USS Henderson (AP-1)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The first USS ''Henderson'' (AP-1) was a
transport Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional Motion, movement of humans, animals, and cargo, goods from one location to another. Mode of transport, Modes of transport include aviation, air, land tr ...
in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In 1943, she was converted to a
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating healthcare, medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navy, navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or ...
and commissioned as USS ''Bountiful'' (AH-9). Named for Marine
Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
Archibald Henderson Archibald Henderson (January 21, 1783 – January 6, 1859) was the longest-serving Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps, serving from 1820 to 1859. His name is learned by all recruits at United States Mari ...
, she was launched by
Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy shipyard and was historically important for nearly two centuries. Construction of the original Philadelphia Naval Shipyard began during the American Revolution in 1776 at Front ...
on 17 June 1916; sponsored by Miss Genevieve W. Taylor, great-granddaughter of General Henderson; and commissioned at
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
on 24 May 1917.


Service history


World War I, 1917–1918

''Henderson'' arrived New York on 12 June 1917 and sailed two days later with Rear Admiral
Albert Gleaves Albert Gleaves (January 1, 1858 – January 6, 1937) was a decorated admiral in the United States Navy, also notable as a naval historian. Biography Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Gleaves graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1877. Af ...
'
Cruiser and Transport Force The Cruiser and Transport Service was a unit of the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet during World War I that was responsible for transporting American men and materiel to France. Composition On 1 July 1918, the Cruiser and Transport Force was ...
, which carried units of the
American Expeditionary Force The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...
to
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. In her holds she had space for 1,500 men and 24 mules. Reaching
Saint-Nazaire Saint-Nazaire (; ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Loire-Atlantique Departments of France, department in western France, in traditional Brittany. The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Oc ...
on 27 June she disembarked troops and returned to Philadelphia on 17 July 1917. Subsequently, ''Henderson'' made eight more voyages to France with troops and supplies for the allies in the bitter
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
an fighting. She established two large base hospitals in France during 1917. In constant danger from submarines, the transport was steaming near
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
transport on 17 October 1917 when the latter was torpedoed. ''Henderson'' escaped attack by wrapping herself in an envelope of smoke. But torpedoes were not her only danger. She sailed for her seventh voyage on 30 June 1918 to France. A serious fire broke out in a cargo hold on 2 July 1918. Working throughout the night, and with ''Henderson'' listing as much as 15 degrees, and heavily rolling at times, making landing abreast possible on only one side, the destroyers and transferred her 1,600 troop passengers and baggage to the transport without loss of life, completing the transfer by 6:00 am on 3 July. ''Von Steuben'' continued on to Brest, France carrying 3,500 troops and their equipment. Determined firefighting crews soon brought the flames under control and ''Henderson'' returned to the U.S. with destroyers escorting. On 27 February, one day after departing Saint-Nazaire,
troopship A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable to land troops directly on shore, typic ...
''Finland'' 's steering gear jammed, forcing her into the path of ''Henderson''. That ship was able to maneuver such that ''Finland'' only dealt her a glancing blow. ''Finland'' suffered only superficial damage; ''Henderson'' was holed below the waterline, but her crew took advantage of unusually calm February seas to repair the damage, and were soon able to proceed to New York. The transport was carrying a number of wounded soldiers back, to the United States. She sailed again from Philadelphia Tuesday 13 August 1918 and arrived at Brest, France Monday 25 August 1918. The ''Henderson'' may have rammed a U-boat that had just sunk tanker ''Frank W. Kellogg'' off the New Jersey coast on August 13, 1918. Lookouts sighted a submarine that was attempting to dive for a torpedo attack and Captain William R. Sayles ordered the rudder hard right attempting to run the enemy down. When the ship was next docked, it was found that her starboard bilge keel had been partly bent and broken. As there is no other explanation, it is believed that this damage was caused by striking the conning tower of the submarine as she was in the act of submerging. After the Armistice '' U-139'' was inspected at Brest where it was noted that not only are the periscopes broken but the thin metal weather screen on the forward side of the conning tower was badly bent as the result of the collision. A German crew member, still on board, stated “the ''U-139'' had encountered an American transport off the Atlantic coast, which had attempted to ram her, and had succeeded in breaking off both periscopes, so that for the remainder of the cruise the submarine was unable to attack while submerged." ''U-139'' was commanded by Lothar von Arnauld de la Periere, the most successful submariner in the
Kaiserliche Marine The adjective ''kaiserlich'' means "imperial" and was used in the German-speaking countries to refer to those institutions and establishments over which the ''Kaiser'' ("emperor") had immediate personal power of control. The term was used partic ...
.


