USS Neville (APA-9)

USS ''Neville'' was originally a cargo vessel ordered by the British for WW I under the name ''War Harbour'' and requisitioned by the United States Shipping Board (USSB) before completion. The ship was renamed ''Independence'', completed, delivered to the Navy and commissioned on 16 November 1918 to see brief service with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS).

After decommissioning 20 March 1919 the ship with four sisters was converted to turbine electric drive in 1920 to operate as one of the first U.S. cargo vessels with electric drive. The ship operated commercially under the USSB until sold in 1931to the Baltimore Mail Steamship Company. After being rebuilt and renamed ''City of Norfolk'' the ship served commercially until again acquired and commissioned in 1940 by the Navy as ''Nevile'', first designated as the transport AP-16 and then converted into an attack transport and designated APA-9 in service until 1946. She was returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 16 July 1946 and scrapped in 1957.

History

The ship was ordered in 1918 as ''War Harbour'' for the British Shipping Controller, London, and under construction at Bethlehem Steel Company's Alameda, California yard as hull #162 when requisitioned and completed by the USSB as ''Independence'' assigned official number 217172.

U.S. Navy service (1918-1919)

She was acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 16 November 1918, assigned to the NOTS Army account, making one Atlantic crossing from New York to England with foodstuffs in 1919. After World War I service, she decommissioned on 20 March 1919 and was returned to the USSB for US Merchant Marine service.

Commercial service (1920-1940)

In 1920 ''Independence'' was one of five sister ships, the others being ''Archer'', ''Invincible'' (See ''Empire Porpoise''), ''Eclipse'' (first converted and the first U.S. electric drive cargo ship) and ''Victorious'', converted to electric drive before commercial operation for the USSB. The 3,000 horsepower electric motor was directly connected to the propeller shaft. The ship was sold to the Baltimore Mail Steamship Company, rebuilt and renamed ''City of Norfolk'' in 1931 operating to Europe. After the Maritime Commission ruled the Baltimore Mail routes were a non-essential service in 1937 the ships were sold in 1938 to the Panama Pacific Line for operation between the U.S. East and West coasts. The ship was reacquired by the Navy on 14 December 1940. Converted by the Willamette Iron and Steel Works, Portland, Oregon, she recommissioned as ''Neville'' (AP-16), on 14 May 1941.

U.S. Navy service (1940-1957)

On 18 June 1941, ''Neville'' reported for duty with the Atlantic Fleet and for the remaining days of quasi-peace in 1941 transported military and naval personnel to various points along the East Coast and in the Caribbean.

World War II

On 7 December 1941 she was at San Juan, en route from Trinidad to New York. Within the month, however, she was conducting landing exercises with Army units along the Virginia coast. Detached from that duty in mid-February, she embarked Army and Navy personnel and equipment and departed the East Coast, on 19 February 1942, on the first trans-oceanic run of her second world war.

She completed the round-trip voyage to Belfast, including a stop at Glasgow, on 25 March, at New York, disembarked RAF, RCAF, and British Merchant Navy personnel, and then continued on to Norfolk for voyage repairs. At the same time, she received 20 mm guns and more modern landing craft for use in her new operational territory, the Pacific.

=Guadalcanal

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''Neville'' departed Hampton Roads, on 10 April, and steaming south with TF 38, transited the Panama Canal, on the 18th, becoming a unit of TransDiv 8, ServRon 4, Pacific Fleet. Anchoring in Fanui Bay, Bora Bora, on 4 May, she discharged her Army and Seabee passengers and proceeded on to Wellington, New Zealand, where she remained until 22 July. Then, with units of the 1st Marine Division embarked, she headed toward the Fiji Islands to rendezvous with other Allied vessels assigned to " Operation Watchtower", the assaults on Tulagi and Guadalcanal.

At 0630, on 7 August, ''Neville'' arrived in her assigned transport area off beach "Blue" on Tulagi. Seven minutes later she lowered her boats and Raider groups were dispatched. At 0730 Marine Combat Team 2 was debarked into landing boats which put them ashore soon after " H-hour", 0800. Despite increasingly stiff opposition, all assigned waves had been landed by 1012. By 1320, aerial resistance, in the form of bombers and fighters, had been added to the well developed Japanese defenses in the Tulagi-Gavutu-Tanambogo area. The long battle for the Solomons had begun.

''Neville'' remained in the area through the 9th, witnessing, from a distance, the devastation wrought off Savo Island on that date. On the 13th, she arrived at Nouméa, New Caledonia, whence she continued on to Wellington to take on reinforcements. Returning to the combat area on 26 October, she participated in the landings at Aola Bay on 4 November, and then departed to take up transport duties in the New Caledonia-New Hebrides area. At the end of the month, she again returned to Guadalcanal, discharged supplies and reinforcements, took on personnel to be evacuated, and headed south east. After stopping at Espiritu Santo to disembark her evacuees, she proceeded to San Diego, arriving on 4 January 1943 for availability.

=North Africa

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On 14 February, ''Neville'', now redesignated APA-9 (effective 1 February), a , stood out from San Diego en route back to the Atlantic. She arrived at Norfolk on 10 March, and after amphibious training in the Chesapeake Bay area, sailed on 8 June for North Africa to prepare for the Sicilian invasion. By 10 July she was off Scoglitti with "Cent" Force as it landed Army units on either side of that fishing town. Assigned to the Northern Group, ''Neville''s boats delivered units of the 45th "Thunderbird" Division to "Red" beach, near the mouth of the Acate River, at 0434. Despite being the last group to get away from their transport, heavy surf, and indefinite landmarks, they were the first to touch down on the beach. With the last wave in by 0640, the task of discharging cargo was begun. On the afternoon of the 12th, the APA departed the assault area and returned to Oran, whence she sailed, on the 22nd, for the United States.

=Gilbert and Marshall Islands

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''Neville'' arrived at Newport News, Virginia, 3 August, only to depart again on the 23rd, once more assigned to the Pacific. By the end of September she was engaged in intensive landing exercises in the Hawaiian Islands. On 10 November she stood out of Honolulu and sailed for the Gilberts with troops of the 27th Division and a platoon of Marine Raiders, 5th Amphibious Corps, embarked.

On the morning of 20 November, Marine and Army units were landed on Tarawa