USS Chara (AKA-58, AE-31)

Figure 1:  USS Chara (AKA-58) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 2:  USS Chara (AKA-58) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 3:  USS Chara (AKA-58) at anchor, date and location unknown. Photograph courtesy of Tommy Trampp. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 4:  USS Chara (AKA-58) during underway replenishment with USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) and USS Hollister (DD-788), circa early 1950s during the Korean War. US Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 5:  USS Chara (AKA-58) at anchor during the Korean War, location unknown. Photograph courtesy of Wilbur Karsten. Click on photograph for larger image. 

Figure 6:  USS Chara (AKA-58) at anchor, US Naval Station Sasebo, Japan, circa 1951-1952.   Photograph courtesy of Wilbur Karsten. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 7:   Hungnam Evacuation, December 1950. USS Chara (AKA-58) off Hungnam, Korea, on 10 December 1950 at the start of the evacuation of United Nations troops and supplies. Visible at the extreme left is the bow of a Japanese freighter that has struck a mine. Photographed from USS Mount McKinley (AGC-7). Official US Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Figure 8:  USS Chara (AE-31) underway in January 1967. She was reconfigured as an ammunition ship during the early part of the Korean War but was not reclassified as such until reactivated in 1965 for service in the Vietnam War. Her sister ship, USS Virgo (AE-30), ex-AKA-20, had a similar post-World War II career. US Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.  

Named after a star, the 6,737-ton USS Chara (AKA-58) was an Andromeda Class amphibious cargo ship that was built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Kearny, New Jersey, and was commissioned on 14 June 1944. The ship was approximately 459 feet long and 63 feet wide, had a top speed of 17 knots, and had a crew of 380 officers and men. Chara was armed with one 5-inch gun, four twin 40-mm guns, and 18 20-mm guns, and could carry roughly 4,450 tons of cargo.

Chara left Norfolk, Virginia, on 22 July 1944 and headed south to the Panama Canal. After transiting the canal, Chara steamed to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for training exercises. The ship entered the combat zone on 20 October when she entered Leyte Gulf in the Philippines and landed troops and cargo on Leyte during the battle for that island. After unloading her cargo, Chara went to New Guinea to obtain more critical supplies which she brought back to Leyte on 18 November. On 8 January 1945, Chara participated in the amphibious assault on Lingayen, a major port on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. A large Japanese kamikaze assault was made on the task force Chara was in and the attack damaged an escort carrier. During the battle, three of Chara’s crewmembers were wounded (one fatally) as a result of the heavy anti-aircraft fire thrown up by the task force to shoot down the Japanese planes. Basically, all of the lead that was thrown up at the attacking planes eventually cascaded down on the ships in the task force and injured many crewmembers on several ships. This is one of the major examples of American crewmen being killed or wounded by their own anti-aircraft fire. The actual assault on Lingayen was made on 9 and 10 January, with Chara managing to land her troops and cargo successfully despite heavy surf conditions. In fact, the rocky beach was so inhospitable that the Japanese never anticipated an amphibious assault on that location. Chara remained in the Leyte area until 26 March, when she left the Philippines for the invasion of Okinawa, Japan.

Chara landed her troops and supplies on Okinawa on 1 April 1945. She remained off Okinawa until 6 April. She fought off numerous kamikaze attacks, but was not damaged. Chara then steamed to the United States for a badly needed overhaul, but was sent back to Okinawa with more cargo on 5 July. The ship returned to the United States and docked at San Francisco, California, where she was loaded with more cargo and supplies, this time for the troops in the Philippines. After arriving back in the Philippines, Chara stayed there until the war ended. After the formal Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945, Chara was used to supply American occupation forces in Japan for several months. Chara came back to the United States in December 1945, but continued to support American troops in the Far East until 1950.

