- USS Feland (APA-11)
USS Feland (APA-11) was a "Doyen"-class
attack transport which served with theUS Navy duringWorld War II . She saw service in thePacific War , and safely returned home post-war with fivebattle stars to her credit."Feland" was launched
10 November 1942 as atroop transport , designation AP-18, byConsolidated Steel Corporation ,Los Angeles, California ; sponsored by Mrs. L. Feland, widow of General Feland; and commissioned21 June 1943 , Captain C. A. Mission in command. She was redesignated an attack transport on 1 February 1943.World War II
"Feland" carried marines from
San Diego, California , toPago Pago , arriving24 August 1943 , then sailed on toNew Zealand for landing exercises, which she continued atEfate in November.Invasion of Tarawa
On
13 November , she sortied fromEfate for the invasion ofTarawa on20 November , and for 8 days lay off the bitterly contested island, landing reserve troops, loading casualties, and re-embarking troops when the island was secured. These men she carried toPearl Harbor , arriving7 December . After training operations and brief overhaul, "Feland" put to sea with soldiers22 January 1944 , bound forKwajalein . She landed the troops as reserves on1 February , one day after the initial assault, and re-embarked them a week later when the atoll had been won. "Feland" returned toHonolulu with troops and casualties15 February , landed them, embarked passengers, and sailed for aU.S. West Coast overhaul.Invasion of Saipan
The transport returned to
Pearl Harbor 6 May 1944 , and after training, arrived atEniwetok 9 June . Two days later, combat loaded, she sailed for the invasion ofSaipan , and on15 June took part in a demonstration landing atTanapag Harbor, while the main assault was made north ofCharan-Kanoa . The next day "Feland" began to send troops and cargo ashore, but that night was ordered to retire from the island, to avoid the danger of an expected Japanese attack. She returned21 June to complete unloading and embark casualties forHonolulu .Invasion of Guam
"Feland" returned to
Eniwetok 17 July 1944 with troops for the assault onGuam , where she landed them22 July , one day after the initial landings. Again she sailed back to theHawaii ans with casualties, and to begin training for the liberation of thePhilippines . Manus was her jumping off point for this operation, and she arrived inLeyte Gulf 20 October to unload in the transport area offDulag and retire next day, before the outbreak of theBattle of Leyte Gulf .Invasion of the Philippines
After one voyage to bring reinforcements from
New Guinea toLeyte , "Feland" embarked soldiers atAitape , from which she sailed28 December 1944 in theSan Fabian attack force. In the initial assault inLingayen Gulf 9 January 1945 she landed troops and cargo in record time, despite heavy mortar fire from shore which wounded two of her men handlinglanding craft . She cleared the beachhead next day, and that evening fired on a Japanese suicide plane which veered away, selecting another target. After calling atLeyte andUlithi , she sailed toGuam to take aboard Marines for theIwo Jima operation.Invasion of Iwo Jima
Arriving off Iwo Jima
19 February 1945 , "Feland's" troops were held in reserve until27 February , when they were landed through heavy surf on a difficult beach. She carried casualties toGuam , then sailed for Manus andNoumea to load soldiers for transportation toLeyte . Between28 May and16 July , she carried military passengers between ports inNew Guinea and thePhilippines , then sailed for aU.S. West Coast overhaul. This was completed in October.Decommission
After one further voyage to the Philippines with cargo, "Feland" returned to
Seattle, Washington ,20 November and was decommissioned there on15 March 1946 . Subsequently she was transferred to theMaritime Commission and laid up in theNational Defense Reserve Fleet . She was scrapped in 1964.Awards
"Feland" received five
battle stars forWorld War II service:*
Gilbert Islands operation -Tarawa ,20 November to28 November 1943 *
Marshall Islands operation - Occupation ofKwajalein andMajuro Atolls,1 February to7 February 1944 *
Marianas operation - Capture and occupation ofSaipan ,15 June to21 June 1944 ; Capture and occupation toGuam ,22 July 1944 *
Leyte operation - Leyte landings,20 October to21 October 1944 *
Luzon operation -Lingayen Gulf landings,9 January to10 January 1945 *
Iwo Jima operation - Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima,19 February 1945 References
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/amphib/apa11.htm "Feland" APA-11] , DANFS Online.
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03011.htm AP-18/APA-11 "Feland"] , Navsource Online.
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f2/feland.htmSee also
*
List of United States Navy ships
*World War II External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03011.htm NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - AP-18 / APA-11 Feland]
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