Caribbean, 1918–1923

Following the armistice, ''Henderson'' made eight more transatlantic voyages bringing home members of the A.E.F. She carried more than 10,000 veterans before returning to Philadelphia on December 27, 1919. She then took up duty as troop rotation ship for Marine units in the
Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
, carrying Marines, their dependents, and supplies to bases in
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
,
Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
, and other islands. She also participated in Marine training maneuvers in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
before returning to Philadelphia on July 6, 1920. After an extended period of repairs, the transport resumed her duties in the Caribbean. This was interrupted from June 21 until July 21 as ''Henderson'' carried military and civilian leaders to observe the historic bombing tests off the
Virginia Capes The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America. The importance of the Chesapeake Bay in American history has lo ...
. During the next few years, she also performed ceremonial duties, embarking a congressional party to observe fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean in the spring of 1923, and carrying
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...
on an inspection tour of
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
in July. The President called at Metlakatla, Ketchikan, Wrangell,
Juneau Juneau ( ; ), officially the City and Borough of Juneau, is the capital of the U.S. state of Alaska, located along the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle. Juneau was named the capital of Alaska in 1906, when the government of wha ...
, Skagway, Seward, Valdez, Cordova and Sitka in Alaska, as well as
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. When approaching Seattle on July 27 in heavy fog, ''Henderson'' collided with the destroyer , which was badly damaged, but with no loss of life. The President's review of the fleet from the transport in Washington state's
Elliott Bay Elliott Bay is a part of the Central Basin region of Puget Sound. It is in the U.S. state of Washington, extending southeastward between West Point in the north and Alki Point in the south. Seattle was founded on this body of water in the 1850s ...
then took place, before he disembarked at Seattle, only six days before his death. After departure for San Francisco the following morning, ''Henderson'', was in collision again in fog, causing serious damage to the American
barkentine A barquentine or schooner barque (alternatively "barkentine" or "schooner bark") is a sailing vessel with three or more masts; with a square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged main, mizzen and any other masts. Modern barquentine sailing ...
''Monterey''.


Pacific, 1924–1941

During Fleet Problem III in early 1924, ''Henderson'' participated in a mock amphibious invasion of the
Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone (), also known as just the Canal Zone, was a International zone#Concessions, concession of the United States located in the Isthmus of Panama that existed from 1903 to 1979. It consisted of the Panama Canal and an area gene ...
. This major training operation by the fleet helped practice assault techniques and led to improved landing craft as well. The ship also aided in the protection of American interests in the volatile Caribbean states and in the
Far East The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses the easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including North Asia, North, East Asia, East and Southeast Asia. South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In mod ...
. ''Henderson'' arrived in
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
on 2 May 1927 with Marines for the garrison there, and remained in China for six months protecting American nationals in the war-torn country. Here members of her crew originated the "
Domain of the Golden Dragon The Domain of the Golden Dragon, Realm of the Golden Dragon, Imperial Order of the Golden Dragon, or Sacred Order of the Golden Dragon, is an unofficial award given to crew members of ships which cross the International Date Line. A sailor enter ...
," having cruised back and forth across the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180.0° line of longitude and de ...
. The troop transport was engaged in carrying replacements for the fleet and the Marines in China for the next fourteen years.


