- USS Mendocino (APA-100)
USS "Mendocino" (APA-100) was a sclass|Bayfield|attack transport that served with the
US Navy during World War II."Mendocino" was laid down under
Maritime Commission contract byIngalls Shipbuilding ,Pascagoula, Mississippi , 20 September 1943; launched 11 February 1944; acquired by the Navy 23 May 1944; placed in ferry commission from 23 May to 3 June for transfer toBethlehem Steel ,Hoboken, New Jersey , prior to conversion to an attack transport; and commissioned at Hoboken 31 October 1944, Capt. Walton R. Read in command.Operational history
After shakedown in
Chesapeake Bay , "Mendocino" embarked 705 naval passengers and departedNorfolk, Virginia for the Pacific 10 December. She reachedSan Pedro, California , Christmas Day, and following a run toPearl Harbor and back, she departedSan Francisco Bay 5 February 1945 for thePhilippines . She enteredLeyte Gulf 28 February and during much of the next month, trained for the forthcoming invasion ofOkinawa .Invasion of Okinawa
As flagship of Transport Squadron 14, she sortied with ships of the Southern Attack Force 27 March, and closed Okinawa early 1 April. During the amphibious assault against the
Hagushi Beaches, she debarked troops of the 96th Infantry Division off Beach White I and, until 6 April, she off-loaded support equipment. She embarked Army wounded and transported them toSaipan before steaming to Pearl Harbor where she arrived 22 April.Transport and training missions
As flagship of Transport Squadron 19, "Mendocino" trained in
Hawai ian waters until returning to San Francisco 4 June to embark troops and load cargo. Between 29 June and 16 July, she sailed toGuam ; thence, she carried veterans of the Pacific campaigns to the west coast, arriving San Francisco 4 August.Occupation and demobilization missions
After the end of hostilities, she transported 1,523 Army officers and men to the Philippines; after embarking occupation troops at
Legaspi , Luzon, she sailed in convoy for Japan 4 October. ArrivingYokohama 13 October, she discharged troops and cargo. Three days later, she joined the Operation Magic Carpet fleet and, from 26 October to 8 November, she carried returning veterans back to the United States.Decommissioning
After completing a second troop lift 27 December, she departed San Francisco 14 January 1946 and reached
New York 1 February. She decommissioned there 27 February and was returned to the War Shipping Administration the same day. Her name was struck from the Navy List 12 March 1946."Mendocino" received one
battle star for World War II service.Commercial service
"Mendocino" was sold to
Pope & Talbot , Inc. of San Francisco, and was renamed "P. & T. Seafarer". She was scrapped in 1973.References
*
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/03/03100.htm APA-100 "Mendocino"] , Navsource Online.
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