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Photo # NH 97721:  USS McCawley in 1941-42

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS McCawley (AP-10, later APA-4), 1940-1943

USS McCawley, a 9600-ton transport, was built in 1928 in England. As the civilian passenger liner Santa Barbara she was acquired by the Navy in July 1940, renamed McCawley (AP-10) and placed in commision in September 1940. During the next year, she participated in amphibious warfare development exercises and was significantly modified to better suit her for use in landing ground forces on hostile shores.

In February 1942, McCawley carried troops to Iceland. Two months later, she moved through the Panama Canal and joined the Amphibious Force, South Pacific. As flagship of the Force commander, Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner, she participated in the first Allied amphibious operation of the Pacific War, the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi on 7-9 August 1942. Over the following six months, McCawley made several transport voyages into the fiercely contested waters near Guadalcanal, taking in personnel and materiel that contributed to securing that island in February 1943.

Also in February 1943, McCawley was reclassified as an attack transport, with the new hull number APA-4. She continued her operations in the Guadalcanal area amid preparations for an advance further up the Solomon Islands chain. On 30 June 1943, she was amphibious force flagship for the landings on Rendova, at the beginning of a campaign to seize the nearby island of New Georgia. That afternoon, while the invasion force was withdrawing from the landing area, McCawley was hit by a Japanese aerial torpedo attack. In a sinking condition, she had been abandoned and was awaiting a final decision on her fate when several U.S. motor torpedo boats (PTs) mistook her for an enemy ship and hit her with more torpedos, causing her to sink rapidly. USS McCawley's loss to "friendly fire" led to the urgent imposition of measures to reduce the risk of further such accidents.

USS McCawley was named in honor of Colonel Charles G. McCawley, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1876-1891.

This page features all the views we have related to USS McCawley.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 80-G-466192

USS McCawley (AP-10)


Photographed circa 3 February 1941, while taking part in fleet landing exercises in the Caribbean.
Note degaussing cable running around the ship's upper hull, LCP type landing craft on midships davits, and 3"/50 guns installed without any splinter protection.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 600 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
   
Photo #: NH 97720

USS McCawley (AP-10)


Silhouetted against the Sun, during landing force exercises in the Caribbean, 3 February 1941.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 132KB; 740 x 620 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97721

USS McCawley (AP-10)


Photographed circa 1941-42.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-2190

USS McCawley (AP-10)


Steaming with a north Atlantic convoy, circa February 1942.
Note blimp flying nearby.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 565 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-CF-112-4-63

Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner, USN
(left), and
Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift, USMC

Working on the flag bridge of USS McCawley (AP-10), at the time of the Guadalcanal-Tulagi operation, circa July-August 1942.

Photograph from Department of the Navy collections in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 620 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-254933

USS McCawley (APA-4)


Troops climbing down nets hung over the ship's side, to board LCVPs during rehersals for the New Georgia operation, 14 June 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 118KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-254930

USS McCawley (APA-4)


A camouflaged truck is hoisted on board, during preparations for the New Georgia operation, 14 June 1943.
Note the tatoos on the winch operator.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 625 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 2 November 2001