- USS President Hayes (APA-20)
USS President Hayes (APA-20) was a "President Jackson"-class
attack transport that saw service with the US Navy inWorld War II ."President Hayes" was laid down as MC Hull No. 55 by the
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.26 December 1939 ; launched4 October 1940 ; turned over toAmerican President Lines 20 February 1941 ; acquired by the Navy7 July 1941 ; designated AP–39; and commissioned15 December 1941 , Commander F. W. Benson in command. The ship was redesignated an attack transport (APA-20) on 1 February 1943.World War II
On
6 January 1942 "President Hayes" sailed forSan Diego, California , via thePanama Canal . During February and March she evacuated civilians and service dependents fromPearl Harbor , then conducted amphibious assault exercises offSan Diego, California . On1 July , with U.S. Marines embarked, she sailed for theTonga Islands to stage for the assault on Guadalcanal.Invasion of Guadalcanal
On the evening of
7 August , while under air attack, "President Hayes" landed units of the 2nd Marine Regiment on the northeastern side ofGuadalcanal . For the next two months she brought supplies and reinforcements fromTonga ,Noumea , andNew Zealand . Then, during December, she moved cargo forward fromAustralia and New Zealand toNew Caledonia . In January1943 she resumed reinforcement runs to Guadalcanal and, as APA–20 (effective1 February 1943 ), continued that duty until June.Rendova landings
In June she participated in the
Rendova landings, shooting down 7 enemy planes. In July, "President Hayes" completed another troop lift to Guadalcanal, then carried cargo between Guadalcanal,Noumea ,Efate andEspiritu Santo . On30 October she embarked units of the 3rd Marine Division at Guadalcanal for the invasion of Bougainville,1 November , then brought in reinforcements and replacements during the rest of that month, December, and early January1944 .Invasion of Guam
On
20 March units of the 4th Marine Regiment, transported by "President Hayes", peacefully occupiedEmirau Island . In April and May she transported Army replacements for the Marines onNew Britain . On4 June she sailed, with units of the 3rd Marine Division embarked, for the Marshalls to stage for the assault on Guam. Enemy resistance during the Saipan operation delayed sailing, but on21 July she landed her troops and supplies east of Apra Harbor.Rescue of survivors from "Mount Hood"
After resupply runs to various bases, "President Hayes" was off
Leyte 21 October . Retiring to Manus29 October after unloading her troops, she witnessed the explosion of ammunition ship USS|Mount Hood|AE-11 on10 November . The "President Hayes" was not hit and dispatched fire and rescue parties to the stricken ships.Invasion of the Philippines
Steaming for San Francisco and overhaul the following day, she returned to the Pacific and made runs between
Espirito Santo ,Guadalcanal , andNoumea . During the invasion of Okinawa, "President Hayes", with other units of Transport Division 32, had Ready Reserve troops embarked, and after the beachhead had been secured landed her troops and embarked the 81st Army Infantry Division to stand by as a floating reserve. She then steamed to thePhilippines , and from May to July moved more troops up from the southwest Pacific to the Philippines. While she was atSan Pedro, California , loading more troops for deployment to the Pacific Theater, the Japanese surrendered.End-of-war assignments
"President Hayes" arrived at
Manila 14 September , then, with troops of the 25th Infantry Division aboard, continued on toWakayama ,Japan , arriving7 October . On29 October the troops were debarked atNagoya , and the next day "President Hayes" departed for duty with “Operation Magic Carpet ,” returning 1400 dischargees from the Marianas toLos Angeles, California , on each of two round trips.Postwar service
On
1 January 1946 she reported to theNaval Transportation Service to deliver dependents of service personnel toHonolulu . "President Hayes" continued to operate with the U.S. Pacific Fleet into 1949.Decommission
"President Hayes" was decommissioned
30 June 1949 atMare Island . She was assigned to the Stockton Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet,28 November 1950 . Her name was struck from theNavy List and she was transferred to the Maritime Commission1 October 1958 . She was sold for scrap in February 1973.Awards
"President Hayes" earned seven
battle star s forWorld War II service.References
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/amphib/apa20.txt "President Hayes" APA-20] - DANFS Online.
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03020.htm AP-39/APA-20 "President Hayes"] - Navsource Online.See also
*
List of United States Navy ships
*World War II External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03020.htm NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - AP-39 / APA-20 President Hayes]
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