USS Hansford ( APA - 106 ) USS " Hansford " ( APA - 106 ) was a that served with the US Navy during World War II . Originally christened " Sea Adder " , the vessel was launched 25 April 1944 as " Gladwin " by Western Pipe & Steel of San Francisco , under Maritime Commission contract . She was transferred to the Navy and renamed " Hansford " ( after Hansford County , Texas ) on 25 August , and commissioned on 12 October 1944 , Comdr . William A . Lynch in command . Operational history . After shakedown off San Pedro , California , " Hansford " got underway for Pearl Harbor 25 November 1944 and unloaded passengers and cargo there on 2 December . In the Hawaiian Islands she undertook an intensive training program emphasizing landing exercises during daylight and maneuvering in formation at night . On 28 December she embarked the 1st Battalion Landing Team , 27th Regiment , 5th Division , U . S . Marines who joined her crew in amphibious training as they made ready for combat . Casualties at Iwo Jima . On 27 January 1945 , " Hansford " sailed for Saipan , the staging area for the invasion of Iwo Jima , next step in America ' s seaborne thrust across the Pacific . After final rehearsal at Saipan , she sortied 16 February 1945 with Task Force 51 . The initial assault waves which stormed the beaches of Iwo Jima 19 February included units from " Hansford " . She continued to land troops and equipment through 25 February . Although she often closed to within 1 , 000 yards of land , " Hansford " managed to escape the enemy shells which landed nearby . However , four of her boats , two LCVP ' s and two LCM ' s were lost during the operation , and her beach party , which was ashore from 19 February through 22 February , suffered 17 casualties including one officer and three enlisted men killed and one bluejacket missing . Three members of the boat group were wounded . Each day while she was anchored off Iwo Jima , " Hansford " embarked and cared for casualties who were brought on board from the beaches . On the afternoon of 25 February she sailed for Saipan . Upon arrival there on 28 February , she transferred 127 casualties to an Army hospital . " Hansford " departed for Tulagi , Solomon Islands , 5 March 1945 , whereupon arrival 12 March , she replaced the boats lost at Iwo Jima . The next day she sailed for the New Hebrides , anchoring in Segond Channel , Espiritu Santo Island , 15 March to embark the 2d Battalion Landing Team , 105th Regiment , 27th Infantry Division . While at Espiritu Santo , " Hansford " readied herself for further combat . She got underway for Ulithi atoll , the staging area for the invasion of Okinawa , 25 March . Okinawa . " Hansford " sortied to the Ryukyu s 4 April to take part in the follow - up phases of the vast Okinawa operation , largest invasion of the Pacific War . After a passage made difficult by three submarine contacts and encounters with numerous floating mines , her task group anchored in Kerama Retto 9 April 1945 . The next day she steamed to the Hagushi beaches at Okinawa , where she landed her troops and cargo , and embarked casualties . " Hansford " ' s crew often sighted enemy planes which raided the area 20 times during the week she was off Okinawa , but she only opened fire once when an enemy plane passed close aboard at an extremely low altitude . The ship ' s company suffered their only casualty when the barrel of a 20 mm . gun exploded . " Hansford " departed Okinawa with 51 casualties on board 16 April and transferred them to an Army hospital upon her arrival Saipan 20 April . The next day she got underway for Ulithi where she anchored 23 April for a month of training for future operations against the Japanese home islands . She then proceeded to the Philippines arriving San Pedro Bay , Leyte Gulf , 27 May , to continue preparations for invasion . After hostilities . The day after the Japanese capitulated , " Hansford " embarked Commander Amphibious Group 12 , Rear Admiral J . L . Hall , and his staff of 62 officers and 218 bluejackets . On 19 August key Army units came on board at Leyte for passage to occupation duty in Japan . She got underway for Tokyo Bay on 25 August , returned to Subic Bay that night because of typhoon , and on 27 August again sailed for Japan . Her formation entered Tokyo Bay early in the watch and passed battleship Missouri as the surrender ceremonies ending the war took place . The next day " Hansford " ' s occupation troops and cargo debarked at Yokohama . During the ensuing weeks at Yokohama , " Hansford " was a center of much activity since Admiral Hall , now serving as Port Director , was embarked . Her duties included quartering liberated Allied prisoners . Operation Magic Carpet . Assigned to Operation Magic Carpet 13 October , " Hansford " sailed with 79 officers and 1 , 320 enlisted passengers whom she debarked in San Pedro 26 October . After repairs in dry dock , she returned to Nagoya , Japan , 4 December and got underway for Seattle , Washington , with another load of troops 7 December . The day after her arrival back in Japan , she was released from " Magic Carpet " duty , and sailed for the United States . Subsequently , " Hansford " sailed via the Panama Canal to Norfolk , Virginia . Arriving on 2 May 1946 , she decommissioned there 14 June 1946 . Commercial service . " Hansford " was redelivered to the Maritime Commission and sold 20 May 1947 to Isthmian Lines , who registered her in New York and renamed her " Steel Apprentice " . The vessel operated in the service of Ithsmian from 1949 until 1969 . On 20 October 1953 , navigating in thick fog and without operable radar , the " Steel Apprentice " struck Elbow of Cross Ledge Light head - on , knocking most of the lighthouse into the Delaware Bay . " Steel Apprentice " was scrapped at Kaohsiung , Taiwan in May 1973 .