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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS American Legion (APA-17)
ex
 USS American Legion (AP-35) (1941 - 1943)
 USAT American Legion (1939 - 1941)


International Radio Call Signs

USAT American Legion
1939 International Radio Call Sign
William - Uncle - Able - Item
 WUAI
USS American Legion (AP-35/APA-17)
1941 International Radio Call Sign
Nan - Uncle - Love - Victor
 NULV
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 8 Nov. 1943) - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (1-KIA 8 NOV 43 - S1/c Charles Kaplan)
Harris Class Transport:
  • Laid down, 21 January 1919, as the passenger ship SS Badger State, at New York Shipbuilding Corp, Camden, N.J., under a United States Shipping Board (USSB) contract
  • Launched, 11 October 1921
  • Delivered to the USSB, 15 July 1921, for lay up in the reserve fleet
  • Sold, 18 December 1925 to Muston Line, for operation between New York and South America
  • Returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet, 13 March 1939, for lay up at Patuxent River, MD.
  • Removed from the Reserve Fleet and renovated as a troopship
  • Acquired by the U.S. Army Transport Service, 21 February 1939, renamed USAT American Legion
  • Assigned to the A.T.S. Atlantic Fleet. homeported at the New York Port of Embarkation (POE), Army Supply Base, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • USAT American Legion generally serviced the Brooklyn—Panama—Puerto Rico route
  • Dispatched to Norway in August 1940 to evacuate almost 900 American citizens, and several members of the Norwegian Royal family, from the port of Petsamo after the invasion of that country by the Germans
  • Carried a Swedish Bofors 40mm gun system on board back for study and replication in the U.S.; this system became the primary anti aircraft gun aboard U.S. Navy ships in World War II
  • Resumed regular service between New York and Panama until April 1941 when she began transporting troops to Bermuda and Trinidad
  • Transported the first contingent of U.S. troops to Iceland in early August 1941
  • Decommissioned and transferred to the US Navy, 26 August 1941,
  • Commissioned USS American Legion (AP-35), 26 August 1941, CDR. Thomas D. Warner USN in command
  • Converted to a Naval Transport, at Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Redesignated Attack Transport (APA-17), 1 February 1943
  • While assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during WWII USS American Legion came under the command of:
    TransRon Ten
    TransDiv One (flagship), CAPT. B. Bartlett USN (22), and participated in the:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings
    7 to 9 August 1942     		Treasury-Bougainville operation
    Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 1 and 13 November 1943

