The design is based on the wooden-hulled USN AMc . The USN Chief of Naval Operations gave the order for the construction of 50 AMc coastal minesweepers, AMc-150–AMc-199 on January 19, 1942. The coastal minesweepers design was modified, as the need for a small coastal transports was great at the time. The Bureau of Ships issued the specifications for the modified coastal minesweepers design for ships AMc 150–AMc-199 in February 1942. The Chief of Naval Operations issued the request that the 50 ships be constructed as "raider transports, AP," for use in the South Pacific War on April 13, 1942. Many planned and under construction AMc coastal minesweepers were changed to APc small coastal transports. Of the many APc-1-class small coastal transports built, ten ships, APc-85 to APc-94, were transferred to work in the United States Atlantic Fleet. Some were transfer to the United Kingdom under the Lend-Lease act. After the war the USN converted some to personnel ferries with a capacity of up to 250 persons by removing some of the open sea ballast and removal of deck guns. Many after the war were sold to be fishing boats.[1] [2] The specifications for modified coastal minesweepers redesign, where given by the District Craft Development Board on April 20, 1942, The redesign gave three planned uses for new APc transport ships:[1] [3] [4]
The ships had a displacement of 100 tons, a length of 103inchesft3inchesin (ftin), a beam of 21inchesft3inchesin (ftin) and a draft of 9inchesft3inchesin (ftin). For service electrical need the ships had two diesel 30 kW 120V DC service generators. The ships had a fuel capacity of 145oilbbl of diesel fuel. The ships had a large boom with a capacity of 3 tons to load and unload cargo. Ships were armed with two Oerlikon 20 mm cannon.[1] [2]
Power was from one Atlas 6HM2124 diesel engine, to a Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, to a single propeller with 400shp, built in Oakland, California or One Enterprise Engine DMG-6 diesel engine with a single propeller with 400 shp.
Many of the APc transport ships were built by small shipyards and boatyards that switched from yacht, sailboat and powerboat building to military construction.
APc transport ships were built in 1942 and 1943 by:
APc-80 to APc-84, APc-104 to APc-107, APc-112 to APc-115, APc-99 and APc-100 were canceled before construction started.[13]
| Name | Shipyard | Commissioned | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| APc-1 | Herreshoff Mfg | 1 Oct 1942 | Ex-AMc-164; Sold (delivered) by MC to George Fulton, Fulton Construction Co., Houston, Texas. Merc. COMER PLUMMER 1947. |
| APc-2 | 31 Oct 1942 | Ex-AMc-165; Sold (delivered) by MC to George Danches, St. Louis, Miss. Merc. DANSCO 1951. | |
| APc-3 | 11 Nov 1942 | Ex-AMc-166; Sold (delivered) by MC to Foss Launch & Tug Co., Seattle, Wash. | |
| APc-4 | 19 Nov 1942 | Ex-AMc-167; Sold in the Philippines to Korea. | |
| APc-5 | 1 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-168; Sold (delivered) by MC to G. A. Hunter, Eureka, Cal. Merc. Merc. DENNIS GAYLE 1947. | |
| APc-6 | 11 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-169; Sold in the Philippines to Korea. | |
| APc-7 | 19 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-196; Sold (delivered) by MC to Foss Launch & Tug Co., Seattle, Wash. | |
| APc-8 | 3 Apr 1943 | Ex-AMc-197; Sold (delivered) by MC to Foss Launch & Tug Co., Seattle, Wash. | |
| APc-9 | 30 Mar 1943 | Ex-AMc-198; Sold (delivered) by MC to Foss Launch & Tug Co., Seattle, Wash. | |
| APc-10 | 3 Apr 1943 | Ex-AMc-199; Sold (delivered) by MC to Harold Hunter, Morro Bay, Cal. Merc. DONNA MAE 1948. | |
| APc-11 | Warren Boat | 3 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-180; Sold (awarded) by MC to John Tanzi, San Francisco, Cal. Merc. ISABEL ROSE 1948. |
| APc-12 | 1 Feb 1943 | Ex-AMc-181; Sold in Philippines to Korea. | |
