HMS Oceanway (F143)

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Foudre and HMS Dagger.

HMS Oceanway (F143) was a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship of the Royal Navy provided under Lend-Lease from the US.

HMS Oceanway (F143) off Norfolk, Virginia (USA), in April 1944
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Oceanway
Builder	Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia
Laid down	23 July 1943
Launched	29 December 1943
Commissioned	29 March 1944
Decommissioned	1947
Identification	F143
Fate	Loaned to Greece
Greece
Name	Okeanos
Commissioned	March 1947
Decommissioned	1952
Fate	Returned to the United States
France
Name	Foudre
Namesake	lightning
Acquired	1952
Commissioned	1952
Decommissioned	1969
Identification	A646 (1952) L9020, (c. 1965)
Fate	Sunk as target, 10 February 1970
General characteristics
Displacement	7,930 tons (loaded), 4,032 tons (light draft)
Length	457 ft 9 in (139.52 m) overall
Beam	72 ft 2 in (22.00 m)
Draft	8 ft 2+1⁄2 in (2.50 m) fwd,   10 ft 1⁄2 in (3.06 m) aft (light);   15 ft 5+1⁄2 in (4.71 m) fwd,   16 ft 2 in (4.93 m) aft (loaded)
Propulsion	2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 2 Skinner geared steam turbines, 2 propeller shafts
Speed	17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Range	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	3 × LCT (Mk V or VI)   each w/ 5 medium tanks or 2 × LCT (Mk III or IV)   each w/ 12 medium tanks or 14 × LCM (Mk III)   each w/ 1 medium tank   or 1,500 long tons cargo or 47 × DUKW or 41 × LVT or Any combination of landing vehicles, amphibious and landing craft up to capacity
Capacity	22 officers, 218 men
Complement	17 officers, 237 men (ship); 6 officers, 30 men (landing craft)
Armament	1 × 5 in / 38 cal. DP gun; 16 × 20 mm single barrel AA guns; 4 × 2 pound pom pomAA guns;
Notes	Characteristics are as of April 1944

History

The ship was authorised under the United States Lend-Lease act as BAPM-4 ("British Mechanized Artillery Transport 4"), but was reclassified as LSD-12 ("Landing Ship Dock 12") on 1 July 1942. The vessel was originally to have been named HMS Dagger, but the name HMS Oceanway was assigned to it in August 1943. The vessel was formally transferred to the United Kingdom on 29 March 1944.

Oceanway took part in the Normandy Landings, transporting 20 landing craft, arriving at Omaha Beach at 15:30 on 6 June 1944. After the landing the ship was of value transporting damaged landing craft for repair, in one case transporting 17 damaged LCM(3) craft to United Kingdom repair bases. The vessel served in the Far East in 1945 before being returned to the US.

It was loaned to Greece in Match 1947, where it served as Okeanos, before being returned to the United States in 1952. Later that year, it was loaned to France, where it served as Foudre (A646) and was eventually purchased by the French Government, serving in the French Navy until 1969. The ship was sunk as a target in 1970.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• "HMS Oceanway (F-143)". NavSource Online. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
• "HMS Oceanway (F 143)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
• "Amphibious-Warfare Ships (LSD, LST, LPD, LPH, LHA, LHD, LCC)". ShipbuildingHistory.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2009.