APD Conversion Details

High Speed Troop Transport (APD)

The USS Begor (APD 127, ex DE 711) off Hungnam on 24 December 1950 as UDT teams ashore destroy U.S. supply depot, and equipment. The USMC battle at Chosin Reservoir ended just days before. National Archives

As the U-Boat threat wound down the USN began to cancel existing contracts on DEs and wind down. Before long, the military found it needed a fast, shallow draft ship capable of delivering UDT troops close to shore. The DE fit these specifications perfectly and the High-Speed Transport (APD) conversions began in September 1944. The new APD carried 162 combat troops, complete with their vehicles, artillery and supplies. The sides were expanded to the edges of the ship (visible on the photo above) to enclose a larger area for troop protection. Four small landing craft, two LCP(L)s or LCVPs per side, were added, along with davits. The number three gun was replaced with a twin-boom ten-ton cargo derrick. The number one 3" dual-purpose gun was replaced with a 5"/38 Calibre. The 5" mount was specially modified with a beveled rear edge that permitted the hedgehog a normal trajectory over the top. This mount (Mk30/69) was used exclusively on DEs, regardless of which position it took.

The USS Begor (APD 127, ex DE 711), probably in the mid to late 1940s. Notice the crew near the 5" mount looking up. The bow carries the colored "Amphibious Command" panel aft of the hull number.

Correction received by Email:

As a former crew member of the USS BEGOR (APD-127), I am, of course pleased that you have included photos of the BEGOR on the APD Conversions page. I would like to add some information which you might use to correct the caption on the aerial photo of the BEGOR at the bottom of the Conversions page. The photo is one of the "Morpher" photos taken of San Diego based ships by a Mr. Morpher. The photo had to have been taken between January, 1951 and February, 1954, as the "Pepsi-Cola" tri-color on the bow was placed on the BEGOR after the Hungnam evacuation (and photo) and was removed during our yard period in early 1954. Since I have a copy of the photo, and I was aboard the BEGOR from September, 1952 to November, 1955, I would venture to guess that the photo was taken when the BEGOR returned from WestPac in September, 1953.
The Executive Officer of the BEGOR during the WestPac deployment from December 1950 to August 1951 has identified the "Pepsi-Cola" tri-color as an identification device to let landing craft to know where the Line of Departure (LOD) was and to identify the ships controlling the landing craft. As you are probably aware, in addition to conducting clandestine operations and UDT operations, APDs were used as landing control ships, anchoring at the LOD, about 2,000 yards off the beach, and controlling each wave of landing craft so that they would reach the beach at (close to) the specified time.

Roger Turk
Radarman, 1952-55
Secretary, USS BEGOR (APD-127) Association