| APc-13 | Harry G. Marr | 9 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-174; Sold (awarded) by MC to Raymond G. Turner, San Diego, Cal. |
| APc-14 | 28 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-175; Sold (delivered) by MC to Johannes A. Beck, Petersburg, Alaska. Merc. NORTHLAND 1947. | |
| APc-15 | Camden SB | 27 Oct 1942 | Ex-AMc-155; Sold (delivered) by MC to Harold A. Jones, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. |
| APc-16 | 15 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-156; Decomm. at Subic Bay, Philippines. Driven onto beach and bow smashed in typhoon Sep 1946. Wreck sold by FLC, abandoned by buyer. | |
| APc-17 | 11 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-157; Recommended for decomm. and sinking in Philippine Area 7 Jan 1946, destroyed there in March. | |
| APc-18 | 28 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-158; Sold (delivered) by MC to Frieda Pinckney Scheck, Santa Barbara, Cal. | |
| APc-19 | Hodgdon Bros | 12 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-170; Sold (delivered) by MC to Charles E. Kaltenbach, Laguna Beach, Cal. |
| APc-20 | 15 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-171; Sold (delivered) by MC to Foss Launch & Tug Co., Seattle, Wash. Merc. SEA MONSTER, first registered 1957. | |
| APc-21 | 25 Feb 1943 | Ex-AMc-172; Sunk by Japanese aircraft bomb off New Britain (Arawe). | |
| APc-22 | 15 Mar 1943 | Ex-AMc-173; Transferred via MC to Dept. of the Interior. Merc. STORMBIRD 1949, off list 1951. | |
| APc-23 | Fulton SY | 31 Oct 1942 | Ex-AMc-159; Sold (delivered) by MC to Ramon Zuniga, M. San Ysidro, Cal. |
| APc-24 | 5 Nov 1942 | Ex-AMc-160; Sold (delivered) by MC to Joseph Campanelli, San Francisco, Cal. | |
| APc-25 | 19 Nov 1942 | Ex-AMc-161; Sold (delivered) by MC to Bryce Little, Seattle, Wash. Merc. COASTAL TRADER II. 1947, now Cape Scott | |
| APc-26 | 25 Nov 1942 | Ex-AMc-162; Sold (delivered) by MC to G. M. Lindsay, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. | |
| APc-27 | 5 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-163; Sold (delivered) by MC to Frank Leslie Fulton, Antioch, Cal. | |
| APc-28 | 17 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-182; Driven hard aground by typhoon at Okinawa. Destroyed by burning 9 Mar 1946. | |
| APc-29 | 6 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-183; Sold (delivered) by MC to A. S. Thompson, Seattle, Wash. Merc. NUISANCE IV 1947. | |
| APc-30 | 15 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-184; Sold (delivered) by MC to Charlie E. Steel, Las Vegas, Nev. | |
| APc-31 | 30 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-185; Sold (delivered) by MC to Anderson & Cristofani SB & Marine Railway, San Francisco, Cal. | |
| APc-32 | 13 Feb 1943 | Ex-AMc-186; Sold (delivered) by MC to H. L. Coville, West Vancouver, B.C., Canada. | |
| APc-33 | Anderson & Cristofani | 31 Oct 1942 | Ex-AMc-150; Sold (delivered) by MC to William S. Kisich, c/o Sanvernmo (?) Co., San Francisco, Cal. |
| APc-34 | 19 Nov 1942 | Ex-AMc-151; Sold (awarded) by MC to Cia. Commercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. | |
| APc-35 | 2 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-152; Grounded off New Georgia, beached and abandoned. | |
| APc-36 | 18 Dec 1942 | Ex-AMc-153; Sold (awarded) by MC to Fred Cook, Aransas Pass, Texas. | |
| APc-37 | 11 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-154; Sold (delivered) by MC, buyer's name not recorded. | |
| APc-38 | 29 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-193; Sold (delivered) by MC to James Mastrogeorge, Pittsburgh, Pa. | |
| APc-39 | 17 Feb 1943 | Ex-AMc-194; Sold (delivered) by MC to Rupert Fish Co. Inc. c/o Messrs. Jones & Bronson, Seattle, Wash. | |
| APc-40 | 8 Mar 1943 | Ex-AMc-195; Sold (awarded) by MC to Lawrence W. Koerner, San Francisco, Cal. | |
