USS Cambria ( APA - 36 ) USS " Cambria " ( APA - 36 ) was a " Bayfield " - class attack transport acquired by the U . S . Navy for service in World War II . " Cambria " was launched 10 November 1942 as SS " Sea Swallow " by the Western Pipe and Steel Company , San Francisco , California , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Mrs . W . Griffin ; acquired by the Navy 4 May 1943 ; placed in partial commission the same day , Lieutenant Commander William S . Baker USN , in command ; sailed to New York for decommissioning and conversion to an attack transport ; and recommissioned 10 November 1943 , Captain Charles W . Dean , USCG , in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . Invasion of the Marshall Islands . " Cambria " departed Norfolk , Virginia , 11 December 1943 and arrived at Pearl Harbor on New Year ' s Day . After three weeks of intensive training , she sailed on 23 January 1944 for the invasion of the Marshall Islands , where she served as flagship for Majuro Attack Group during the landings . Invasion of Saipan . After overhaul at San Francisco , California , and refresher training at Pearl Harbor , " Cambria " left 30 May 1944 for the Marianas invasion , again serving as flagship of an attack group . She took part in the assault on Saipan which began 15 June and during the next 24 days embarked 715 casualties of the desperate fighting on the island . Flying the flag of Commander task force TF 52 , she led the invasion of Tinian ( 24 July - 1 August ) ; here she handled another 613 casualties . Invasion of Leyte . Embarking U . S . Army troops and equipment at Honolulu , " Cambria " got underway 15 September 1944 for Manus , arriving 3 October to join the Southern Attack Group for the invasion of the Philippines . On 20 October she landed troops at Dulag , Leyte , in the first assault wave , then remained off Leyte as a casualty evacuation ship , receiving 70 wounded from the beach . " Cambria " lifted reinforcements from Oro Bay , New Guinea , to the Leyte area , then returned to New Guinea for rehearsal landings at Huon Gulf . Invasion of Lingayen Gulf . " Cambria " landed troops at Lingayen Gulf during the invasion landings 10 January 1945 , and after a reinforcement mission from San Pedro Bay to Lingayen Gulf , got underway for Tulagi , Florida Island , to train for the invasion of Okinawa . Invasion of Okinawa . " Cambria " staged at Ulithi , then put her troops ashore at Okinawa on 1 April 1945 . She completed her unloading two days later and sailed for San Pedro , California , arriving 3 May for an overhaul which lasted until the end of hostilities . After hostilities . For the remainder of the year she was engaged in the redeployment of forces in the Far East , and then as a participant in the giant Magic Carpet operation which brought back demobilizing troops to the United States . Post - World War II operations . Sailing from San Francisco , California , 11 January 1946 , " Cambria " arrived at Norfolk , Virginia , on the 27th for duty with the Atlantic Fleet . She operated from her new home port on local exercises and training assaults in the Caribbean until placed out of commission in reserve 30 June 1949 . Suez crisis . Recommissioned 15 September 1950 with the outbreak of war in Korea , " Cambria " , alternated local operations and training in the Caribbean and off Labrador with three tours of duty with the U . S . 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . On her 1956 cruise with the 6th Fleet " Cambria " landed United Nations troops at Gaza during the Suez crisis . Beirut mission . Returning to Norfolk 2 February 1957 , " Cambria " resumed operations and exercises in the Caribbean and along the eastern seaboard . This routine was interrupted in the summer of 1958 , when , on 10 September , " Cambria " sailed to join the 6th Fleet in support of the American landings at Beirut , Lebanon . She remained at this port until 18 October 1958 and in the Mediterranean until the end of the year to complete a regular tour with the 6th Fleet . She returned to the States in March 1959 , visited Great Lakes ports during June and July in connection with the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway , and operated on the east coast . " Cambria " made another 6th Fleet cruise during the first half of 1960 , then resumed U . S . East Coast operations for the remainder of the year . She was also involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis from 24 October to 5 December 1962 . On 8 July 1969 , she was involved in a collision with the during a night - time exercise off Malta . End of service . " Cambria " was decommissioned 14 September 1970 and transferred to MARAD on 13 November 1970 , and struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 September 1971 . She was sold for non - transportation use on 7 September 1971 to Caribbean Marine , Inc , and scrapped the following year . Awards . " Cambria " received six battle star s for World War II service : " Cambria " also received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for participating in the Cuban Missile Crisis .