USS ''Logan'' (APA-196) was a of the

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, named for counties in

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, and

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. The ''Haskell''-class design,

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standard type VC2-S-AP5, is a sub type of the World War II

Victory ship The Victory ship was a class of cargo ship produced in large numbers by American shipyards during World War II. They were a more modern design compared to the earlier Liberty ship, were slightly larger and had more powerful steam turbine engin ...

design. The ship was laid down on 27 May 1944 by Kaiser Co.,

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; launched 19 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Paul E. Lattner; acquired by the Navy; and commissioned on 14 October 1944.

Service history

World War II, 1944–1946

After

shakedown Shakedown or Shake Down may refer to: * Shakedown (continuum mechanics), a type of plastic deformation * Shakedown (testing) or a shakedown cruise, a period of testing undergone by a ship, airplane or other craft before being declared operational ...

off Santa Barbara during November, the new attack transport steamed to

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...

for two months of rigorous training with Vice Admiral

Richmond K. Turner Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner (May 27, 1885 – February 12, 1961), commonly known as Kelly Turner, was an admiral of the United States Navy during the Second World War, where he commanded the Amphibious Force in the Pacific theater. Turner w ...

's TF 51 in preparation for the assault on

Iwo Jima is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands, which lie south of the Bonin Islands and together with them make up the Ogasawara Subprefecture, Ogasawara Archipelago. Together with the Izu Islands, they make up Japan's Nanpō Islands. Although sout ...

. Departing

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on 26 January 1945, the ship stopped at

Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...

, to use that recently liberated rugged atoll for five more days of very realistic training. She left Saipan on 16 February and on the 19th sighted the lamb chop-shaped little island of Iwo Jima, outlined against the morning sky by the battleship barrage that had been pounding the Japanese stronghold for several days. Pulling to within of the volcanic beaches, ''Logan'' lowered all boats, completing the intricate operation in under 30 minutes. Immediately thereafter, the beachmasters, engineers, and quartermasters were quickly dispatched ashore. During the early afternoon of "D-Day", ''Logan'' began the daily routine that was to last for nine days; receiving casualties from the beach to be treated by the ship's medical department and meanwhile unloading the vital combat gear as rapidly as possible to the LSMs and LSTs waiting alongside. For Iwo Jima the ship was assigned to the 23rd Marines of the 4th Marine Division. She landed Hq Company of the 133rd NCB on yellow beach D Day for Shore Party duty. Later, on 21 February, at 0445 hours, The Logan rammed the USS NAPA (APA-157) along frames 98–102. The impact resulted in a 15 foot long hull breach to the NAPA, and extended 10 feet beyond the turn of the bilge. With Minimal damage done to the Logan, she continued her service in Iwo Jima until she received her departure orders. With 200 wounded soldiers resting comfortably in sick bay, the ship departed Iwo Jima on 28 February. Stopping briefly at Saipan, she made Guam on 4 March and debarked the casualties. The next day she sailed back to Saipan to prepare for the assault on

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

. Following three weeks of extensive rehearsals off Saipan and

Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...

with Rear Admiral Wright's TG 51.2, ''Logan'' steamed to Okinawa to feint an assault on the southeastern coast on 1 April, diverting the enemy's attention from the real attack which was made successfully on the western coast during the same day. The same maneuver was again successful the following day. For the next six days, Rear Admiral Wright's group laid off Okinawa, fully prepared, if needed, to reinforce the gallant men already ashore. By 11 April the success of the campaign was assured, and the task group steamed back to Saipan. ''Logan'' maintained her readiness with exercises off Saipan and in the

New Hebrides New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium () and named after the Hebrides in Scotland, was the colonial name for the island group in the South Pacific Ocean that is now Vanuatu. Native people had inhabited the islands for three th ...

. Leaving Nouméa, New Caledonia, on 17 July, the ship made the Mariana Islands, Marianas the 26th, embarked more, than 1,500 troops and 200 wounded from Saipan, Guam, and Tinian, and sailed for CONUS. She reached San Francisco on 13 August, two days before the Japanese surrender. After Victory over Japan Day, V-J Day the tremendous job of occupying Japan and bringing home the veteran troops still faced the Navy. Consequently, ''Logan'' departed San Francisco on 23 August to embark troops at Pearl Harbor for occupation duty in Japan. She arrived at Honshū on 27 September. On 10 October she proceeded to the Philippines, thence to the Marshall Islands, embarking 1,932 for the passage home. The ship arrived Seattle on 27 October 1945. In November and again in January 1946, Logan made "Operation Magic Carpet (World War II), Magic Carpet" runs to the Philippines to bring the men home. She was released from "Magic Carpet" on 6 March, decommissioned on 27 November 1946, and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Francisco.

Korean War, 1951–1955

''Logan'' recommissioned on 10 November 1951, during the height of the Korean War. After shakedown and refresher training off San Diego, the attack transport departed for United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Yokosuka, Japan, on 9 April 1952, and arrived 26 April. Three weeks later she moved to United States Fleet Activities Sasebo, Sasebo on the west coast of Japan. From there the ship made a quick cargo run to Geoje, Koje-do Harbor, Korea, on 19 May, and returned to Sasebo the next morning. On 25 June, after returning from Hong Kong, the ship left Sasebo for landing exercises at Inchon, scene of the brilliant amphibious assault during October 1950. Following realistic training in this setting, ''Logan'' proceeded to the west coast via Sasebo and Yokosuka. She arrived Long Beach on 24 August 1952. Following nearly a year of amphibious operations, the ship again departed San Diego for Yokosuka on 3 July 1953, just after the s:Korean Armistice Agreement. She made Yokosuka on 25 July. During October she returned to Korea for extensive, month-long amphibious exercises at Inchon. For the next months she operated around Sasebo, then commenced roundabout passage home, stopping at Hong Kong, Manila, Guam, and Pearl Harbor. She arrived Long Beach on 23 April 1954. During the remainder of 1954, ''Logan'' exercised with the amphibious forces off the west coast. In January 1955, she steamed to Seattle for inactivation. The ship decommissioned on 14 June 1955 and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Francisco. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register, Navy List on 1 July 1960 and transferred to the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, where she remained into 1969. Logan received two battle stars for World War II service and one for Korean service.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Logan (APA-196) Haskell-class attack transports Logan County, Colorado Logan County, Illinois Logan County, Kansas Logan County, Kentucky Logan County, Ohio Logan County, Oklahoma Logan County, Nebraska Logan County, North Dakota Logan County, West Virginia World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Ships built in Vancouver, Washington 1944 ships