USS William Ward Burrows

USS William Ward Burrows (AP-6) on 6 July 1942. Her 3"/23 guns have been replaced with 3"/50 guns and the sponson in the forward well deck for the 50-foot motor launches has been removed. (Navy photo collection Photo No. 19-N-32040)
History
United States
Name
  • Santa Rita (1929—1940)
  • William Ward Burrows (1940-1946)
NamesakeWilliam Burrows
Owner
  • Grace Steamship Company (1929—1940)
  • U.S. Navy (1940-1946)
BuilderBurmeister & Wain
LaunchedMay 1929
Acquired(Navy) 6 February 1940
Commissioned(Navy) 15 May 1940
Decommissioned(Navy) 16 May 1946
Stricken15 August 1946
Identification
  • Commercial:
  • U.S. Official Number: 228577
  • Signal: WIDG
Honors and
awards		Four battle stars for World War II service
FateSold for scrap, delivered National Metal & Steel 18 May 1957[1]
General characteristics [2][3]
Tonnage4,576 GRT, 2,622 NRT
Displacement8,450 long tons (8,590 t)
Length
  • 386 ft 2 in (117.7 m) LOA
  • 370 ft (112.8 m) registry
Beam53.2 ft (16.2 m)
Draft9 ft 6 in
Depth20 ft (6.1 m)
Propulsion2 x Diesel, twin propellers[1]
Speed12.5 knots
Capacity
  • Commercial:
  • 80 first, 48 intermediate class passengers
  • 5,100 tons cargo
Complement178
CrewCommercial: 80
Armament
  • 4 × 3" guns
  • 5 × .50 cal
  • 4 × .30 cal machine guns

USS William Ward Burrows was a transport ship that saw service with the United States Navy in World War II. The ship was the former Grace Steamship Company liner MV Santa Rita by Burmeister & Wain and launched in 1929 at Copenhagen, Denmark.

As a Grace liner Santa Rita served the New York—South American West Coast trade from 1929 until 1939. After Navy acquisition the ship served in the Pacific. From October 1940 she assisted in the buildup of Central Pacific bases, being caught in transit from Hawaii to Wake Island when news of the attack on Pearl Harbor came. In April 1943 the ship became flagship for Service Squadron (ServRon) 12 which was engaged in salvage, harbor clearance, restoration and building in forward areas of the Pacific, often as combat continued ashore. The ship was associated with transport and serving as a base for elements of the attached 301st U.S. Naval Construction Battalion ("Seabees") (NCB 301) which was equipped for major harbor work. On 29 June 1946 the ship went into reserve at Olympia, Washington until removed for scrapping 18 May 1957.

  1. ^ a b MARAD Vessel Status Card: Santa Rita.
  2. ^ Merchant Vessels of the United States 1939, p. 269.
  3. ^ Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: William Ward Burrows.