USS Orizaba (ID-1536) - World War II

World War II

USS Orizaba (AP-24) underway at sea painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 11F, c. 1944

After her reacquisition by the War Department, Orizaba completed one round trip to the Panama Canal Zone. Upon her return, she put in for a refit by the Bethlehem Steel Company at New York. After she was transferred to the Navy on 4 June 1941, she was commissioned as Orizaba (AP-24) on 15 June 1941.

In mid June 1941 she joined Task Force 19 for the United States occupation of Iceland, replacing British troops with American Marines.

Orizaba, was armed with two 5-inch (130 mm) guns and four 3-inch (76 mm) guns. Not sure when Orizaba was armed but it was probably before the first prewar trip to Bombay, discussed below. Had "anti-aircraft guns" on that voyage.

On Nov 2, 1941 the Orizaba left Norfolk, Va.,for Halifax, NS where it joined 5 other U.S. Navy transports. On Nov. 8th 6 English troopships came into port and disembarked 25,000 troops which were then boarded onto the American ships. Orizaba took on 1500 which was greater that its normal capacity. On Nov. 10th they got underway with 13 convoying American warships including the carrier, USS Ranger with the destination Bombay India. Ship’s company understood this to be an act of war against Germany. Stopped in Trinidad, Cape Town and Mombasa en route. Arrived Bombay January 6, 1942 where they disembarked the troops on January 8. Departed Bombay January 10, 1942 to return to the U.S. with stops in Cape Town, South Africa; Bahia, Brazil; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, arriving in New York on March 3, 1942. Interesting note from November 19, 1941, "It is only a question of a couple of weeks when we shall be in this whole mess and more likely from the Pacific Ocean rather than from Europe"

Departed New York on April 7, 1942 on second voyage to Bombay during the second world war. Stopped in Halifax, again to pick up troops which she took to Iceland. Disembarked troops but picked up 65 crew members from sunken ships which were delivered to Glasgow, Scotland. Stayed 2 weeks in area, then after loading new troops (may have been British Marines) got underway in large, 30 ship, convoy. Stopped to refuel in Freetown, Sierre Leone on May 23. 125 ships in the harbor awaiting convoys. Underway again on May 26. On June 9 arrive Durban, SA. On June 15 again underway in convoy. Arrived Bombay July 1. Did not disembark troops. On July 7 underway for Suez, arriving July 18. Disembarked troops. Loaded 500 Italian POW’s. Unclear where prisoners were taken. Departed July 21 to return to the USA with stops in Durban and Cape Town, SA and Perambuco, Brazil. Arrived in States in September 1942. (Above from personal diaries of George R. Huson, MM2,USNR; on board)

After which she got underway for Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Returning to Norfolk in January 1943, she plied the eastern seaboard for a month, then took up transatlantic duties again. Until July she traversed the ocean to Oran, Algeria, carrying troops over and prisoners of war back to New York.

On 5 July she departed Oran in Task Force (TF) 81. The next day, she rendezvoused with TF 85 and on 9 July stood off Gela, Sicily, disembarking troops into landing craft. On 11 July, she sustained slight damage during an enemy air attack and retired to Algeria with casualties and prisoners on board the next day. She returned to Sicily at the end of the month to discharge troops and cargo at Palermo and then, on the night of 1 August, weighed anchor and stood out for home.

Arriving at New York on 22 August 1943, she underwent an overhaul, then took on runs to Brazil and the Caribbean. At the end of the year she departed the east coast, passed through the Panama Canal, and sailed on to the Southwestern Pacific. After calls at Samoa, Nouméa, Brisbane, and Milne Bay, she returned to the west coast in March 1944, only to depart again for another Central Pacific run. Back at San Francisco in June, she underwent repairs; completed a run to the Marshalls and Marianas; and then sailed north to the Aleutians. Completing her northern run at Seattle, Washington on 1 December, she carried men and supplies to Hawaii, then returned to San Francisco, later sailing to New Guinea, the Philippines, and Ulithi to add men and materiel to forces gathering for the Battle of Okinawa.

From Ulithi, Orizaba sailed east, passed through the Panama Canal again, and, as the battle for Okinawa raged, arrived at Tampa, Florida. Decommissioning on 23 April, she underwent an overhaul and on 16 July 1945 she was transferred to Brazil under the terms of Lend-Lease. The ship was permanently transferred to Brazil in June 1953 and struck from the US Naval Vessel Register on 20 July of that same year. Orizaba received one battle star for her US Navy service in World War II. As of 2008, no other US Navy ship has been named Orizaba.