and provisions, including hot food, to the beaches and took on casualties for evacuation to Pearl Harbor and the west coast. By 16 October, having undergone overhaul, PRESIDENT ADAMS embarked construction equipment at Port Hueneme and Sea Bee personnel at San Francisco and sailed for Manus. Thence, she returned to New Caledonia where she took on Army infantrymen for transportation west, to the assault beaches on Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. PRESIDENT ADAMS landed "passengers" and cargo 11-12 January 1945, then retired to Leyte, discharging casualties from Lingayen, then she sailed back to Guam, whence she carried Marine Corps units to Iwo Jima, landing them 19 February. During the next ten days, she stood off the beaches, unloading cargo, receiving casualties, provisioning and repairing small boats. After retiring to Saipan, PRESIDENT ADAMS continued on to Noumea, whence she carried Army personnel to Leyte, and then, for the next two months, she ferried troops from New Guinea to the Philippines. On 17 July, she got underway for the United States. Emerging from overhaul at Portland, Ore., after the cessation of hostilities, PRESIDENT ADAMS commenced moving occupation troops to the Far East and returning veterans to the United States. After the initial post-war transport assignments, she carried dependents to occupied zones and transported military personnel and equipment to ports in Japan, China and the Philippines. On 7 March 1947, she departed the west coast for Norfolk. Arriving on the 24th, she commenced cargo and passenger runs between the east coast and the Caribbean. Designated for inactivation in October 1949, she completed her last Caribbean run, to Port au Prince, Trinidad, and Coco Solo, 19 January-2 February 1950, and on the 8th departed Norfolk for the west coast. On 2 March, she arrived at San Francisco, where she decommissioned 14 June 1950 and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet. She remained berthed at San Francisco until struck from the Navy List, 1 October 1958, and transferred to the Maritime Administration's National Defense Reserve Fleet, and was berthed at Suisun Bay, Calif. into 1970. PRESIDENT ADAMS earned 9 battle stars during World War II. Transcribed by Michael Hansen mhansen2@home.com