| APc-41 | Cryer & Sons | 10 Feb 1943 | Ex-AMc-176; Earlier order: Snow SY (19 Feb 1942). Sold (delivered) by MC to F. A. Wandtke, Mill Valley, Cal. Merc. FRANCES ANN 1948. |
| APc-42 | 10 Mar 1943 | Ex-AMc-177; Earlier order: Snow SY (19 Feb 1942). Sold (delivered) by MC to Donald S. Morgan, Long Beach, Cal. Merc. DONNA M 1948, off list 1954. | |
| APc-43 | 20 Apr 1943 | Ex-AMc-178; Earlier order: Snow SY (19 Feb 1942). Sold (delivered) by MC to Empacadora del Pacifico, Ensenada, Mexico. | |
| APc-44 | 18 May 1943 | Ex-AMc-179; Earlier order: Snow SY (19 Feb 1942). Sold (delivered) by MC to Silvano Perez Ramos, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. | |
| APc-45 | Lynch SB | 5 Jan 1943 | Ex-AMc-187; Sold (delivered) by MC to Ernest W. Rideout, San Jose, Cal. Merc. HALAWI 1949. |
| APc-46 | 11 Feb 1943 | Ex-AMc-188; Sold (awarded) by MC to John P. Stoloroll & Homer I. Salley, San Francisco, Cal. Merc. RETRIEVER 1951. | |
| APc-47 | 25 Feb 1943 | Ex-AMc-189; Sold (delivered) by MC to Cdr. Arthur A. Anderson, Sacramento, Cal. | |
| APc-48 | 21 Apr 1943 | Ex-AMc-190; Sold (delivered) by MC to William S. Cady & Kimball Allen, San Francisco, Cal. Merc. ALLEN CODY 1948. | |
| APc-49 | 19 May 1943 | Ex-AMc-191; Grounded 30 Jul 1945 near Pearl Harbor, hulk seems to have been brought to Pearl where decomm. and stk. Jan 1946. Sold at Pearl as salvage to a Honolulu buyer. | |
| APc-50 | 9 Jun 1943 | Ex-AMc-192; Sold (awarded) by MC to Kennydale Shipyard, Kennydale, Wash. | |
| APc-51 | Warren Boat | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-1. Returned 10 Dec 1946, sold by FLC Apr 1947 at Malta to Greek Govt. | |
| APc-52 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-2. Returned 8 Jan 1947, sold by FLC 8 Jan 1947 to Greek firm. | ||
| APc-53 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-3. Returned 28 Aug 1946, sold by FLC Apr 1947 at Malta to Greek Govt. | ||
| APc-54 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-4. Declared total loss 1 Apr 1946 (inoperable at Colombo, Ceylon, beached to prevent sinking). | ||
| APc-55 | Harry G. Marr | 10 Dec 191942 (launched) | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-5. Renamed TENDERFOOT 1944. Arrived at Norfolk from Malta under British flag 6 Jul 1946, decomm. (U.K.) and returned 27 Jul 1946. Sold (delivered) by MC at Norfolk to Bristol Yacht Building Co., South Bristol, Maine. Merc. EAGLE 1947. |
| APc-56 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-6. Returned 28 Aug 1946, sold by FLC Apr 1947 at Malta to Greek Govt. | ||
| APc-57 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-20. Loaned by Royal Navy to War Office as EL ALAMEIN, used in the Caribbean. Returned 15 Apr 1950 at Key West, expended as experimental gunnery target off Norfolk 8 Aug 1950. | ||
| APc-58 | Camden SB | Jan 1943 (completed) | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-7. Became repair ship ASTRAVAL 1944. Returned 10 Dec 1946, sold by FLC Apr 1947 at Malta to Greek Govt. |
| APc-59 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-8. Returned 24 May 1948, sold by FLC as of 1 May 1948. | ||
| APc-60 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-9. Returned 10 Dec 1946, sold by FLC Nov 1946. | ||
| APc-61 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-10. Returned 10 Dec 1946, sold by FLC Nov 1946. | ||
| APc-62 | 8 Feb 191943 (launched) | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-21. Returned 28 Aug 1946, sold Apr 1947 by FLC at Malta to Greek Govt. | |
| APc-63 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-22. Returned Jun 1946, sold 12 Apr 1947 by FLC at Malta to Greece. | ||
| APc-64 | July 1943 (completed) | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-23. Arrived at Norfolk from Malta under British flag 9 Aug 1946, decomm. (U.K.) and returned 15 Aug 1946. Sold (delivered) by MC to Dominic V. Wise & Mark J. Wise, Philadelphia, Pa. | |
