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USS APL-31
Class overview
Name	APL-17 class
Builders	Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Co. Boston Navy Yard Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding Tampa Shipbuilding Co.
Operators	United States Navy  United States Coast Guard  Republic of Vietnam Navy  Vietnam People's Navy
Preceded by	APL-2 class
Succeeded by	APL-41 class
Built	1944-1946
In commission	1944-1946
Planned	24
Completed	18
Cancelled	6
Active	3
Laid up	1
Retired	15
General characteristics
Type	Barracks ship
Displacement	1,300 t (1,279 long tons) (standard) 2,660 t (2,618 long tons) (full load)
Length	260 ft 0 in (79.25 m)
Beam	49 ft 2 in (14.99 m)
Draft	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Installed power	100kW 450 AC
Propulsion	3 × Diesel generators
Capacity	0 officers 583 enlisted 1,000 Bbls (Diesel)
Complement	6 officers 66 enlisted
Armament	4 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannons

The APL-17-class barracks ship was a class of barracks ships of the United States Navy after the start of the Second World War, in the 1940s.

Development

Eighteen ships were built during World War II with 6 cancelled, later built as Benewah-class. Franklin D. Roosevelt approved the construction of tenders and repair ships in May 1943, it was then recommended by the Auxiliary Vessels Board on 11 June later that year, the construction of barracks ships.

The class consists of barges with a two-story barracks built on top instead of a warehouse design, and they had an auxiliary vessel designation of "A". Moreover, on their top deck, 4 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons were placed together with 2 guns and their platforms located on each side of the ship. The guns were later removed after being put into the reserve fleet in 1946.

During the Vietnam War, 4 ships (APL-21, 26, 27 and 30) were dispatched to South Vietnam, with APL-26 and 27 later transferred to South Vietnam. The two ships were captured by North Vietnam in April 1975.

Since 2011, only 3 ships have been in service at Naval Station San Diego, Mayport and Norfolk. Notably, APL-24 served as a headquarter for the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet for the Maritime Administration, since 23 May 1962. On 7 June 1946, APL-33 became the only ship of the class to be intentionally sunk because after grounding in Okinawa, caused by a typhoon.

Ships of class

See also

• Barracks ship
• List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy § Barracks Craft (APL)

External links

• Photo gallery of Barracks ships of the US Navy at NavSource Naval History no nationality or prefix;

Citations

1. ^ "APL-2 Class". www.shipscribe.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
2. ^ "Barracks Ships and Barges (APB, APL)". shipbuildinghistory. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
3. ^ "HQ 9050 & HQ 9051 - ShipSpotting.com - Ship Photos and Ship Tracker". www.shipspotting.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
4. ^ Snell, Jack (15 September 2007), Ex-USS APL-24 - MARAD barge FB-62 1, retrieved 19 January 2022
5. ^ Merchant Vessels of the United States. Vol. 2. U.S. Coast Guard. 1976. p. 2013.
6. Federal Register, Issues 158-163. Vol. 36. Office of the Federal Register. 14 August 1971. p. 15680.

• Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy
• Barracks ships of the United States Navy