A borough in eastern New Jersey and site of U.S. Naval Air Station established in 1919.
Lakehurst (APV-3) was built as Seatrain New Jersey in 1940 by Sun Shipbuilding Co., Chester, Pa.; owned by Seatrain Lines, New York City; acquired by Navy under bareboat charter 13 October 1942; and commissioned as Lakehurst at New York the same day, Comdr. H. J. McNulty in command.
After loading Army equipment, Lakehurst departed for Hampton Roads 19 October 1942 to prepare for the invasion of North Africa. On 23 October she sailed with units of Task Force 34 and arrived 8 November off Safi, Morocco. After unloading gasoline, ammunition, and miscellaneous military equipment, she departed 13 November for the east coast, arriving Hampton Roads the 24th. Lakehurst sailed to New York 2 December to embark troops and load cargo. Reclassified APM-1 on 3 December, she sailed 12 December in a convoy to North Africa. Redesignated APM-9 on 17 December, she reached Casablanca 24 December and discharged men and equipment.
Departing 29 December, Lakehurst returned to New York 12 January 1943. From 8 February to 28 April she made two more runs out of New York to the North African ports of Oran and Casablanca. After a supply voyage from Norfolk to Oran 10 through 23 May, she arrived Gibraltar 30 May and remained there until sailing for Norfolk 6 July. Reaching Norfolk 24 July, Lakehurst decommissioned 2 August, transferred to the WSA, and was turned over to the Army the same day.
Lakehurst received one battle star for World War II service.
