USS Comet ( AP - 166 ) The third USS " Comet " ( AP - 166 ) was a United States Navy " La Salle " - class transport in commission from 1944 to 1946 . She saw service in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the latter stages of World War II and the immediate postwar period . Construction and commissioning . " Comet " was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract as the Maritime Commission type C2 - S - B1 hull MC 293 by the Moore Dry Dock Company at Oakland , California , and was launched on 21 December 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . E . Warren . She was commissioned as USS " Comet " ( AP - 166 ) on 15 February 1944 with Commander V . F . Stieglitz , USNR , in command . U . S . Navy service . World War II . " Comet " cleared San Diego , California , on 26 April 1944 carrying U . S . Marines to Pearl Harbor , Territory of Hawaii . She then conducted training in the Hawaiian Islands until 30 May 1944 , when she departed for Eniwetok . On 11 June 1944 , combat loaded , she put to sea for Japan ese - held Saipan , where she unloaded troops and cargo under heavy fire in the initial assault beginning the Battle of Saipan on 15 June 1944 . On 22 June 1944 she departed Saipan for Pearl Harbor to load troops for the invasion of Guam , where she landed her men as reinforcements between 23 and 29 July 1944 during the Battle of Guam . Returning to Pearl Harbor for training until 15 September 1944 , " Comet " then sailed to Manus Island , from which she put to sea 14 October 1944 bound for the landings on Leyte in the Philippine Islands . She put her troops ashore on Leyte between 20 October 1944 , the day of the initial assault , and 22 October 1944 , thus clearing Leyte Gulf before the great naval Battle of Leyte Gulf in those waters . She returned to Leyte in November 1944 , carrying reinforcements from New Guinea . After that , " Comet " trained off Noumea in New Caledonia and at Guadalcanal for the assault on Lingayen Gulf on Luzon in the Philippines , where she arrived on 11 January 1945 with troops to reinforce those who had made the assault landings two days earlier . From New Guinea , she brought another group of reinforcements in February 1945 , then departed Lingayen Gulf to carry hospital patients from Pearl Harbor to San Francisco , California . After an overhaul , " Comet " cleared Port Hueneme , California , on 4 June 1945 , carrying construction battalion men ( Seabee s ) and equipment to Okinawa , where she arrived on 12 July 1945 after calling at various ports en route . World War II came to end on 15 August 1945 . Postwar . Until 1 August 1946 , " Comet " ranged the Pacific Ocean in the postwar redeployment of military men and the return to the United States of homeward - bound veterans . She made seven transpacific voyages , calling at such ports as Okinawa , Guam , Saipan , Hollandia , Manus , Sasebo , Tsingtao , and Taku in the western Pacific ; Kodiak , Dutch Harbor , Adak , and Attu in the Territory of Alaska ; Seattle , Washington ; and San Francisco , San Pedro , and San Diego , California . Disposal . " Comet " was decommissioned at Seattle on 14 August 1946 , and transferred to the War Shipping Administration for disposal . On 1 September 1946 , the War Shipping Administrations functions were transferred to the United States Maritime Commission , which sold " Comet " to American Pioneer Lines in 1948 . Commercial career . American Pioneer Lines renamed the ship SS " Pioneer Reef " . In 1965 , " Pioneer Reef " was sold and renamed SS " Australian Reef " . " Australian Reef " was sold for scrapping at Kaohsiung , Taiwan , in May 1970 . Honors and awards . USS " Comet " received three battle star s for her World War II service , for : the Marianas operation ( the capture and occupation of Saipan , 15 to 22 June 1944 , and the capture and occupation of Guam , 23 to 29 July 1944 ) , the Leyte operation ( the Leyte landings , 20 to 22 October 1944 ) , and the Luzon operation ( the Lingayen Gulf landings , 11 January 1945 ) .