Banner- APA-60

Banner

(APA-60; dp 4247;l 426'; b 58' dr. 16' ; s 16.9 k; cpl 320; a. 1 5" cl. Gilliam)
The first Banner (APA-60) was launched 3 May 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp, Ltd Wilmington, Calif, under a Maritim Commission contract sponsored by Miss Grace Henley; acquired from the Maritime Commission 15 September 1944; commission 16 September 1944, Lieutenant Commander J.R. Price in command; and reported to the Pacific fleet.
Banner loaded cargo and passengers and got underway from the west coast 30 October 1944, putting into Milne Bay New Guiniea 17 November. Until 30 December 1944 she carried passengers and cargo between Humboldt Bay, Hollondia, and Cape Transport, Ne Guinea. On the 30th she departed for Humboldt Bay, New Guinea, arriving 29 January.

She departed for Leyete 14 February 1945, arriving 20 February . She then debarked her passengers; loaded to capacity with cargo and troops she got underway 27 March for Okinawa where she unloaded her troops and cargo between 1 and 5 April.

Banner continued on transport duty until February 1946 when she was assigned as a target vessel for Operation Crossroads. She underwent preparation for the exercise at San Pedro, Calif and Pearl Harbor until 15 May 1946 when she departed for the Marshall Islands.
Arriving at Bikini Atoll on the 28th, she was used as a target vessel during the atomic tests of July and August. Banner was decommssioned 27 August 1946 and scuttled off Kwajalein 16 February 16 1948. Banner received two battle stars for her World War II service.