Elmore APA-42

Elmore

Counties in Alabama and Idaho.

(APA 42: dp. 8,100; 1. 492', b. 69'6", dr 26' 6"; s. 16 k.; cpl. 500; a 2 5"; cl. Bayfield)

Elmore (AP-87) was launched 29 January 1943 as .
Sea Panther by Ingalls Shipbuilding Co., Pascagoula,Miss., under a Maritime Commission contract, sponsored by Mrs. Walter F. George, wife of the Senator
from Georgia, reclassified (APA-4Z), 1 February 1943;transferred to the Navy 30 March 1943 and placed impartial commission the same day for ferry to Maryland
Dry Dock Co., Baltimore for conversion, and commissioned in full 25 August 1943 Commander D. Harrison in command. '

Elmore sailed from San Diego 13 January 1944 and landed troops and equipment in the initial assault on the Marshalls 31 January 1944. In early February she reported to the 3d Fleet at Funafuti, Ellice Islands. After training in the Solomons, she took part in landings on Emirau Island 11 April, and carried troops between 3 Guadalcanal and New Guinea until June. On the 4th she got underway for invasion of the Marianas. l

Elmore landed troops in the assault on Guam 21 July 1944 and remained to embark casualties whom she carried to Eniwetok. She returned to the Solomons for training, then s~aw action in the first wave against the Palaus 15 September. She staged at Hollandia for the coming Philippine invasion and sailed 13 October for the

Leyte assault a week later. Landing troops and cargo under heavy fire, Elmore lost one killed and five wounded.

Returning to Manus and New Guinean ports, Elmore prepared for the northern Luzon assault. On 9 January 1945 she was in Lingayen Gulf for the initial landings. She remained to support the fighters ashore, and on 29 January landed troops without opposition near San Felipe. She returned to Leyte in February to be mother ship for the boat pool and to direct unloading of merchant ships.

Elmore sailed from Leyte 27 March 1945 for the invasion of Okinawa on 1 April. Four days after the assault she carried casualties to Guam, continuing to Seattle for overhaul. She was on her way back when the war ended and upon arrival at Leyte 30 August was assigned to redeploy troops through the Philippines. She made two voyages to Japan to land occupation troops at Wakayama and Mitsugahama, then returned to the States on "Magic Carpet" duty with servicemen eligible for discharge. After a voyage on the same duty to the Philippines from November 1945 to January 1946, she was decommissioned at Mobile, Ala., 13 March 1946, and returned to the Maritime Commission for sale 15 May 1946.

Elmore received eight battle stars for World War II service.