Cullman APA-78

Cullman

A county in Alabama.

(APA-78: dp. 4,247; 1. 426'; b. 68'; dr. 16'; a. 16.9 k.;
cpl. 320; a. 1 6"; cl. Gilliam)

Cullman (APA-78) was launched 17 November 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, Calif., under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. G. E. Kenyon, transferred to the Navy 24 January 1946; and commissioned the next day, Lieutenant Commander W. B. Dell, USNR, in command.

Departing San Francisco 23 March 1945, Cullman arrived at Pearl Harbor 29 March and operated in training and interisland transport duties until 6 July when she sailed for San Diego. Embarking troops and cargo Cullman sailed 20 July for calls at Eniwetok and Ulithi on her way to Batangas Bay, Luzon, arriving 20 August. She loaded occupation troops, landed her Army passengers at Tokyo Bay from 2 to 4 September, and arrived at Okinawa 7 September.

Cullman made one voyage to Guam, then landed Marines at Taku Bar, China, for the reoccupation of northern China between 30 September and 6 October. Sailing by way of Manila, she lifted Chinese troops from Hong Kong to Taku and Tsingtao in two voyages from 24 October to 21 November, then embarked homeward-bound servicemen at Manila for San Francisco, arriving 16 December 1945. Following another such "Magic Carpet" voyage to Okinawa between 10 January and 15 February 1946, Cullman returned to San Fransisco where she was decommissioned 22 May 1946 and transferred to the War Shipping Administration 30 June 1946 for disposal.