USS Seminole ( AKA - 104 ) USS " Seminole " ( AKA - 104 / LKA - 104 ) was a of the United States Navy named after counties in Florida , Georgia , and Oklahoma . " Seminole " was designed to carry military cargo and landing craft , and to use the latter to land weapons , supplies , and Marines on enemy shores during amphibious warfare and operations . She served as a commissioned ship for 25 years and 9 months . " Seminole " was built in 1944 as a Type C2 - S - AJ3 ship under a Maritime Commission contract ( MC hull 1703 ) , by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company , Wilmington , North Carolina ; launched on 28 December 1944 ; sponsored by Miss Pamela Cole ; Commissioned on 8 March 1945 , at the Charleston Navy Yard , Charleston , South Carolina , with Lieutenant Commander E . L . Bothwell , Assistant to the Captain of the Yard , in temporary command . Service history . World War II , 1945 . Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay from 25 to 28 March 1945 , the attack cargo ship operated along the east coast . On 8 April she departed Norfolk for the Panama Canal Zone . " Seminole " transited the Panama Canal on 14 to 15 April and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 30 April . From 1 May through 27 May , " Seminole " engaged in training cruises off the Hawaiian Islands . On 28 May , she got underway for the Marshall Islands and arrived at Eniwetok on 6 June . " Seminole " independently zigzagged her way to Ulithi , Caroline Islands , from 17 – 21 June , where she loaded anti - tank land mines for Okinawan operations . Arriving at Buckner Bay , Okinawa on 14 July , " Seminole " unloaded her cargo on 17 July . On 18 July , general quarters were sounded , and the AKA steamed southward to avoid a typhoon . The hazard over by 20 July , " Seminole " returned to Buckner Bay the following day . She took similar measures during a typhoon warning from 1 – 3 August . On 6 August , " Seminole " departed Buckner Bay for Ulithi , and , in spite of trouble in her fuel lines , arrived on 10 August . On the 13th , she got underway for the Palaus and arrived at Peleliu Island the following day . On the 15th Japan surrendered . Post - war activities , 1945 – 1950 . " Seminole " loaded cargo at Peleliu and departed on 21 August bound for the Marianas . After anchoring in Saipan Harbor on 24 August , she unloaded cargo there and at Tanapag and Tinian before getting underway for Guam . " Seminole " remained in Apra Harbor , Guam , from 1 – 4 September , before sailing for the Philippines . " Seminole " entered San Pedro Bay , Leyte , on 8 September ; steamed to Guiuan , Samar Island , on September , where she transferred four LCVP ' s and eight LCM ' s before steaming to Iloilo , Panay Island , on 12 September . From 12 – 17 September , " Seminole " loaded general cargo , ammunition , vehicles , landing craft , and gasoline for the 40th Infantry Division . Then , on 18 September , she got underway for Jinsen , Korea , and anchored there a week later . " Seminole " returned to Leyte on 7 October . She remained in Philippine waters , loading cargo at various points , until 18 October when she stood out of San Fernando Harbor , Luzon , for Korea . After unloading equipment and 84 officers and men of the U . S . 6th Infantry Division at Jinsen , " Seminole " again set out for the Philippines , anchoring in Guiuan Harbor , Samar , on 5 November . On 1 December , the attack cargo ship departed Leyte Gulf , and arrived in San Francisco , California , on 2 March 1946 , after stopping off at Tsingtao , Guam , and Pearl Harbor . During the postwar years from 1946 to 1950 , " Seminole " operated along the west coast , and at Pearl Harbor , Guam , and other Pacific ports . Korean War , 1950 – 1953 . In Puget Sound when war broke out in Korea in the summer of 1950 , " Seminole " and sister ship , , got underway for Yokosuka , Japan . She changed her course in accordance with a dispatch of 30 August and arrived at Kobe the next day . After voyage repairs at the Mitsubishi dockyards and lashing down for typhoon " Jane , " " Seminole " loaded military cargo and got underway for Pusan , Korea , on 4 September accompanied by and . " Seminole " returned to Kobe that same day in compliance with a confidential dispatch , fueled to capacity , and got underway independently at 0027 on 5 September . " Seminole " moored in Pusan Harbor on 6 September . On 8 September , she commenced loading cargo , supplies , and equipment of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade . Five war correspondent s reported on board on 11 September , and 301 U . S . Marines and 58 ROK Marines embarked the next day . On 15 September , " Seminole " lowered and dispatched