USS Donner

USS Donner underway circa the mid-1950s
USS Donner underway circa the mid-1950s
History
United States
NameUSS Donner
NamesakeDonner Pass through Sierra Nevada Mountains in California
Awarded1 July 1944[2]
Laid down1 December 1944[2]
Launched6 April 1945
Commissioned31 July 1945
Decommissioned23 December 1970[1]
Stricken1 November 1976[2]
FateMarch 2005, scrapped at All Star Medals, Brownsville, TX
General characteristics
Displacement
  • 7,930 tons (loaded),
  • 4,032 tons (light draft)
Length457 ft 9 in (139.5 m) overall
Beam  72 ft 2 in (22.0 m)
Draft
  •     8 ft 2½ in (2.5 m) fwd,
  •   10 ft ½ in (3.1 m) aft (light);
  •   15 ft 5½ in (4.7 m) fwd,
  •   16 ft 2 in (4.9 m) aft (loaded)
Propulsion2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 2 Steam turbine Engines, 2 propeller shafts – each shaft 3,700 hp, at 240 rpm total shaft horse power 7,400, 2 11 ft 9 in diameter, 9 ft 9 in pitch propellers
Speed17 knots (31 km/h)
Range
  • 8,000 nmi. at 15 knots
  • (15,000 km at 28 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried
  • 3 × LCT (Mk V or VI)
  •   each w/ 5 medium tanks or
  • 2 × LCT (Mk III or IV)
  •   each w/ 12 medium tanks or
  • 14 × LCM (Mk III)
  •   each w/ 1 medium tank
  •   or 1,500 long tons cargo or
  • 47 × DUKW or
  • 41 × LVT or
  • Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity
Capacity22 officers, 218 men
Complement
  • 17 officers, 237 men (ship);
  • 6 officers, 30 men (landing craft)
Armament
Aircraft carriedmodified to accommodate helicopters on an added portable deck
NotesBy 1959, there were only 2 twin mount and 2 quadmount 40mm's

USS Donner (LSD-20) was a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy, named for the Sierra Nevada Donner Pass, where the Donner Party became snowbound in the winter of 1846–47.

Donner was launched on 6 April 1945 by the Boston Navy Yard, sponsored by Mrs. W. V. Alexander, Jr.; and commissioned on 31 July 1945.

  1. ^ "ex-USS Donner LSD 20: Her Last Voyage November 2004". USS Donner Memorial Association. 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "DONNER (LSD 20)". Naval Vessel Register. U.S. Navy. 28 January 2005. Retrieved 24 April 2008.