Pacific ships

Photos and the story

Bladen

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ClassGilliam class
TypeTransport (AP)
HullAPA-63
BuilderConsolidated Steel, Wilmington
Launched1944-05-31
Commissioned1944-10-18
FateAfloat. She survived the war and was decommissioned on 26 December 1946.

Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.

Bladen
USS Bladen (APA-63) in 1945. U.S. Navy photograph. Public domain.

Bladen (APA-63) served as an attack transport of the Gilliam class. Consolidated Steel at Wilmington launched her on 31 May 1944, and she was commissioned on 18 October 1944.

From 19 February through 28 February 1945 she was off Iwo Jima during the assault and the occupation. She sent troops ashore there and furnished logistic support.

At Okinawa, from 1 April to 10 April 1945, she again provided logistic support while the first strikes and the occupation were underway.

Iwo Jima and Okinawa closed her wartime operations. She was decommissioned on 26 December 1946.

The pictures on this page are the originals.