Knowledge (XXG)

History
United States
Name	Oneida
Namesake	Oneida County, Idaho Oneida County, New York Oneida County, Wisconsin
Ordered	as a Type VC2-S-AP5 hull, MCE hull 569
Builder	Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Yard number	569
Laid down	30 September 1944
Launched	31 October 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs Victor E. Cole
Commissioned	4 December 1944
Decommissioned	27 December 1946
Stricken	1 October 1958
Identification	Hull symbol: APA-221 Code letters: NPRB
Honors and awards	1 × battle star for World War II service
Fate	Scrapped 1975
General characteristics
Class and type	Haskell-class attack transport
Type	Type VC2-S-AP5
Displacement	6,873 long tons (6,983 t) (light load) 14,837 long tons (15,075 t) (full load)
Length	455 ft (139 m)
Beam	62 ft (19 m)
Draft	24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power	2 × Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465 psi (3,210 kPa) 750 °F (399 °C) 8,500 shp (6,338 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Westinghouse geared turbine 1 x propeller
Speed	17.7 kn (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 × LCMs 1 × open LCPL 18 × LCVPs 2 × LCPRs 1 × closed LCPL (Captain's Gig)
Capacity	2,900 long tons (2,900 t) DWT 150,000 cu ft (4,200 m) (non-refrigerated)
Troops	86 officers, 1,475 enlisted
Complement	56 officers, 480 enlisted
Armament	1 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual purpose gun 1 × quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) gun mounts 4 × twin 40mm Bofors (AA) gun mounts 10 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon cannons AA mounts
Service record
Part of:	TransRon 23
Operations:	Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (3–28 June 1945)
Awards:	China Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal

USS Oneida (APA-221) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1975.

ONeidae was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship, built as SS Oneida Victory, design type and named after Oneida County, Idaho, Oneida County, New York and Oneida County, Wisconsin (the name "Oneida" itself originates from an Iroquoian Indian tribe living in New York state and its environs). The ship was approved for construction on 26 May 1944, laid down 30 September 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCV hull 569, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California; and launched 31 October 1944. She was acquired by the Navy on a loan-charter basis, and accepted and commissioned on 4 December 1944.

After shakedown, Oneida embarked troops and sailed for Pearl Harbor on 30 January 1945, arriving 6 February. On 13 February, she was underway again, laden with troops en route to Eniwetok. From Eniwetok, she steamed to Ulithi and arrived on 28 February, joining the armada of ships at anchor there. As far as the eye could see, stretched the vast and growing Task Force 58 which was preparing for a drive into the Japanese home islands.

On 27 March, Oneida sailed for Guam carrying survivors of aircraft carrier USS Franklin (CV-13). The next day, she discharged the Franklin's Marine air groups and picked up casualties of the bloody fight on Iwo Jima and headed back to Pearl Harbor. Leaving the wounded in Pearl, she took on board a large contingent of the 10th Army bound for Okinawa.

Approaching Okinawa on 23 May, Oneida was ordered to stand off as the island came under attack from one of its frequent kamikaze raids. Within the first 24 hours of her arrival, Oneida witnessed 56 separate raids on the island. Finally on 3 June, Oneida was called in and discharged her passengers under continuing Japanese air raids.

Oneida departed Okinawa on 6 June, and returned on 24 June, with US Army replacements and 8th Air Corps personnel. Discharging these, she took on board 1,050 Japanese prisoners, and in company with attack transport Grafton, also loaded with prisoners, she sailed for Pearl Harbor. The prisoners were transferred to a camp in Pearl 13 July, and Oneida was again loaded with Army troops.

En route to Okinawa, she made a stop at Ulithi and while anchored there received word of Japan's acceptance of unconditional surrender. With the status of her passengers changed to that of "occupation troops", Oneida proceeded to Okinawa, arriving 22 August.

From 5 September to 18 November, Oneida distributed occupation forces throughout the Far East, from Hollandia to Korea and China. From 18 November 1945 to 16 June 1946, Oneida participated in Operation Magic Carpet, returning veterans to the states and taking replacements overseas for occupation duty.

From 16 June to 27 December, Oneida performed services in local operations off the West Coast.

On 27 December 1946, she was placed out of commission, in reserve, and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Long Beach. She was struck 1 October 1958, from the Naval Vessel Register. On 8 October 1958, Oneida was transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) where she was laid up at in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, Benicia, California. On 8 May 1975, Oneida was sold to General Metals of Tacoma, Inc., under a "non-transportation use" (NTU) or scrap contract, for $256,000. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 9 July 1975.

Oneida earned one battle stars for services in World War II.

Citations

• Photo gallery of USS Oneida (APA-221) at NavSource Naval History

• Haskell-class attack transports
• Oneida County, Idaho
• Oneida County, New York
• Oneida County, Wisconsin
• World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
• Ships built in Richmond, California
• 1944 ships
• Pacific Reserve Fleet, Long Beach Group
• Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet
• Troop ships of the United States