After the Korean War started in June 1950, Chara began its new role as an ammunition ship. She was assigned the dangerous task of transporting and transferring all types of ammunition to warships at sea. Chara left San Francisco on 16 September 1950 to replenish and re-supply Task Force 77 in the Far East and supported the evacuations of Hungnam and Wonsan, Korea, before returning to San Francisco for an overhaul on 26 March 1951. During her second tour of duty off the coast of Korea, which lasted from 19 July 1951 to 18 May 1952, Chara joined the Mobile Logistics Support Force in operations off Wonsan and Songjin, Korea. Chara continued providing at-sea replenishment of ammunition to other warships until the war ended in July 1953.

Chara later alternated duty in the western Pacific with training and upkeep on America’s west coast. In December 1954 and January 1955, she participated in the evacuation of non-communist troops and civilians off the Tachen Islands, located near the coast of China. Chara remained active until the end of 1958, but was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Astoria, Oregon, on 21 April 1959.

Chara remained in reserve until she was re-commissioned as AE-31 on 25 June 1966 for use as an ammunition ship during the Vietnam War. Chara performed her duties brilliantly, supplying ships with vital ammunition from November 1966 to November 1971. Chara completed her missions so well that she received a Meritorious Unit Commendation from the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., for her outstanding service off the coast of Vietnam, specifically from 24 April 1971 to 27 November 1971. The commendation stated that:

“USS CHARA distinguished herself by providing outstanding mobile logistic support to naval units engaged in combat operations against enemy forces in the Republic of Vietnam, and contributed materially to the success of these operations by transferring over 9,300 tons of ammunition to destroyer, cruiser, attack carrier, and other type units during 106 underway replenishments. Through their continuous display of professionalism, determination, resourcefulness, and sheer aggressiveness, the officers and men of USS CHARA contributed immeasurably to the United States mission in Southeast Asia, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Navy Service.“

Chara was decommissioned for the last time in March 1972. She was transferred to the Maritime Administration for final disposal and on 12 November 1972 was sold for scrapping. A veteran of three wars, USS Chara earned four battle stars for her service in World War II, seven battle stars for her service during the Korean War, and eight campaign stars for her service during the Vietnam War.

USS Caldwell (DD-605)

Figure 1:  USS Caldwell (DD-605) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 7 August 1943. Official US Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Click on photograph for larger image.   

Figure 2:  USS Caldwell (DD-605) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 7 August 1943. Note barrage balloon in the upper left distance. Official US Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 3:  Forward view of the USS Caldwell (DD-605) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 2 August 1943. US Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.   

Figure 4:  Aft view of the USS Caldwell (DD-605) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 2 August 1943. US Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.   

Figure 5:  USS Caldwell (DD-605) 2 February 1944, as seen from USS Manila Bay (CVE-61). Photograph courtesy of Eric Hudson.  Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 6:  USS Caldwell (DD-605) in March 1945 at San Francisco, California.  Photograph courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 7:  USS Caldwell (DD-605) off San Francisco, California, 3 March 1945. Official US Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Click on photograph for larger image.

Named after Lieutenant James R. Caldwell (1778-1804), who was killed in action against the Barbary pirates at Tripoli, Libya, on 7 August 1804, the 1,620-ton USS Caldwell was a Benson class destroyer that was built by the Bethlehem Steel Company at San Francisco, California, and was commissioned on 10 June 1942. The ship was approximately 348 feet long and 36 feet wide, had a top speed of 35 knots, and had a crew of 257 officers and men. Caldwell was armed with four 5-inch guns, six 0.5-inch machine guns, ten 21-inch torpedo tubes, and depth charges.

In September of 1942, Caldwell was assigned to the northern Pacific, where she escorted convoys and combat forces to the US Aleutian Islands. Caldwell also participated in the American amphibious assault on Attu Island in the Aleutians in May 1943. In September 1943, the ship steamed south and joined aircraft carrier task forces in raids on Tarawa and Wake Islands. In November, Caldwell escorted landing ships for the invasion of Makin Island, which was part of the overall operation to take the Gilbert Islands from Japan.