  • Decommissioned, 20 March 1946, at Olympia, WA., and returned to the War Department the same day
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 March 1946
  • USS American Legion earned two battle stars for her World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 5 February 1948, to Zidell Ship Dismantling Co., of Portland, OR.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 13,529 t.(lt), 21,900 t.(fl)
    Length 535' 2"
    Beam 72'
    Draft 31' 6"
    Speed 17.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 43
    Enlisted 639
    Troop Capacity
    Officers 107
    Enlisted 1,537
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,500 t.
    non-refrigerated 120,000 Cu. ft.
    Armament
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA mounts
    two quad 1.1" AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 25,720 Bbls
    Diesel 750 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse geared turbines
    eight Babcox and Wilcox header-type boilers, 265psi 480°
    double Taylor Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     three turbo-drive 200Kw 120V D.C.
     two Diesel-drive 80Kw 120V D.C.
    two propellers, 12,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USAT American Legion
    American Legion 63k
    Namesake
    The American Legion is a U.S. war veterans' organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is made up of state, U.S. territory, and overseas departments, and these are in turn made up of local posts. The legislative body of The American Legion is a national convention, held annually. The organization was founded on March 15, 1919, at the American Club near Place de la Concorde in Paris, France, by members of the American Expeditionary Forces,[1] and it was chartered on September 16, 1919, by the U.S. Congress.[2] The organization played the leading role in the drafting and passing of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, otherwise known as the "GI Bill." In addition to organizing commemorative events, members provide assistance at VA hospitals and clinics. It is active in issue-oriented U.S. politics. Its primary political activity is lobbying on behalf of interests of veterans and service members, including support for benefits such as pensions and the Veterans Health Administration. The organization has also historically promoted "Americanism."    		 Tommy Trampp
    American Legion 74k USAT American Legion underway, circa 1940, location unknown. Photo from Frederick Wood Collection Stanley C. Svec
    American Legion 366k USAT American Legion departing San Juan, Puerto Rico as seen from El Morro Castle, circa 1940. Photo from the collections of the US Army Center of Military History Robert Hurst
    American Legion 311k USAT American Legion underway in the Panama Canal, date unknown. Tommy Trampp
    American Legion 74k USAT American Legion underway date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    American Legion 205k USAT American Legion Army Transportation Service crew identification card Tommy Trampp
    American Legion
    100301718    		 264k U.S. troops on board USAT American Legion doing calisthenics while enroute to Iceland. 6 August 1941.
    U.S. National Archives Identifier 193695580, U.S. Army Air Corps photo # 75358A.C. now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 David Upton
    American Legion
    100301719    		 247k U.S. troops on board USAT American Legion enroute to Iceland. 6 August 1941. In the background, astern of American Legion, is USS Wasp (CV-7) carrying 30 USAAF Curtis P-40 fighters and three Stearman PT-17 trainers from the 33rd Pursuit Squadron, 8th Air Group.
    U.S. National Archives Identifier 193695730, U.S. Army Air Corps photo # 75361A.C. now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 David Upton
    American Legion
    100301720    		 223k Men in their lifejackets standing on the deck of USAT American Legion while enroute to Iceland. 6 August 1941. The heavy cruiser steaming astern of American Legion is either USS Quincy (CA-39) or USS Vincennes (CA-44).
    U.S. National Archives Identifier 193695727, U.S. Army Air Corps photo # 75360A.C. now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 David Upton
    American Legion
    100301721    		 278k Troops onboard USAT American Legion relaxing on deck while enroute to Iceland. 6 August 1941. Also in the convoy, in the background, carrying additional troops and their equipment is USS Almaack (AK-27), The convoy was being escorted by USS Mississippi (BB-41), in the background and, not in view, the cruisers USS Quincy (CA-39) and USS Vincennes (CA-44)
    U.S. National Archives Identifier 193695733, U.S. Army Air Corps photo # 75362A.C. now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 David Upton
    American Legion
    100301722    		 281k Lifeboat drill for troops onboard USAT American Legion while enroute to Iceland. 6 August 1941. One of the escorting heavy cruisers, either USS Quincy (CA-39) or USS Vincennes (CA-44) is in the background.
    U.S. National Archives Identifier 193695736, U.S. Army Air Corps photo # 75363A.C. now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 David Upton
    American Legion
    100301723    		 177k USAT American Legion Souvenir Silk Headkerchief, circa 1939-1941, 16" x 16".
    Ebay    		 Trampp
    USS American Legion (AP-35)
    American Legion
    100301724     		168k USS American Legion (AP-35) in the floating drydock at Wellington, New Zealand, having her hull scraped, 19-30 September 1942.
    Photo from Museum Of Wellington, used for educational and non-commercial purpose.    		 John Chiquoine
    American Legion 130k USS American Legion (AP-35), undergoing conversion to a Navy transport, at the Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, New York, on 28 August 1941. She appears to be undergoing repainting from her white US Army Transport color scheme to dark gray Navy camouflage paint. Note the weathered neutrality flag painted on her hull side amidships. The tanker Royal Arrow is visible in the right background.
    US National Archive photo # 19-N-25097, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the National Archives.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    American Legion 94k USS American Legion (AP-35) at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, 25 October 1941. Note her weathered dark gray camouflage paint, with white canvas lifeboat covers.
    US National Archive photo # 19-N-25715, a US Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection now in the National Archives.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS American Legion (APA-17)
    American Legion 296k Ten USS American Legion (APA-17) Sailors lost their lives in a boating accident in the angry waters off the Kapiti Coast north of Wellington, New Zealand on June 20, 1943. Tommy Trampp
    American Legion 86k LCVP landing craft circle while awaiting landing orders, during the invasion of Cape Torokina, Bougainville, 1 November 1943. Photo was taken from one of USS American Legion (APA-17)s 20mm gun mounts. The invasion beaches are in the background, being shelled, and there are planes over the beaches. The smoking volcano in the far center distance is Mount Bagana.
    US Marine Corps photo #: USMC 67319 by PFC P. Scheer    		 Robert Hurst
    American Legion 111k Amidships plan view of USS American Legion (APA-17) at Alameda, CA., 5 April 1944
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2144    		 Darryl Baker
    American Legion 90k Forward plan view of USS American Legion (APA-17) at Alameda, CA., 5 April 1944
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2147    		 Darryl Baker
    American Legion
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2150    		 88k Broadside view of USS American Legion (APA-17) in San Francisco Bay, 6 April 1944, after receiving alterations at Mare Island Navy Yard. The ship's main gun armament is now 4-3"/50 following the removal of her 5"/51 gun aft. Note also the radar mast over the bridge.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2150 and US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 19-N-66838 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Darryl Baker and
    Robert Hurst
    American Legion
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 19-N-66838    		 77k
    American Legion 81k USS American Legion (APA-17) underway, circa 1944-45, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH 92699, from the Collection of Rear Admiral Bradford Bartlett, USN, 1981, at the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    American Legion 92k USS American Legion (APA-17) partially enveloped in a smoke screen, during amphibious training exercises off the Southern California coast, circa 1944-45.
    US Navy photo # NH 92700, from the Collection of Rear Admiral Bradford Bartlett, USN, 1981, at the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    American Legion 58k USS American Legion (APA-17), off San Francisco, CA., in 1945-46, probably after the end of World War II. Note that her forward guns have been removed.
    US Navy photo # NH 77398, from the Collection of Donald M. McPherson, 1973, at the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS American Legion (AP-35 / APA-17)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) /
    USAT American Legion US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 Vol.4
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Warner, Thomas Dickens, USN (USNA 1916)26 August 1941 - 1 January 1943
    02CDR. Welles, Ratcliffe Chapman, USN1 January 1943 - 31 October 1943
    03CAPT. Eckhoff, Frederick John, USN (USNA 1922)31 October 1943 - 27 December 1944
    04CDR. Gossom, Raymond Charles, USNR27 December 1944 - 8 January 1945
    05CDR. Houle, Donald James, USNR8 January 1945 - 20 March 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 22 November 2024