USS Barnett

U.S.S. Barnett

AP-11

1940

(Wirral WHM-277)

Class: McCawley - 2 transports of 1940
Displacement: 9,750 tons light / 16,100 tons full load
Dimensions: 486'6" x 63'9" x 25'4"
Machinery: Diesels, twin screws, 8,000shp = 15 knots
Armament: 4-3"/50 DP (4x1), 4-40mm AA (2x2), 8-.50cal MG
Troops: 1,295
Crew: 478

Builder: Furness Shipbuilding Co, Haverton-on-Tees, England
Launched: 15 Aug 1927
Completed: 1928
Commissioned: 25 Sep 1940
Decommissioned: 21 May 1946

Service: Built for Grace Line as Santa Maria. Sistership Santa Barbara and near-sister Santa Clara. Together these were the first large motor passenger ships to sail under the U.S. flag. Service was New York to West Coast of South America via the Panama Canal. Taken into Navy in Sep 1940 as transport Barnett, AP-11, named in honor of George Barnett, Commandant of the Marine Corps during WW1 (1914-20). The ship earned seven battle stars for WW2 service. After one early trip to Great Britain, she moved to the Pacific. Transported survivors of USS Lexington from the Coral Sea back to San Diego in May 1942, then joined the invasion of Guadalcanal, 7 Aug 1942. Evacuated survivors of USS Vincennes and HMAS Canberra from Savo Island action to Noumea. Made additional reinforcement runs to Solomons in fall 1942. Overahauled at San Diego and redesignated APA-5 in Feb 1943. Sent back to Atlantic, she participated in the invasion of Sicily, 10 Jul 1943, where she recived minor damage in an air raid, and in the Salerno landings 9 Sep 1943. After refit in U.S., she participated in the Normandy landings at Utah beach, 6 Jun 1944, and later in the invasion of Southern France in Aug. Returned to the U.S. for overhaul and then back to Pacific, joining for the Okinawa invasion, 1 Apr 1945. Following the war, she was passed to the Maritime Commission in 1946, and then sold to become the Italian immigrant ship Surriento. Sister Santa Barbara became transport McCawley, AP-10, APA-4; she was sunk off New Georgia 30 Jun 1943. Near-sister Santa Clara became transport Susan B. Anthony, AP-72; she was lost off Normandy 7 Jun 1944.