| APc-65 | Hodgdon Bros | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-11. Returned 12 Aug 1944 and trf. to Greece under Lend Lease same date as VELESTINON. Returned and given to Greece under MDAP 22 Jul 1952. Sold 1964. | |
| APc-66 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-12. Returned 12 Aug 1944 and trf. to Greece under Lend Lease same date as ELASSON. Returned and given to Greece under MDAP 22 Jul 1952. Sold 1963. | ||
| APc-67 | 2 Aug 1943 | Scheduled for transfer to UK under Lend Lease as FT-24 but retained by US for transfer to Greece. Trf. to Greece under Lend Lease as LECHOVON. Returned and given to Greece under MDAP 22 Jul 1952. Sold 1964. | |
| APc-68 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-25. Arrived at Norfolk from Malta under British flag 9 Aug 1946, decomm. (U.K.) and returned 15 Aug 1946. Sold (delivered) by MC to Adam P. Smith, New Orleans, La. Merc. ORO LOBO 1947, off list 1952/53. | ||
| APc-69 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-26. Loaned by Royal Navy to War Office as CANANIA. Returned 5 Apr 1950 at Key West, expended as an experimental gunnery target off Norfolk 16 Aug 1950. | ||
| APc-70 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-27. Returned 10 Dec 1946, sold by FLC Nov 1946. | ||
| APc-71 | Bristol Yacht | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-13. Returned 12 Aug 1944 and trf. to Greece under Lend Lease same date as KALAVRYTA. Returned and given to Greece under MDAP 22 Jul 1952. Sold 1963. | |
| APc-72 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-14. Returned 29 May 1946 at Subic Bay, destroyed by sinking 5 Aug 1946. | ||
| APc-73 | 6 Aug 1943 | Scheduled for transfer to UK under Lend Lease as FT-28 but retained by U.S. for transfer to Greece. Trf. to Greece under Lend Lease as ANCHIALOS. Returned and given to Greece under MDAP 22 Jul 1952. Sold circa 1963. | |
| APc-74 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-29. Arrived at Norfolk from Malta under British flag 6 Jul 1946, decomm. (U.K.) and returned 27 Jul 1946. Sold (delivered) by MC to J. R. Lawson & C. L. Lawson, Hampton, Va. | ||
| APc-75 | W. A. Robinson | 26 Jul 1943 | Scheduled for transfer to UK under Lend Lease as FT-15 but retained by U.S. for transfer to Greece. Trf. to Greece under Lend Lease as DISTOMON. Returned and given to Greece under MDAP 22 Jul 1952. Sold 1963. |
| APc-76 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-16. Renamed TENDERHEART 1944. Arrived at Norfolk from Malta under British flag 6 Jul 1946, decomm. (U.K.) and returned 27 Jul 1946. Sold (delivered) by MC to J. R. Lawson, Hampton, Va. | ||
| APc-77 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-17. Returned 28 Aug 1946, sold by FLC Apr 1947 at Malta to Greek Govt. | ||
| APc-78 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-18. Returned 1 Jun 1946 at Subic Bay, sold by FLC 21 Oct 1947. | ||
| APc-79 | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-19. Arrived at Norfolk from Malta under British flag 6 Jul 1946, decomm. (U.K.) and returned 27 Jul 1946. Sold (delivered) by MC to D. J. Hennessy, New Orleans, La. Merc. ORO ZORRA 1947, off list 1951. | ||
| APc-85 | Herreshoff Mfg | 28 Apr 1943 | Trf. to Ecuador under Lend Lease as CINCO DE JUNIO. USN decomm. est. Returned and sold by FLC to Ecuador 13 May 1949. Renamed EL ORO ca. 1951, stk. 1961 and scrapped. |
| APc-86 | 20 Apr 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 12 Feb 1944 at Bermuda. Out of service in reserve 28 Oct 1949. In USN reserve 1949-55 | |
| APc-87 | 7 Jun 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 11 Feb 1944, recomm. 27 Mar 1945 for use at Guantanamo Bay. Converted to personnel ferry late 1945, in service 28 Jun 1946 in boat pool at Casco Bay, Maine. Grounded and flooded in bad weather while under tow by LUISENO (ATF-156) at New London, Conn., out of service for disposal 16 Apr 1947. Sold (delivered) by MC to Berkley L. & H. G. Simpson, Beaufort, N.C. | |
