USS ''Clarendon'' (APA-72) was a ''Gilliam''-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1964.

History

''Clarendon'' was named after a county in South Carolina. She was launched 12 September 1944 by

Consolidated Steel Consolidated Steel Corporation (formed 18 December 1928) was an American steel and shipbuilding business. Consolidated built ships during World War II in two locations: Wilmington, California and Orange, Texas. It was created in 1929 by the merg ...

at Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; commissioned 14 December 1944; and reported to the Pacific Fleet. ''Clarendon'' sailed from San Diego 6 February 1945 to join

amphibious Amphibious means able to use either land or water. In particular it may refer to: Animals * Amphibian, a vertebrate animal of the class Amphibia (many of which live on land and breed in water) * Amphibious caterpillar * Amphibious fish, a fish ...

exercises in the

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...

, then sailed for Ulithi, where late in March she joined the escort of a convoy to voyage to

Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...

Invasion of Okinawa

Returning to Ulithi, she put to sea 22 April to carry combat cargo to Okinawa, off which she lay to discharge 26 to 30 April. On the 28th, she drove away enemy aircraft with her intensive gunfire. Returning to the west coast 22 May 1945, ''Clarendon'' made three voyages from San Diego and San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, carrying passengers and cargo in both directions. On 29 July she got underway from San Francisco.

Post-war

''Clarendon'' called at Eniwetok, Ulithi, Manila, and put into Tokyo 13 September. She carried troops for the occupation of

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

and in the redeployment of forces in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

until 15 November, when she sailed from

Taku Taku may refer to: Places North America * the Taku River, in Alaska and British Columbia ** Fort Taku, also known as Fort Durham and as Taku, a former fort of the Hudson's Bay Company near the mouth of the Taku River ** the Taku Glacier, in Ala ...

to load homeward bound troops at Samar, Guam,

, and

Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...

on her way to San Pedro, where she arrived 18 December.

Decommissioning

In January 1946 she sailed north to Seattle, where she was decommissioned 9 April 1946, and transferred to the War Shipping Administration in June 1946. She was scrapped by Zidell, Portland, OR; scrapping completed 16 October 1964.

Decorations

''Clarendon'' received one battle star for World War II service.

References

*
APA-72 ''Clarendon''
Navsource Online. {{DEFAULTSORT:Clarendon (APA-72) Gilliam-class attack transports Transports of the United States Navy World War II auxiliary ships of the United States World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Clarendon County, South Carolina Ships built in Los Angeles 1944 ships