USS Hunter Liggett ( APA - 14 ) USS " Hunter Liggett " ( APA - 14 ) was a " Harris " - class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II . " Hunter Liggett " was built as SS " Pan America " in 1922 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Sparrows Point , Maryland , and after sailing for many years as a passenger ship was transferred to the Army and renamed " Hunter Liggett " in February 1939 . The transport operated from New York to San Francisco and from the West Coast to Hawaii until 27 May 1941 , when she was turned over to the Navy . Converted to Navy use at Brooklyn Navy Yard , she commissioned as AP - 27 9 June 1941 , Captain L . W . Perkins , USCG , commanding . She was reclassed APA - 14 1 February 1943 . World War II . " Hunter Liggett " and her US Coast Guard crew were ordered to the Pacific in April 1942 . Departing New York 9 April the ship stopped at the Canal Zone and Tongatapu before arriving Wellington , New Zealand , 28 May . Invasion of Guadalcanal . The transport was scheduled to take part in America ' s first offensive operation in the Pacific , the occupation of Guadalcanal , and after amphibious training and a rehearsal landing in the Koro Islands she sailed with other ships 31 July for the Solomons . " Hunter Liggett " arrived off Guadalcanal the night of 6 August . In this assault , America ' s first amphibious operation since 1898 , the ship was assigned to a later wave but sent her boats to aid in the initial landings , 7 August . Air attacks began on the day after the landing , sinking fellow transport " George F . Elliott " . " Hunter Liggett " ' s gunners shot down several of the attackers as she remained off the beaches . Early on the morning of 9 August , men in the transport area could see the flashes of light from an engagement off Savo Island . As the Japanese attempted to reinforce their Solomons garrison and destroy the transports they surprised an American Task Force and inflicted heavy losses . " Hunter Liggett " and the other vulnerable transports got underway , but soon returned to the transport area . After noon 9 August , they began the grim job of rescuing survivors from the sunken cruisers " Vincennes " , " Astoria " , and " Quincy " . That afternoon the transport sailed with the wounded , in company with the damaged " Chicago " , to Noumea , where she arrived 2 days later . With the Guadalcanal campaign began the refinement of amphibious techniques which was to pay off so handsomely as the war progressed . The transport spent the next month at Noumea and on local amphibious training operations . After a period of repair at Wellington she sailed 22 October for Efate , New Hebrides , loaded marines , and returned to bitterly - contested Guadalcanal 4 November . As she off - loaded near Lunga Point , Japanese shore batteries and air attacks made every moment a potentially fatal one . As the Tokyo Express was due that night , " Hunter Liggett " and the other transports retired in the evening , only to return next day to finish landing operations . For most of the next year , " Hunter Liggett " remained on this hazardous duty , the support of Guadalcanal . She made numerous trips to the island bringing troops from Noumea and New Zealand , carried equipment , and transported wounded marines and Japanese prisoners from the embattled island . Constantly threatened from the air and by submarine s , she continued this vital job until arriving 22 October 1943 , when she anchored at Efate , New Hebrides . Invasion of Bougainville . At Efate , " Hunter Liggett " took part in training operations for another important amphibious operation , the invasion of Bougainville . As American strength grew and the Gilberts operation got underway to the east , the task force sailed 28 October for Empress Augusta Bay , Bougainville . Arriving early 1 November the transports unloaded with startling efficiency during air attacks from Rabaul . " Hunter Liggett " remained in the area that night and once more witnessed from afar the Japanese attempt to break up the landing . This time , in the night action of Empress Augusta Bay the Japanese were soundly defeated by Rear Admiral Merrill ' s task force . " Hunter Liggett " departed that day for Tulagi and after another passage to Bougainville to support the amphibious toe - hold there 11 November sailed for Espiritu Santo 18 November . Made a training ship . Loading wounded at Espiritu Santo , " Hunter Liggett " proceeded to Pago Pago for more casualties and sailed for San Francisco , arriving 9 December . For several months the transport underwent major repairs . Then , 3 April 1944 , she steamed to San Diego to begin a new career as an amphibious training ship . For the next 8 months she imparted the lessons learned in the Solomons campaign to those who would carry out some of the largest and best executed assaults in US Naval history - Leyte , Iwo Jima , Okinawa , and others . After hostilities . " Hunter Liggett " joined the Operation Magic Carpet fleet 10 December 1945 to return American servicemen from the Pacific . She made voyages to Ulithi , Guam , Pearl Harbor , and the Palaus before reporting to Olympia , Washington , for return to the Army 9 March 1946 . " Hunter Liggett " decommissioned 18 March 1946 . She was sold for scrapping to the Boston Metals Company on 30 January 1948 . Awards . " Hunter Liggett " received four battle star s for World War II service .