| APc-88 | 21 Jun 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 22 Mar 1944. Recomm. 3 May 1945 for use at Guantanamo Bay. Converted to personnel ferry late 1945, in service 28 Jun 1946 in boat pool at Casco Bay, Maine, out of service in reserve 28 Oct 1949. In USN reserve 1949-57. | |
| APc-89 | 14 Jun 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 14 Feb 1944 at Bermuda. Assigned 19 Jun 1946 to Fleet Camera Party in Tenth Naval District. To Norfolk for disposal ca. Feb 1948. Sold at Norfolk, delivered to buyer prior 11 Sep 1949. Merc. BEAR (research vessel?) 1951, off list 1952-53. | |
| APc-90 | 31 May 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 11 Feb 1944. Assigned to boat pool duty on the east coast, possibly at Casco Bay, Maine, 19 Jun 1946. Out of service for disposal 17 May 1949. Sold at Norfolk, delivered to buyer 9 Sep 1949. Merc. JOHN J. NAGLE 1952/53. | |
| APc-91 | 22 May 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 16 Feb 1944 at Bermuda. Converted to personnel ferry late 1945. Assigned to boat pool duty in Narragansett Bay on 3 Dec 1945 and 19 Jun 1946. Out of service in reserve 28 Oct 1949. In USN reserve 1949-57. | |
| APc-92 | 15 May 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 18 Feb 1944 at Bermuda. Assigned to boat pool duty on the east coast, possibly at Casco Bay, Maine, 19 Jun 1946, reassigned to Bermuda 11 Jul 1947. Out of service in reserve at Charleston, S.C., ca. 17 Apr 1950. Sold under MDAP to Haiti 1952 as VERTIERES. Later lost. | |
| APc-93 | 28 Jun 1943 | Decommissioned and placed in service 19 Feb 1944 at Bermuda. Assigned to boat pool duty on the east coast, possibly at Casco Bay, Maine, 19 Jun 1946 reassigned to Bermuda 11 Jul 1947. Out of service in reserve at Charleston, S.C., ca. 7 May 1950. | |
| APc-94 | 7 Jul 1943 | Ordered retained in full comm. 28 Mar 1944. Converted to personnel ferry late 1945. Assigned to boat pool duty on the east coast 19 Jun 1946, possibly at Casco Bay, Maine, decomm. and placed in service 9 Jul 1946. Out of service in reserve at Charleston, S.C., 28 Oct 1949. In USN reserve 1949-57. | |
| APc-95 | 15 Jul 1943 | Sold (delivered) by MC to Maurice C. Reaber, Seattle, Wash. Merc. CORAL SEA 1948, off list 1960. | |
| APc-96 | 28 Jul 1943 | Sold (delivered) by MC to George Andrew Hill, San Diego, Cal. | |
| APc-97 | Noank SB | Trf. to UK under Lend Lease as FT-30. Returned 28 Aug 1946, sold by FLC Apr 1947 at Malta to Greek Govt. | |
| APc-98 | 18 Dec 1943 | Sold (delivered) by MC to Hugh Allan Rideout, San Jose, Cal. Merc. E. V. RIDEOUT 1948, off list 1950.[14] | |
| APc-101 | Fulton SY | 2 Apr 1943 | Renumbered from APc-75, 25 Aug 1942. Sold (delivered) by MC to Rupert M. Thomas, Seattle, Wash. Merc. KLEHOWA 1947. |
| APc-102 | 16 Apr 1943 | Renumbered from APc-76, 25 Aug 1942. Beached at Saipan during hurricane 5 Oct 1945. Declared destroyed as of decomm. date of 6 Feb 1946. | |
| APc-103 | 1 May 1943 | Renumbered from APc-77, 25 Aug 1942. Aground during typhoon at Buckner Bay, Okinawa. Wreck destroyed by burning 12 Dec 1945. | |
| APc-108 | Anderson & Cristofani | 1 May 1943 | Renumbered from APc-82, 25 Aug 1942. Sold (delivered) by MC to Andreas Wikan, Seattle, Wash. Merc. ICELAND 1947. |
| 5 Jun 1943 | Renumbered from APc-83, 25 Aug 1942. Sold (delivered) by MC to Marine Products Co., San Diego, Cal. | ||
| APc-110 | 3 Jul 1943 | Renumbered from APc-84, 25 Aug 1942. Sold (delivered) by MC to William H. Novales, San Francisco, Cal. Merc. SURPRISE 1951. | |
| APc-111 | 31 Jul 1943 | Renumbered from APc-85, 25 Aug 1942. Sold (delivered) by MC to Lawrence A. J. Hansen, Seattle, Wash. Merc. COASTAL TRADER 1947, off list 1951. |