her boats for the opposed landings on Red Beach , Inchon . From 16 – 20 September , the AKA continued to offload her cargo . On 21 September , she evacuated six marine casualties and debarked them at Sasebo , Japan , on 23 September . After repairs to the ship and her boats , " Seminole " stood out of Kobe on 5 October and arrived at Inchon on 8 October . " Seminole " began loading troops and equipment of the 1st Marine Division the next day and took on additional troops and cargo until standing out of the harbor on 17 October . " Seminole " and accompanying ships reversed their course back and forth several times until the mine fields at Wonsan had been cleared . She entered Wonsan Harbor on 25 October and landed marines and offloaded cargo until 30 October . " Seminole " departed Wonsan Harbor on 1 November , reaching Pusan the next day . After embarking men of the 65th Regimental Combat Team and the 58th Field Artillery Battalion , she disembarked them at Wonsan on 7 November . Two days later , " Seminole " got underway for Pusan and sank a mine with fire from small arms and 20 millimeter guns en route . " Seminole " anchored in Pusan on 10 November , where she loaded troops from X Corps , before getting underway on the next day . " Seminole " returned to Wonsan Harbor on 12 November , disembarked the soldiers , and performed upkeep and maintenance until standing out for Japan on 17 November . " Seminole " arrived at Yokosuka Harbor on 20 November , remaining there until the end of the month . Early in December , the attack transport returned to Korea to evacuate troops who had been endangered by the entry of Chinese communist forces into the war . The ship entered Wonsan Harbor on 4 December , and embarked a platoon of the 3rd Infantry Division and their equipment . From 5 – 7 December , additional elements of the 3rd Infantry Division , including the Division Band , came on board . On 9 December , " Seminole " stood into Hŭngnam , Korea . For the remainder of 1950 , " Seminole " completed several trips between Hungnam and Pusan , ferrying Japanese stevedores , as well as 3rd Division and ROK soldiers . " Seminole " anchored at Kobe Harbor on 29 December . On 13 January 1951 , " Seminole " stood out of Kobe en route to Korea , anchoring at the Pusan outer harbor the next day . From 23 – 28 January , " Seminole " transported North Korean and Chinese POW ' S from Pusan to Sadung Ni . On 29 January , " Seminole " interrupted this work to engage in simulated amphibious movements and assault landings along the eastern coast . The ruse , between 29 – 31 January , caused the enemy to deploy his troops where they did not threaten United Nations forces . Her mission completed , " Seminole " returned to the ferrying of POW ' s on 2 February . On 8 February , additional simulated assault landings were made . On 10 February , " Seminole " departed Inchon for Japan and arrived at Sasebo two days later . She made one more trip to Korea and back that month , returning to Yokosuka Harbor on the 25th . " Seminole " departed Sasebo on 4 April , arriving at Hong Kong on the 16th . On 9 July , she stood into San Diego Harbor . " Seminole " operated along the west coast until 29 November 1952 , then she returned to Yokosuka . Departing Yokosuka on 5 December , " Seminole " resumed her operations in Korean and Japanese waters . On 10 April 1953 , " Seminole " departed Japan as a part of Task Group 90 . 9 which redeployed the 5th Cavalry Regimental Combat Team from Pusan and Koje Do , Korea , to Otaru , Japan . Arriving at Pusan on 13 April , " Seminole " loaded vehicles , drivers , and 500 troops before returning to Otaru on the 27th . " Seminole " continued her operations in Japanese and Korean waters well after the signing of the truce on 27 July 1953 . From 28 July to 12 September , she ferried almost 10 , 000 North Korean and Chinese POW ' s in " Operation Big Switch " from Koje Do to Inchon . On 22 September , she departed Asian waters and arrived at San Diego on Columbus Day 1953 . Pacific operations , 1954 – 1966 . On 14 September 1954 , " Seminole " departed the west coast . She arrived at Yokosuka on 2 October , Hong Kong on the tenth , and Sasebo on the 29th . On 30 November 1955 , the attack transport ship stood into Subic Bay , Philippines , and arrived at Saigon , Vietnam , on New Year ' s Eve . After evacuating refugees from North Vietnam and the Tachen Islands , she departed Saigon on 11 January 1956 . " Seminole " returned to Japan , standing into Kobe on the 27th . " Seminole " departed Kobe on 6 February and proceeded to Buckner Bay , Okinawa . On 24 February , she departed the Ryukyus for Japan and thence proceeded to San Diego via Pearl Harbor . For the