USS Scribner

USS Scribner (APD-122), ex-DE-689, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1944 to 1946.

USS Scribner (APD-122), ex-DE-689, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1944 to 1946.

Namesake

James M. Scribner was born on 25 June 1920 at Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1940. Assigned to Patrol Squadron 101, Radioman Third Class Scribner was killed in action during an attack on Imperial Japanese Navy forces and shore installations on Jolo Island in the Philippine Islands on 26 December 1941. He was posthumously awarded the Air Medal.

Construction and commissioning

Scribner was laid down as the Rudderow-class destroyer escort USS Scribner (DE-689) on 29 June 1944 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company at Quincy, Massachusetts, and was reclassified as a Crosley-class high-speed transport and redesignated APD-122 on 17 July 1944. She was launched on 1 August 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Theresa J. Scribner, the mother of the ship s namesake. After conversion for her new role, she was commissioned on 20 November 1944.

Postwar

Her training cancelled, Scribner instead underwent three weeks of overhaul at San Pedro, California. Upon its completion, she departed the United States West Coast on 7 September 1945 and, after making several logistics voyages in the Western Pacific, arrived at Manila on Luzon in the Philippine Islands on 19 October 1945. Scribner was then assigned to escort a group of American transports which was to load Chinese troops at Haiphong, French Indochina, and disembark them at Dairen in north China to disarm Japanese troops in that area. Political difficulties delayed the convoy s departure from Manila until 30 October 1945, and the Chinese troops were finally disembarked at Qinhuangdao, China, an alternate location, on 12 November 1945. Scribner then escorted the transports to Taku on 14 November 1945, and served there as headquarters ship for the port director between 24 November and 4 December 1945, and as radio guardship there until 19 January 1946. Scribner moved to Qingdao, China, on 20 January 1946, and departed for Haiphong on 21 March 1946. She was relieved there on 11 April 1946 and began the long trip to the United States on 12 April 1946, arriving at Charleston, South Carolina, on 1 July 1946 for inactivation.

Decommissioning and disposal

Scribner was decommissioned on 15 November 1946 and placed in reserve. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 August 1966 and sold on 6 September 1967 to Gregg, Gibson, and Gregg, Inc., of Miami, Florida, for scrapping.

Honors and awards

Scribner received one battle star for World War II service.

References

April 04122.htm NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive DE-689 / APD-122 Scribner

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