World War II, 1941–1943

''Henderson'' was berthed beside Battleship row and had both troops and women and children on board. On December 6, Marines from USS ''Oklahoma'' and sailors stationed in Pearl Harbor volunteered to escort the women and children back to California in exchange for extra shore leave. When Japanese forces attacked on 7 December 1941, ''Henderson'' was outbound from Pearl Harbor. ''Henderson'' cleared Pearl Harbor at the end of the attack. The captain feared that the Japanese flotilla would continue on to California, having eliminated any opposition from Hawaii. ''Henderson'' would be a slow, conspicuous, and solitary target in their path. He set course for Alaska to avoid being overcome, maintaining strict radio silence even in the face of repeated attempts by the Navy to contact the ship and verify its survival. ''Henderson'' then hugged the Pacific Northwest coast down to San Francisco Bay, arriving eleven days after it had been presumed missing in action. During the
Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...
, ''Henderson'' continued its service as a transport between California and
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
, making over 20 such voyages with fighting men, civilian passengers, and cargo. On her last voyage, she departed
Port Hueneme Port Hueneme ( ; Chumash: ''Wene Me'') is a small beach city in Ventura County, California, surrounded by the city of Oxnard and the Santa Barbara Channel. Both the Port of Hueneme and Naval Base Ventura County lie within the city limits. Port ...
on 18 July 1943 and arrived at
Nouméa Nouméa () is the capital and largest city of the French Sui generis collectivity, special collectivity of New Caledonia and is also the largest Francophone city in Oceania. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main i ...
with 71 much-needed nurses. The transport then sailed to the
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands of Destiny'', Dutton Caliber, 2012, p,20 and passim is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, t ...
with
SeaBee United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the U.S. Naval Construction Forces (NCF). The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion". Dependi ...
s before returning to San Francisco on 24 September 1943. ''Henderson'' was decommissioned on 13 October 1943 for conversion to a hospital ship at
General Engineering & Dry Dock Company General Engineering & Dry Dock Company was a shipbuilding and ship repair company in Alameda, California that was active from the 1920s through the 1940s. The company built ships for the Southern Pacific Railroad and the United States Coast Gua ...
,
Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...
.


Hospital ship, 1944–1946

The ship was recommissioned as USS ''Bountiful'' (AH-9) on 23 March 1944. ''Bountiful'' departed San Francisco on 1 April 1944 for
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
, returned later that month, and sailed once more on 1 May for the western Pacific. After brief service at Honolulu and Eniwetok, the ship arrived on 18 June at the
Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
invasion beaches. She made three passages to the hospitals on Kwajalein with casualties of the
Marianas The Mariana Islands ( ; ), also simply the Marianas, are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly Volcano#Dormant and reactivated, dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean ...
invasions. About this time ''Bountiful'' established one of the few blood banks in a Naval ship. The floating hospital remained at
Manus Manus may refer to: Relating to locations around New Guinea *Manus Island, a Papua New Guinean island in the Admiralty Archipelago ** Manus languages, languages spoken on Manus and islands close by ** Manus Regional Processing Centre, an offshore ...
until 17 September when she sailed for the
Palau Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The Republic of Palau consists of approximately 340 islands and is the western part of the Caroline Islands ...
s to bring casualties of the
Peleliu Peleliu (or Beliliou) is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu, along with two small islands to its northeast, forms one of the sixteen states of Palau. The island is notable as the location of the Battle of Peleliu in World War II. ...
landing to hospitals in the Solomons. After November ''Bountiful'' operated between
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...
and the rear bases carrying veterans of the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
campaign. She departed Manus on 24 February 1945 for
Ulithi Ulithi (, , or ; pronounced roughly as YOU-li-thee) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap, within Yap State. Name The name of the island goes back to Chuukic languages, Proto-Chuukic ''*úlú-diw ...
and Saipan to receive casualties of the bitter Iwo Jima assault, and in the next months sailed to rendezvous with the fleet to take on wounded from Iwo Jima,
Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
, and the fleet units themselves. Returning to Leyte Gulf on 15 June, she remained until 21 July, and then got underway for California. ''Bountiful'' arrived after war's end, sailing into San Francisco Bay on 21 August 1945. ''Bountiful'' was then assigned as hospital ship at
Yokosuka is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city has a population of 373,797, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th-most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region. The city i ...
,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, departing San Francisco 1 November 1945. She arrived on 24 November to support the occupation forces, and remained until 27 March 1946 when she sailed for San Francisco. After delivering her patients, the ship sailed on 26 May for the atomic tests at
Bikini Atoll Bikini Atoll ( or ; Marshallese language, Marshallese: , , ), known as Eschscholtz Atoll between the 19th century and 1946, is a coral reef in the Marshall Islands consisting of 23 islands surrounding a central lagoon. The atoll is at the no ...
, and after providing medical services during the series of nuclear blasts during "
Operation Crossroads Operation Crossroads was a pair of nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946. They were the first nuclear weapon tests since Trinity on July 16, 1945, and the first detonations of nuclear devices sinc ...
", she returned to Seattle on 15 August 1946.


Decommissioning and sale

''Bountiful'' was decommissioned on 13 September 1946, and was sold for scrap by the
Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The c ...
on 28 January 1948 to Consolidated Builders, Inc., Seattle.


Awards

''Bountiful'' received four battle stars for World War II service.


References

*


External links

*
Globalsecurity.org: AP-1 ''Henderson''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henderson (AP-1) Hospital ships of the United States Navy Ships built in Philadelphia Transports of the United States Navy 1916 ships