USS LeJeune

Timeline
Yellow Background relates directly to Walter C. Robbins
1936	The SS Windhuk was built in Hamburg, Germany - Originally a passenger liner - owned by Deutsche-Afrika Line S1, I6, - Originally had two funnels - Accommodations for 490 passengers - 152, first class, 338 tourist class
	According to Lloyd's of London the ship was 577 feet long, 72 feet wide and 31.5 feet deep S1,
	At some point the ship was put into service for the German Navy. This came to an end on 7 Dec 1939 when the ship sailed into a Brazilian port. The crew attempted to scuttle the ship but was only partially successful. S1,
May 1942	Windhuk was purchased by the United States. The US Navy went to work to make the ship sea-worthy. S1,
February 1943	Windhuk sailed from Brazil to Norfolk Virginia, a voyage of 30 days. Once in Norfolk, the ship was renamed USS LeJeune and was given hull number AP74 - S1, - Captain John T Bottom, Jr S4,
15 April 1944	Commissioned as a transport of the Navy Transportation Service S1,
12 May 1944	Fully Commissioned - Captain L E Kelly in command - he remained in command until 15 February 1945 - S4, S5,
15 June 1944	First wartime voyage - New York to Glasgow, Scotland - transported 4460 army passengers S1,
27 Aug 1944	Sunday, about Noon the USS LeJeune left the dock at New York City - Had the bulk of the 104th Infantry Division aboard - [S2, p 26] - 56 ships in the convoy - largest convoy of the war - First direct trip from US to France
28 August 1944	Monday - Heavy weather, rough waters, lots of sick soldiers - [S2, p 26] -
7 Sept 1944	Thursday - Arrived Cherbourg, France

	After finishing her duty in the Atlantic, LeJeune moved to the Pacific Theater. S1,
	"In all, she transported approximately one hundred thousand troops." S1,

2 Oct 1947	sailed for Bremerton, Washington and inactivation S1,
9 Feb 1948	Decommissioned and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet - Tacoma, Washington - S1, S5,
July 1957	Struck from the Navy Register - S1, S5,
16 August 1966	Scrapped at Portland, Oregon - S1, - Only the bell was saved from the ship and was put into storage - S1,
November 1971	The bell was taken out of storage and later mounted on the Flagstaff at Camp LeJeune's Marine Corps Base Headquarters - S1, S3, I3, - 280 pound brass bell S3, - Every morning at 0800, eight bells is struck on the bell S3, - "USS LeJeune 1944" is the inscription on the bell S3, - "Camp LeJeune's morning bell was the first bell of the German warship Windhuk; the bell was aboard the ship when it became the USS LeJeune." S3, I3,

Sources
	Source Citation	Image (Click for larger View) (To Magnify larger image - use CTRL + )
S1	http://www.usslejeune.com/History.htm (Link OK 25 July 2013)
S2	Book: History of the 413th Infantry Regiment. Los Angeles: Warren F Lewis, 1946. Acc000328	Link
S3	http://www.usslejeune.com/The Bell.htm (Link OK 25 July 2013)
S4	http://www.usslejeune.com/Crew.htm (Link OK 25 July 2013)
S5	http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22074.htm "NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive: AP-74 LeJeune" (Link OK 25 July 2013)
S6	http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/092207403.jpg (Link OK 25 July 2013)
S7	Database Online: USS LeJeune. "Photographs of Military Ships by the Bureau of Ships, 1914-1946" Original data: Index to the General Photographs of the Bureau of Ships, 1914-1946; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1157, 9 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Ships, Record Group 19; National Archives, Washington, D.C. General Photographs of the Bureau of Ships, 1914; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1222, 112 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Ships, Record Group 19; National Archives, Washington, D.C. www.ancestry.com , accessed 25 Sept 2015 1. Ancestry.com Link - Ph10755-001.jpg 2. Ancestry.com Link - Ph10755-002.jpg 3. Ancestry.com Link - Ph10755-003.jpg 4. Ancestry.com Link - Ph10755-004.jpg 5. Ancestry.com Link - Ph10755-005.jpg (STBD Broadside/ Norfolk Navy Yard/ Photo Serial 7618(44) May 15, 1944) 6. Ancestry.com Link - Ph10755-006.jpg (23 Sept 1946) Updated 7 Sept 2018: - Ph12203-001-018,jpg - Doc4850.pdf (18 Images) Link to Photos: https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/Vp1iYrFJSXj0Wja5l3Sv3poYvhykGMTPT8FzmBuUikk Ancestry.com, Image 1/18: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1173/IMUSA1800_066378-01172?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fdbid%3d1173%26path%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnBrowsing#?imageId=IMUSA1800_066378-01172
S8	Web Page: "1944 World War II Troop Ship Crossings" http://www.skylighters.org/troopships/1944.html Date: 44-08-27 [27 Aug 1944] Depart: New York, NY Ship: USS LeJeune Troops: 413th Infantry Regiment; HQ & HQ Battery 104th Infantry Division Artillery; 385th Field Artillery Battalion (all from 104th Infantry Division) Convoy: 9599? (56 ships [largest convoy of the war; first direct trip US-France]) Destination: Cherbourg, France Arrival Date: 44-09-07 [7 Sept 1944]
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1944 World War II Troop Ship Crossings

Vital Statistics
Length: 577 feet S1,	Crew: 501 S5,
Width: 72 feet S1,	Troop Capacity: 4600 S5,
Depth: 31.5 feet	Armament: one 5 inch/ 3 dual purpose gun mount; four 3 inch / 50 gun mounts, eight 40mm guns, thirteen 20mm guns S5,
Draft: 26 feet S5,	Propulsion: Steam turbine, twin propellers S5,
Speed: 17.5 knots S5,

Images Click Thumbnails for larger Images
I1	I2	I3	I4	I5	I6

USS LeJeune		Bell			SS Windhuk
Ph7853-002.jpg	Ph7884.jpg	Ph7885.jpg	Ph7886.jpg	Ph7887.jpg	Ph7888.jpg S6

I7	I8	I9	I10	I11	I12
Link to Image	6 Photos: See S7

Ph10169.jpg	Ph10755-001 to 006.jpg