USS Francovich (APD-116)

USS *Francovich* (APD-116)
History
United States
Namesake	Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class Albert A. Francovich (1920–1942), United States Navy sailor and Navy Cross recipient
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Laid down	19 April 1945
Launched	5 June 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs. Mary F. Edmunds
Commissioned	6 September 1945
Decommissioned	29 April 1946
Reclassified	From destroyer escort DE-606 to fast transport APD-116 17 July 1945
Stricken	1 April 1964
Fate	Sold for scrapping May 1965
General characteristics
Class and type	Crosley-class high speed transport
Displacement	1,400 tons
Length	306 ft (93 m)
Beam	37 ft (11 m)
Draft	12 ft 7 in (4 m)
Propulsion	2 × Babcox and Wilcox DR boilers; 2 × GE Turbines, (turbo-electric drive); 2 shafts 12,000 shp (8,900 kW));
Speed	23.6 knots (43.7 km/h; 27.2 mph)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing ; craft carried	4 LCVPs
Troops	12 officers; 150 enlisted;
Complement	12-15 officers; 189-192 enlisted;
Armament	1 × 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount; 3 × twin 40 mm gun mounts; 6 × single 20 mm gun mounts; 2 × depth charge tracks;

USS Francovich (APD-116) was a United States Navy Crosley-class high speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946. She was sold for scrap in 1965.

Namesake

Albert Anthony Francovich was born on 23 January 1920, at Shamokin, Pennsylvania into a Croatian-American family. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 8 March 1939. As an aviation machinist's mate first class with a patrol squadron during the Solomon Islands campaign, Francovich was killed in action in an engagement with a Japanese four-engined flying boat on 6 September 1942. Francovich posthumously was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism in standing to his gun although mortally wounded.

The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Francovich was named for him but when the destroyer escort's construction was cancelled in 1944 prior to completion, the name was transferred to the Rudderow-class destroyer escort USS Francovich (DE-606).

Construction and commissioning

USS Francovich (DE-606) was laid down on 19 April 1945 by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard at Hingham, Massachusetts. She was launched on 5 June 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Mary F. Edmunds, Francovich's sister. Francovich was re-classified as a Crosley-class high speed transport and redesignated APD-116 on 17 July 1945. She was commissioned on 6 September 1945.

Service history

After her shakedown training, Francovich, commissioned too late to see service during World War II, arrived at Green Cove Springs, Florida, on 18 November 1945 to give assistance in the post-World War II inactivation of ships being readied for reserve there.

Decommissioning and disposal

Francovich was decommissioned on 29 April 1946 and herself placed in reserve at Green Cove Springs. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 April 1964 and sold for scrapping in May 1965.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
Photo gallery of USS Francovich at NavSource Naval History