Clinton APA-144

Clinton II

(APA-144: dp. 6,720; 1. 455'; b. 62'; dr. 24'; s. 17 k.;
cpl. 546; a. 1 5"; cl. Haskell)

The second Clinton (APA-144) was launched 29 November 1944 by California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, Calif., under a Maritime Commission contract sponsored by Mrs. L. N. Green; transferred to the Navy 1 February 1945; converted at U.S. Naval Station Astoria, Oreg., and commissioned 1 February 1945 Commander J. A. Tvaldi, USNR, in command

Clinton cleared San Francisco 17 April 1945 and sailed to land Marine replacement troops and equipment on Okinawa between 27 and 31 May. She transferred battle casualties to Guam where she embarked ground forces of the 7th Bomber Command for transportation to Okinawa, arriving 2 July. When she sailed 6 days later she was carrying over 1,000 Okinawan and Korean prisoners of war for internment in the Hawaiian Islands. Clinton cleared Honolulu 5 August carrying replacement troops to Saipan.

She sailed on to Manila to embark Army occupation troops whom she landed at TsingLao, China, 11 October

1945. Arriving at Elaiphong, French Indo-China, 26 October, she loaded Chinese troops and equipment and carried them to Chinwangtao and Taku for the reoccupation of northern China. Assigned to "Magic Carpet" duty, Clinton embarked homeward-bound servicemen at Manila and sailed 28 November for San Pedro, Calif., arriving 18 December. She continued to the east coast, arriving at Norfolk 2 February 1946. Clinton was decommissioned 2 May 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 1 October 1958.

Clinton received one battle star for World War II service.