After returning to the United States for a brief overhaul at San Francisco, Caldwell returned to duty and in January and February 1944 participated in the invasions of Kwajalein and Majuro in the Marshall Islands. During these amphibious assaults, Caldwell collided with the escort carrier USS White Plains (CVE-66). Caldwell managed to remain with the task force for a week before steaming to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for repairs. After being repaired, Caldwell took part in American naval strikes on Japanese bases in the central Pacific and New Guinea. For the rest of 1944, Caldwell was assigned to patrol and escort duties near the Marshall Islands and, later in the year, in the Philippines.

On 12 December 1944, while escorting landing craft in Ormoc Bay off the coast of Leyte in the Philippines, Caldwell was attacked by a number of kamikaze aircraft. One of the suicide planes smashed right into Caldwell’s bridge, just as two bombs exploded on either side of the ship. Caldwell was in serious trouble, with 33 men killed in the explosions and 40 wounded, including the ship’s commanding officer. But Caldwell’s after guns continued to fire on the remaining Japanese planes, chasing them away and forcing them to seek other targets. Extremely well-trained damage control parties on board Caldwell managed to save the ship, even though she was severely damaged.

Temporary repairs were made to Caldwell at San Pedro Bay, Leyte. The ship eventually managed to make it all the way back to San Francisco for a major overhaul. In April 1945, Caldwell returned to the Pacific battle zone and spent the next few months assigned to escort duty. After that, she became part of the invasion force given the task of re-taking Borneo from the Japanese. But on 27 June 1945, Caldwell struck a mine in Brunei Bay off the coast of Borneo. Fortunately, the ship escaped with moderate damage and no casualties. After temporary repairs were made at Victoria, Australia, Caldwell steamed to San Pedro Bay for more permanent repairs. The ship was docked at the Philippines when hostilities ended in the Pacific in August 1945.  

During the first two months of the post-war era, Caldwell escorted landing craft in the western Pacific and then returned to the United States. Caldwell was sent to the east coast and on 24 April 1946 was decommissioned at Charleston, South Carolina. For the next 20 years, she remained in the US Navy’s Atlantic Reserve Fleet. The destroyer was sold for scrapping in November 1966. USS Caldwell received eight battle stars for her service during World War II.

USS Winona

Figure 1:  Lithograph of USS Winona by Endicott & Company, New York, circa 1861. Courtesy of William Poillon, 1939. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 2:   Line engraving of USS Winona published in Harper's Weekly, 28 September 1861, depicting the anticipated appearance of the gunboat when completed. She had been launched on 14 September 1861 but was not commissioned until 11 December 1861. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 3:  "View of Ship Island, Louisiana. -- By our Special Artist on Board the 'Sagamore.'" Line engraving, published in Harper's Weekly, 1862, depicting several US Navy ships anchored off the federal base at Ship Island in early 1862. Ships are (from left to right) Winona, New London, Niagara, Sagamore, Wissahickon, and Massachusetts. Other features identified, in the center and right background, are Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island, the 9th Connecticut and 22nd Massachusetts Regiments and a military camp. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 4:  "Reconnoissance of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on the Mississippi, by Gun-boats from Flag-officer Farragut's Squadron.” Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, 1862, depicting the attack on the obstructions below the forts, 20 April 1862. US Navy gunboats shown in right center are Itasca and Pinola. Further to the right are Kennebec and Winona. Fort Jackson is shown at far right, with Confederate gunboats beyond. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 5:  "The Splendid Naval Triumph on the Mississippi, April 24th, 1862." Colored lithograph published by Currier & Ives, 1862. It depicts Union Admiral David Farragut's fleet passing Forts Jackson and St. Phillip, below New Orleans, Louisiana. Courtesy of the US Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 6:  USS Winona in the Mississippi River off Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 1863. Note the identification number "2" painted on her smokestack. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.

