SS Pine Tree State

USS ''Harris'' (APA-2) was an Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ship launched for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) on 19 March 1921 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, at Sparrows Point, Maryland as ''Pine Tree State''. After operation by commercial lines for the USSB, during which the ship was renamed ''President Grant'' and operated commercially until laid up in the late 1930s.

After Navy acquisition in July 1940 the ship was first classified as a transport, hull number AP-8 and then reclassified to , hull number APA-2, that served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was the lead ship in her class.

Construction

''Pine Tree State'' was an Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) Design 1029 ship launched 19 March 1921 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, at Sparrows Point, Maryland. The ship was delivered 3 November 1921 and assigned the U. S. official number 221633.

Commercial service

She served as a passenger ship, ''Pine Tree State'', and was renamed ''President Grant'' in 1922. She operated to the Orient for American Orient Lines, later American Mail Lines, and was one of America's fastest and best Pacific liners until the introduction of newer ships in the thirties. ''President Grant'' was idled by the 1936-37 Maritime strike, and lay at Seattle until being taken over by the Navy from the Maritime Commission 17 July 1940.

World War II

Converted to a troopship (hull ID no. AP-8) at Todd's Seattle yard, she was renamed ''Harris'' and commissioned 19 August 1940.

''Harris'' spent the first few months of her commissioned service carrying troops to Pearl Harbor and acting as a troop training ship at San Diego. She sailed 13 April 1942 for the South Pacific, carrying Marines to occupy strategic points outside the Japanese perimeter of conquest. Her task group arrived Wallis Island 31 May 1942 and unloaded troops for the defense of the New Caledonia area. ''Harris'' then returned to the United States and operated out of Monterey Bay, California, in amphibious training. This vital work was completed 22 August 1942, and she sailed from San Diego for Norfolk, Virginia.

North African landings

After suffering collision damage which necessitated her drydocking until 14 October, ''Harris'' loaded troops at Norfolk to begin training for landings in North Africa. She departed 23 October with the Southern Attack Force, and acted as flagship for the transport force. This invasion, skillfully executed, increased the pressure on Axis forces in Africa, and prepared a springboard for invasion of Southern Europe. ''Harris'' arrived offshore early on 8 November 1942 and after the destroyers ''Bernadou'' and ''Cole'' boldly entered the harbor with raider forces, debarked her Army troops to consolidate the landing. One of the first transports to complete disembarkation, ''Harris'' returned to Norfolk 13 November.

Pacific operations

Aleutians

She got underway 5 December with combat troops for the Pacific, arriving San Diego 17 December. There she trained and was redesignated APA-21 before sailing from San Francisco for Alaska 24 April 1943 to take part in the recapture of Attu.

''Harris'' arrived Cold Harbor 30 April and 4 days later shaped course for the barren Aleutian Islands. She skillfully debarked her troops during the assault 11 May. She remained in the Adak-Dutch Harbor area until 10 June 1943, when she returned to San Diego. After training off California, ''Harris'' and other ships of the Northern Pacific Force sailed 29 July for the occupation of another Aleutian Island, Kiska. Landings were made without opposition 15 August, as the Japanese had evacuated under cover of fog. ''Harris'' completed her unloading by 21 August and returned to San Francisco 31 August.

Invasion of Tarawa

As United States power mounted in the Western Pacific ''Harris'' sailed 8 September for New Zealand via Nouméa. Arriving Wellington, New Zealand on 30 September, she loaded Marines and trained out of Wellington and Efate, New Hebrides, until 13 November 1943. ''Harris'' then sailed with the Southern Attack Force for the invasion of Tarawa