Lejeune

U.S.S. Lejeune

(Carlo Marquart CM-P-1090)

Class: Lejeune - 1 transport of 1944
Displacement: 16,662 tons
Dimensions: 572'8" x 72'2" x 26'
Machinery: 2-shaft steam turbines, S.H.P. 13,778 = 18 knots
Armament: 1-5"/38 DP, 4-3"/50 DP (4x1), 8-40mm AA (4x2), 13-20mm AA (13x1) guns
Troops: 4,666
Crew: 626

Notes: Built as Windhuk for Deutsche-Afrika Linien. Originally had two funnels, accomodations for 490 passengers (152 first class, 338 tourist class). Saw action early in World War II as a support vessel and raider. Avoided Allied capture by disguising herself as the Japanese liner Santos Maru. Escaped to Brazil and internment in Dec 1939. After Brazil declared war on Germany, she was acquired by the United States 12 May 1942 and sailed to Norfolk in 1943 for conversion to a troop transport. Departed New York 15 June 1944 with 4,460 troops embarked for Europe. Made ten round trips during the remaining hostilities, mostly to Le Havre from Jan 1945. Continued postwar with "Magic Carpet" duty, making 19 more crossings up to May 1946 before going to Norfolk for overhaul. She then departed in Sep 1946 for naval transport service in the western Pacific, making four voyages from San Francisco between Oct 1946 and Aug 1947. After one last trip to New York, she was inactivated at Bremerton, Washington, and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Tacoma. Struck from the Navy Register in 1957, transferred to the Maritime Administration, and eventually scrapped in 1966.