Figure 7:  USS Winona off Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 1863. Note the identification number "2" painted on her smokestack. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.  

Figure 8:  "Landing of General Potter's and Admiral Dahlgren's Troops at Bull's Bay, South Carolina." Line engraving, based on a sketch by John Everding, published in Harper's Weekly, March 1865, depicting the landings made on 16-17 February 1865. Ships shown include (as identified below the print, from left to right -- all US Navy): State of Georgia, Pawnee, Juniata, Harvest Moon -- flagship, Wando, Winona, Shenandoah, and Canandaigua. US Naval Historical Center Photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.  

Named after a town in Minnesota, the 691-ton USS Winona was a single-screw steam gunboat that was built by C. & R. Poillon at New York City. Because of the start of the Civil War in America in April 1861, the Union Navy was in desperate need of warships, especially gunboats, for its naval campaign against the Confederacy. As a result, ships were built rapidly in the north to fulfill this need. Winona was launched on 14 September 1861, delivered to the US Navy at the New York Navy Yard on 26 November, and officially commissioned into the Navy on 11 December 1861, roughly 90 days from when it was launched. The ship was approximately 158 feet long and 28 feet wide, had a top speed of ten knots, and had a crew of 114 officers and men. Winona was armed with one 11-inch gun, two 24-pounder guns, and two 20-pounders.

Winona was sent to the Gulf of Mexico in December of 1861. She participated in the Union Navy’s operations against Confederate defenses on the Mississippi River below New Orleans, Louisiana. On 24 April 1862, Winona attempted to pass Forts Jackson and St. Philip at the mouth of the Mississippi, the two main Confederate forts defending New Orleans. Winona, though, got snagged on an obstruction in the river while the rest of her unit fought its way past the Confederate forts on the river banks. Winona eventually broke free of the obstruction, but remained below the forts with Union Commander David Dixon Porter’s mortar boat flotilla as Flag Officer Admiral David Farragut’s fleet moved up the Mississippi to capture New Orleans. Four days later, Winona’s commanding officer took part in accepting the Confederate surrender of Fort St. Philip.

In May 1862, Winona steamed up the Mississippi River with Admiral Farragut’s fleet and joined in the bombardment of the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Winona twice sailed past the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg and bombarded enemy positions at Grand Gulf, Mississippi. The Union gunboat also briefly fought the Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas on 15 July 1862, but neither ship was seriously damaged.

In late August 1862, Winona joined the Union blockade of Mobile, Alabama. On 4 September, while on blockade duty, Winona fired on the Confederate raider CSS Florida as that ship made a daring run into Mobile Bay. Unfortunately for the Union warship, Florida got away and made it to Mobile. Winona then returned to the Mississippi River, where she was damaged in action with Confederate artillery on 14 December. After being repaired, Winona returned to duty and from April to July 1863 was involved in the Union campaigns against Port Hudson, Mississippi, and Vicksburg. Winona also assisted in repelling a Confederate attack on the Union position at Donaldsonville, Louisiana.

Winona was under repair and being overhauled at Baltimore, Maryland, from August 1863 to February 1864. She then became part of the Union’s South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, operating along America’s east coast from South Carolina to Florida. Among her exploits were the destruction of a Confederate blockade runner in March 1864, attacks on Southern forts near Savannah, Georgia, and participation in a Union amphibious landing at Bulls Bay, South Carolina, in February 1865.

After the Confederacy surrendered in April 1865, Winona was sent north and decommissioned on 9 June. Laid up first at the US Navy’s Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Navy Yard, Winona was moved to the New York Navy Yard in New York City on 22 November. The ship was sold at New York on 30 November 1865 and subsequently became the civilian cargo vessel C.L. Taylor. She remained in civilian merchant service for at least another two decades. Not a bad career for a warship that was built in roughly 90 days.