Bell - USS Okaloosa (APA-219)
Posted by: 
powertool
N 30° 29.777 W 086° 32.998
16R E 543187 N 3373865
This bell is from the USS Okaloosa. This ship was a Haskell-class attack transport during World War II.
Waymark Code: WMHYH3
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 08/27/2013
Views: 4
On 28 November, 1944 the United States Navy commissioned a vessel named the USS Okaloosa This ship was a Haskell-class attack transport during World War II. During her 6 years in the Navy fleet, she toured to several locations all over the world. She left Seattle 26 January 1945 bound for Honolulu, HI. 29 March she left for Eniwetok, Ulithi and Okinawa. During the invasion of Okinawa, she arrived on 26 April and offloaded troops during the next four days despite enemy air attacks. After that she sailed back to San Francisco. After a short stay in California she sailed Manila and Leyte in the Philippines. During her stay in the Philippines, transporting troops and cargo, she also traveled to New Giunea for a short time. She left the Philippine Islands and headed to Tokyo Bay with occupation units. After surviving the war, USS Okaloosa sailed to Guam, Tsingtao, Manila and Haiphong. She was also assigned to Operation Magic Carpet where she assisted in repatriating military personnel from the European, Pacific and Asian theaters. During her commission she also visited: Jisen (Korea), Tacoma (WA), the Panama Canal, Norfolk (VA), Bermuda, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean Islands. The USS Okaloosa was sailed from Norfolk, VA to Orange, TX for decommission on 15 April 1949. Upon dismantling, Baldwin County, AL requested the ship's bell for a war memorial at its courthouse. Her bell stood at the memorial for more than 50 years before it was given to Okaloosa County for the memorial at this site
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