USS John Penn ( APA - 23 ) USS " John Penn " ( APA - 23 ) was a " John Penn " - class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II . Named after John Penn , a signatory to the American Declaration of Independence , she was the only ship in her class . The ship was initially launched as " Excambion " in 1931 by the New York Shipbuilding Company of Camden , New Jersey as one of American Export Lines ' s original " Four Aces . " She was acquired by the Navy 8 January 1942 ; and commissioned 6 April 1942 , Captain Harry W . Need in command . World War II . Invasion of North Africa . After fitting out and training , " John Penn " began preparations for what was to be one of the largest overseas expeditions ever undertaken , Operation Torch , the North Africa n Invasion . From 4 to 16 October 1942 , " John Penn " loaded Army equipment , cargo , and troops , then topped off with fuel . She sortied from Hampton Roads 23 October with Admiral Hewitt ' s Western Naval Task Force . As a unit of Rear Admiral Monroe Kelly ' s Northern Attack Group she arrived 8 November in the transport area off Mehdia , Western Morocco , where she began landing troops and putting cargo ashore . Although hampered by heavy surf and fire from enemy shore batteries , she unloaded with efficiency and dispatch . At 1053 an enemy aircraft attacked " John Penn " , but her after batteries quickly splashed the intruder . On 15 November she departed for Casablanca , arrived that same day , and unloaded the remainder of her cargo . She sailed for Norfolk , Virginia 17 November arriving the 30th . Two of her fellow Aces , AP - 50 " Joseph Hewes " ( formerly " Excalibur " ) and AP - 52 " Edward Rutledge " ( formerly " Exeter " ) were sunk by U - boats during Operation Torch . Guadalcanal campaign . " John Penn " departed Norfolk 17 December for deployment to the Pacific , arriving New Caledonia via the Canal Zone 18 January 1943 . She departed New Caledonia 24 January ; and touching at Espiritu Santo 3 days later , got underway to pick up survivors from " Chicago " , sunk off Guadalcanal 29 January . In all , she received 1 , 003 men and 63 officers , including Captain R . C . Davis , the lost cruiser ' s commanding officer . After debarking her grateful passengers at Noumea , New Caledonia , she spent the next 6 months delivering supplies , equipment , and troops to Guadalcanal from the New Hebrides , the Fiji Islands and New Zealand . Reclassified APA - 23 on 1 February 1943 , she continued to bring supplies and troops into this bitterly contested island . Torpedoed and sunk . On 13 August " John Penn " had just finished unloading a cargo of 155 - mm ammunition off Lunga Point , Guadalcanal . At 2120 she came under attack by enemy torpedo plane s . Three minutes later , when the transport took one of the planes under fire , the plane burst into flames and crashed into her mainmast . About that same instant a torpedo from another plane hit the ship . Despite vigorous efforts to save her , " John Penn " went down stern first at 2150 . Approximately 35 survivors were rescued by a United States Navy coastal transport vessel , the USS APc - 25 , whose commanding officer was Navy Lieutenant John D . Cartano . At the time of the torpedoing , Captain Harry William Need ( later Rear Admiral ) commanded USS John Penn . In her naval service , the transport had played a key role in the assault and occupation of French Morocco and contributed greatly to the struggle for Guadalcanal . " John Penn " ' s crew , reassigned to other ships , took part in later decisive naval victories . Awards . " John Penn " received one battle star for World War II service . Diving the Wreck . The " John Penn " is a popular dive site in Honiara . The wreck lies on its starboard side with the port hull in about 36 metres of water . The sand under the starboard side is about 56 metres . There are often strong currents on the wreck so care needs to be taken when diving here .