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USS Leonard Wood (AP-25/APA-12)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Leonard Wood (AP-25/APA-12)

USS Leonard Wood (AP-25), ex-Nutmeg State and Western World, was built in 1922 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co., Sparrow Point, Md.; purchased by the War Department in 1939 and renamed Leonard Wood; served as a Army transport until acquired by the Navy 3 June 1911; and commissioned 10 June, manned by the Coast Guard, Comdr. H. G. Bradbury, USCG, in command.

After training off North Carolina, USS Leonard Wood (AP-25) departed Halifax, Nova Scotia, 10 November 1941 carrying reinforcements around the Cape of Good Hope to British outposts in the Far East. After debarking troops at Bombay and Singapore, USS Leonard Wood (AP-25) returned, entering Philadelphia Navy Yard in March 1942 for conversion to an attack transport. She was redesignated APA-12 on 1 February 1943.

The transport sailed 3 June 1943 and arrived Mers el Kebir, Algeria, 22 June where she prepared for the assault on Sicily. USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) spent the remainder of World War II in the Pacific, distinguishing herself in seven amphibious landings. In the Gilbert Islands and Marshall Islands operations the ship gained experience, especially in cargo handling, which proved invaluable when USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) later took part in the final push toward victory with the landings at Saipan, Leyte, and Lingayen Gulf.

USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) departed Pearl Harbor 29 May 1944 bound for the capture and occupation of Saipan, Marianas Islands. Arriving Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, an atoll USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) had helped to secure just 3 months before, the ship fueled, watered, and provisioned before departing 11 June for her assigned anchorage off Saipan. After Saipan, the ship made transport and training runs between Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Guadalcanal until she sailed from Guadalcanal 8 September for the capture and occupation of Angaur Island, Palau Island Group. Arriving 7 September, the ship landed troops, and then began unloading cargo and receiving casualties. USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) completed unloading 21 September, and departed for Manus Island 27 September.

USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) took part in her last amphibious landing with the Mindoro Island assault 9 February 1945. Debarking her troops and cargo in less than 5 hours, she steamed for San Francisco via Leyte, Ulithi, and Pearl Harbor, arriving 27 March. After repairs at San Francisco USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) began transport duties between the United States and the western Pacific, making two runs to Manila and one to Tokyo. The ship-s Coast Guard crew debarked 22 March 1946 when USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) decommissioned and was redelivered to the Army at Seattle, Wash., pending transfer to the War Shipping Administration.

For a complete history of USS Leonard Wood (AP-25/APA-12) please see its DANFS page.