USS ''Clermont'' (APA-143) was a ''Haskell''-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

History

''Clermont'' (''APA-143'') was launched 25 November 1944 by California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. F. Wells; acquired by the Navy 27 January 1945; converted at Kaiser Co., Inc., Vancouver, Washington; and commissioned 28 January 1945. ''Clermont'' sailed from Port Chicago, California, 10 April 1945 for Pearl Harbor, arriving 16 April. Here she conducted training, then embarked the 126th Construction Battalion. She cleared Pearl Harbor 20 May, for Eniwetok, Ulithi, and Okinawa, arriving 24 June to disembark her troops and cargo. She returned to San Francisco 21 July to embark passengers for Pearl Harbor, arriving there 9 August. After taking Marine units and the 116th Naval Construction Battalion on board, she cleared 1 September for

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and Sasebo, where she put her passengers ashore for the occupation of Sasebo Naval Base. After a voyage to the Philippines to carry additional occupation troops to

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 ...

, she carried units of the

5th Marines The 5th Marine Regiment (also referred to as "5th Marines") is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps and falls u ...

from Sasebo to Peleliu and sailed on 3 November with homeward bound servicemen to San Diego, arriving 23 November. ''Clermont'' made a second "

Operation Magic Carpet Operation Magic Carpet was the post-World War II operation by the War Shipping Administration to repatriate over eight million American military personnel from the European, Pacific, and Asian theaters. Hundreds of Liberty ships, Victory ships ...

" voyage between 8 December 1945 and 11 January 1946. Eleven days later she sailed for

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, arriving 4 February.

Decommissioning and fate

''Clermont'' was decommissioned 1 March 1946, and returned to the Maritime Commission 3 March 1946. Ex-''Clermont'' was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at James River, Virginia. Between 8 July and 28 September 1955 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet for a Repair Program, GAA- Polarus, and returned. Ex-''Clermont'' was sold for $111,560 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation for scrapping on 9 April 1973. In September 1973 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and sent to the breaker's yard.

Awards

''Clermont'' received one battle star for World War II service at Okinawa.

References

External links

Navsource.org photo archive - USS Clermont (APA-143)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clermont (APA-143) Victory ships Ships built in Los Angeles Haskell-class attack transports World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Clermont County, Ohio Troop ships 1944 ships