- USS Heywood (APA-6)
USS "Heywood" (APA-6) was a sclass|Heywood|attack transport acquired by the
U.S. Navy for service as a troop carrier just prior toWorld War II . She served in thePacific War , a very dangerous area in the early years of the war, and safely returned home post-war with sevenbattle star s to her credit."Heywood" was built in 1919 as "Steadfast" by the
Bethlehem Steel Corp.,Alameda, California . As "City of Baltimore" she madeNew York -San Francisco passenger runs for thePanama Pacific Lines throughout the 1930s. She was acquired by the Navy26 October 1940 , renamed "Heywood" (AP-12), and fitted out as a troop transport atPortland, Oregon , where she commissioned7 November 1940 , Captain Herbert B. Knowles in command.Pre-World War II North Atlantic operations
"Heywood" cruised as far west as
Hawaii before transiting thePanama Canal forCharleston, South Carolina , arriving14 June 1941 . She carried garrison forces for the defense ofIceland and performed neutrality patrol in waters of theWest Indies until the infamous raid onPearl Harbor .Transferred to the Pacific when the war broke out
She departed
Norfolk, Virginia ,10 April 1942 with reinforcements for theSolomon Islands , then replenished atSan Pedro, California , before sailing forWellington, New Zealand .Supporting landings on Guadalcanal
She embarked
U.S. Marines for amphibious warfare training, then sailed to land them in the amphibious assault in theTulagi -Guadalcanal area7 August 1942 . She shot down an enemy plane8 August and frequently repelled air attacks as she shuttled desperately needed supplies and troops into Guadalcanal from theNew Hebrides ,New Caledonia and ports ofAustralia . Outbound from the besieged Solomons, she evacuated wounded Americans and Japanese captives.Supporting the Aleutian campaign
"Heywood" returned to San Pedro, California,
16 January 1943 for repairs. She sailed north24 April , carrying fighting men who landed11 May in an amphibious assault onAttu ,Aleutian Islands . She returned nearly 500 wounded veterans of the campaign for Attu toSan Francisco, California ,6 June , then put to sea with occupation troops landed to occupyKiska 15 August 1943 .Assaulting Japanese-held islands
"Heywood" returned to Wellington, New Zealand,
1 October 1943 to train and embark fighting men landed in amphibious assault on bloodyTarawa in theGilbert Islands 20 November . She returned to Pearl Harbor3 December for amphibious warfare training culminating in the amphibious assault for the capture of theMarshall Islands which commenced31 January 1944 . She putgarrison troops ashore atKwajalein andMajuro , then landed assault units as Americans swiftly swept on toEniwetok . With the Marshalls secured, the transport overhauled in San Pedro, California, then returned to the Marshalls11 May to prepare for the invasion of theMarianas Islands . She landed assault troops atSaipan 16 June and on nearbyTinian 24 July as America took a giant sea step toward Japan herself.Supporting the invasion of the Philippines
"Heywood" participated in the long overseas sweep to
Leyte in thePhilippines , landing assault troops in the initial invasion of20 October 1944 . She had a brief rest at Manus in the Admiralties where she embarked assault troops landed on the shores ofLingayen Gulf 9 January 1945 . She landed reinforcements to assist in securingMindoro 9 February 1945 . then returned to the States for overhaul before embarking reinforcements for the capture ofOkinawa , the last stepping stone to Japan.End-of-war activity
The close of hostilities with Japan
15 August 1945 found "Heywood" in thePhilippine Islands . She carried occupation troops intoTokyo Bay 8 September 1945 and continued trooplift operations between Japan and the Philippines until25 October 1945 when she set course for the western seaboard. After setting veterans ashore atSan Diego, California , and atPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania , she arrived inBoston, Massachusetts ,3 February 1946 .Post-war decommissioning
She decommissioned there
12 April 1946 and transferred2 July 1946 to the custody of theMaritime Administration . She was subsequently renamed "City of Baltimore". The ship was sold for scrap in 1956.Military awards and honors
"Heywood" received seven battle stars for service in World War II:
* Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings (
7 August 1943 )* Capture and defense of Guadalcanal (August 1942 to February 1943)
* Gilbert Islands operation (Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls,
31 January 1944 ; Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll,17 February 1944 )* Marianas operation (Capture and occupation of Saipan, 16
1944 )* Tinian capture and occupation (
24 July 1944 )* Leyte operation (Leyte landings, San Pedro Bay,
20 October 1944 )*
Luzon operation (Lingayen Gulf landings,9 January 1945 )References
See also
*
List of United States Navy ships External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03006.htm NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - AP-12 / APA-6 Heywood]
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