USS Catskill ( LSV - 1 ) USS " Catskill " ( LSV - 1 ) was a vehicle landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II . The lead ship of her class , she was named for the Catskill Mountains in southeastern New York State , and the second U . S . naval vessel to bear the name . Service history . Originally classified as " AP - 106 " ; laid down , 12 July 1941 under Maritime Commission Contract ( MC hull 106 ) ; reclassified to " CM - 6 " on 1 May 1943 ; and to " LSV - 1 " 21 April 1944 . She was launched 19 May 1942 by Willamette Iron and Steel Corporation of Portland , Oregon ; sponsored by Mrs . J . G . McPherson ; and commissioned 30 June 1944 with Captain R . W . Chambers , USNR , in command . 1944 . " Catskill " sailed from San Diego on 12 August 1944 for Hawaii , where she embarked marines , and proceeded by way of Eniwetok for Manus , where she joined the transport group of the Southern Attack Force for the assault on Leyte . This group sailed 14 October for the return to the Philippines , and entered Leyte Gulf without event , anchoring off Dulag 20 October to launch the initial attack . The landing was successful , and " Catskill " completed her offloading and was able to retire in the afternoon of 22 October , before the start of the battle for Leyte Gulf . " Catskill " returned to New Guinea , then sailed to Morotai , where from 5 to 10 November 1944 she loaded troops and cargo under almost continuous enemy air raids . As her convoy proceeded north with these reinforcements for Leyte , it came under enemy air attack on 13 November , and " Catskill ' s " gunners contributed to shooting down Japanese aircraft . Unloading in Leyte Gulf took place on 14 November , and " Catskill " got underway at once for Manus , and New Guinea , where she took part in special training . 1945 . Returning to Manus 21 December 1944 , " Catskill " sailed 10 days later with the Lingayen Attack Force , which came under air attack , although not in " Catskill ' s " sector , as it made its final approach . On 9 January 1945 the landings were successfully made on beaches that the Japanese had considered too difficult for an amphibious assault . The force was under repeated air attack , but " Catskill " accomplished her part of the landing , and cleared Lingayen for Leyte 10 January . Anchoring two days later , she loaded Army troops and cargo for the first reinforcement of Lingayen 27 January . Arriving in the Solomon Islands 11 February 1945 " Catskill " began intensive training for the Okinawa operation . On 21 March , she anchored in Ulithi , staging area for the massive assault , and on 27 March got underway for the initial assault on 1 April , in which she landed units of the 6th Marines . That night , she moved out to sea , and for the next four days , returned to the beachhead area daily to complete her unloading of men and cargo . Returning to Saipan 9 April , " Catskill " continued on to San Francisco , arriving 13 May . Between 16 May and 14 June 1945 " Catskill " made a voyage from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor carrying vehicles and general cargo , and steamed to Pearl Harbor once again . She loaded troops there for Eniwetok , Saipan , and Guam , and after carrying out this assignment , proceeded to Manila , arriving 5 July . Here she remained until 20 September , when she sailed laden with Army troops for the occupation of Japan . " Catskill " anchored in Wakayama Bay on 25 September , and cleared Japan 1 October for the Philippines , where she embarked homeward - bound servicemen . She arrived in San Francisco 27 October , and sailed again 10 November on the first of two more voyages to bring troops home from Guam , Ulithi , Peleliu , and Eniwetok . On 21 December 1945 the " Catskill " sailed from San Diego for Guam with the 90th Marine Corps Replacement Draft which was eventually headed for China . She arrived in Guam on 18 January 1946 . Decommissioning and conversion , 1946 – 1967 . On 10 February 1946 " Catskill " arrived at San Diego , where she was placed out of commission in reserve 30 August 1946 . Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet , San Diego Group , " Catskill " was reclassified as mine countermeasures support ship " MCS - 1 " on 18 October 1956 . Struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 July 1961 , she was reinstated 1 June 1964 . Converted to an MCS in fiscal year 1964 at Boland Machine Manufacturing Company of New Orleans , Louisiana from 25 June 1964 to 8 September 1967 , " Catskill " ( MCS - 1 ) was recommissioned 6 October 1967 . Vietnam , 1967 – 1970 . During the Vietnam War " Catskill " participated in the following campaigns : Decommissioned in December , 1970 at the Naval Shipyard in Long Beach , California , " Catskill " was struck from the Naval Register and believed to have been scrapped . " Catskill " received three battle star s for World War II service and five campaign star s for Vietnam War service .