remainder of 1956 , " Seminole " operated along the west coast and Alaska . In January 1957 , she again set sail for Yokosuka . " Seminole " operated off Japan , Okinawa , and Korea until her return to San Diego on 26 September . Back in Yokosuka on 3 July 1958 , the AKA remained in East Asian waters until her return to San Diego on 8 December . " Seminole " continued her active service into the 1960s . On 1 July 1966 , " Seminole " was assigned to Amphibious Squadron 9 . Vietnam , 1967 – 1970 . On 24 February 1967 , the squadron departed Chin Wan , Okinawa , and arrived off the mouth of the Cua Viet river , South Vietnam , on 1 March . There , they embarked marines for rotation , and arrived at Chin Wan on 13 March . On 14 April the " Seminole " assisted in the rescue of 28 survivors of SS " Silver Peak " , which had been run aground by typhoon " Violet . " " Seminole " participated in Operation " Beaver Cage , " an amphibious and helicopter borne assault in support of the 1st Marine Division from 28 April to 13 May . Planning commenced immediately for operation " Beau Charger , " an amphibious and helicopter assault for a search and destroy operation near the DMZ . This operation , executed 18 – 22 May , inflicted losses upon the enemy in an area he had considered his sanctuary . On 18 June , Operation " Beacon Torch " was launched near Hội An . After disrupting enemy base areas , fortifications , and lines of communications , the 5th Marine Regiment was withdrawn on 2 July and inserted just south of the DMZ to help counter an urgent North Vietnamese threat in Operation " Bear Track , " 4 July through the 17th . Three days later , Operation " Bear Chain " was launched against enemy strongholds south of Huế , terminating on 25 July . A short duration , surprise amphibious assault in the vicinity of Huế , was followed by a search and destroy sweep inland , Operation " Kangaroo Kick . " " Seminole " next headed for a much - needed upkeep period , arriving at Subic Bay on 5 August . The last operation of this deployment came on 27 August with an amphibious landing near Quang Tri . Operation " Belt Drive , " as it was named , came to a successful completion on 5 September and deterred enemy terrorism over the election period . " Seminole " s unit departed Vietnamese waters on 1 September , however , to return to the United States west coast , via Hong Kong and Subic Bay . She arrived at her homeport , San Diego , on 21 September . From 24 April to 3 May 1968 , " Seminole " participated in fleet exercise " Beagle Leash " off the California islands of Coronado and San Clemente . On 1 August , " Seminole " participated in a joint convoy exercise while in transit from San Diego to Pearl Harbor . On 10 October , during an upkeep period in Subic Bay , " Seminole " relieved . On the 23rd , she entered Kaoshiung for a port visit . On the 28th , " Seminole " proceeded independently to join the ARG in Da Nang on the 30th . She was detached on 13 November for a round - trip voyage to Singapore and rejoined the task group on the 26th . " Seminole " got underway for Hong Kong on 6 December , arriving two days later . After spending Christmas in Hong Kong , " Seminole " stood out of the harbor on 27 December 1968 , to rejoin her unit off the Vietnamese coast near Da Nang . " Seminole " was redesignated LKA - 104 on 1 January 1969 . On 12 January , " Seminole " s squadron participated in the Mo Due demonstration . " Seminole " remained in the Mo Due area alone to continue the demonstration , thus missing Operation " Bold Mariner , " the largest amphibious operation since the Inchon landings . On 6 February , the LKA offloaded Seatail material and steamed singly for Yokosuka on the 14th . Amphibious Squadron 9 rejoined " Seminole " at Yokosuka on the 26th . On 14 July , " Seminole " grounded on Puget Shoals after a port visit in the Olympia , Washington , area . She rejoined Amphibious Squadron 9 at Buckner Bay on 1 December . The squadron got underway for Subic Bay the next day and finished the year in upkeep . Following additional upkeep , training , and an amphibious demonstration for students and faculty from the Vietnamese Defense College , " Seminole " departed Subic Bay on 25 January 1970 for Vietnam and Operation " Keystone Bluejay . " The ship completed loading marines and equipment on 29 January and delivered them to San Diego on 24 February . Decommissioning . On 23 September , in her 25th year of active service , " Seminole " was transferred to the Inactive Ship Facility , San Diego . She was placed out of commission in reserve on 23 December 1970 . Awards . " Seminole " received six battle star s for service in the Korean War and six campaign star s for service in Vietnam .