USS New Kent ( APA - 217 ) USS " New Kent " ( APA - 217 ) was a " Haskell " - class attack transport built and used by the US Navy in World War II . She was a Victory ship design , VC2 - S - AP5 . She was named after New Kent County , Virginia , USA . World War II Service . The " New Kent " was laid down under Maritime Commission contract ( Hull MC - 565 ) by Permanente Metals Corporation , Yard # 2 , Richmond , California on 11 July 1944 . She was launched 12 October 1944 , sponsored by Mrs . W . J . Maher . The ship was commissioned on 22 November 1944 with Captain Frank Monroe , Jr . in command . The " New Kent " was outfitted at the Naval Supply Depot , Oakland , California . The ship remained in the San Francisco Bay area until 8 December 1944 at which time she left the area , proceeding to San Pedro and later San Diego where she completed a shakedown period and engaged in amphibious training . On 20 January 1945 the " New Kent " left San Diego with the January replacements for the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing and cargo destined for Majuro and Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands . The " New Kent " arrived at Pearl Harbor on 26 January and departed on 30 January en route for Majuro escorted by PO - 825 . While underway , the escort in attempting to regain proper station , rammed the " New Kent " amidships sustaining severe damage to herself but was able to proceed under her own power to Pearl Harbor . The " New Kent " proceeded to Majuro arriving on 6 February and left 7 February arriving at Kwajalein the following day . After delivering her troops and cargo the " New Kent " left Kwajalein on 10 February , arriving at Guadalcanal on 13 February . From this time until 15 March the ship was engaged in combat loading troops and equipment of the 3rd Battalion , 1st Regiment , 1st Marine Division and in rehearsal exercises in the Guadalcanal - Russell Islands area preparing for the invasion of Okinawa . On 15 March the " New Kent " departed the Guadalcanal area , and after a short stop at Ulithi , arrived off the western beaches of Okinawa on the morning of L - Day , 1 April . Landing her troops that afternoon , the " New Kent " sent a beach party ashore the next day and then remained in the transport area , subject to frequent enemy air attack , until departing in convoy for Pearl Harbor on 7 April . After stopping en route at Guam , the convoy reached Pearl Harbor on 23 April . The " New Kent " remained in the Hawaiian Islands for one month , engaged in amphibious training exercises off Hawaii and in air - submarine exercises off Nihoa until 29 May . She then loaded and sailed for San Francisco arriving there on 4 June and then sailed up the coast arriving at Seattle 6 June . She then proceeded to the Lake Washington Shipyards , Houghton , Washington arriving on 8 June . Repairs were to be made to the ship , however , because of a strike in the yards , little work was accomplished . The ship was moved to Puget Sound Navy Yard , Bremerton , Washington where the ship underwent overhaul until 26 June . On 26 June the " New Kent " loaded general cargo and Army Casual troops at Seattle and departed for Honolulu arriving there on 3 July . The ship then sailed for San Francisco on 5 July with 300 Japanese prisoners of war along with Army and Navy Casual personnel , arriving on 11 July . While at San Francisco the " New Kent " had her berthing compartments enlarged to accommodate more troops . The " New Kent " sailed for Leyte on 28 July , with Army casual troops and cargo , stopping en route at Eniwetok and Ulithi , arriving at San Pedro Bay , Leyte on 17 August . While at sea word had been received that Japan had accepted terms of surrender . The " New Kent " remained in the Philippines for a little more than a month transporting Army troops to various positions on Luzon . On 23 August she sailed for Manila arriving there 25 August and on 29 August the ship proceeded to Subic Bay , returning the same day . On 9 September the " New Kent " sailed in convoy from Manila for Lingayen Gulf and arrived at Aringay Point , Lingayen Gulf the next day . During the period between 10 – 16 September , the ship was combat loaded with troops and equipment of the 3rd Battalion , 136th Regiment , 33rd Infantry Division , 6th Army and attached units and engaged in rehearsal and training exercises in connection with the forthcoming landing at Wakayama , Honshū , Japan . The " New Kent " , in company with other transports , left Lingayen Gulf on 20 September for Wakayama , Japan , where it arrived during the early morning of 25 September . Unloading it ’ s occupation troops the next day the " New Kent " then sailed for Subic Bay the same afternoon , arriving 1 October , and then proceeding the same day for Leyte , arriving 3 October . The " New Kent " departed Leyte on 7 October and arrived in Davao Gulf on the following day . She moved to Talomo Bay , Davao Gulf on 9 October and departed 15 October , having embarked the 2nd Battalion , 21st Infantry RCT , 24th Infantry Division and attached units bound for Okayama , Japan . The convoy arrived off Hiro - wan , Japan on 21 October , and the troops and cargo were discharged during the next two days . During the week spent in Japan , sightseeing parties from the ship visited the nearby large Japanese naval base at Kure as well as the site where the first atomic bomb was dropped at Hiroshima . The " New Kent " together with the USS " Sibley " ( APA 206 ) sailed on 27 October for Manus , Admiralty Islands , arriving there on 3 November . There she embarked 2000 passengers for her first Magic Carpet voyage , to bring the troops home to San Pedro , California , leaving on 5 November . En route the destination was changed to San Diego , at which port the ship arrived 19 November . On 26 November , Commander C . F . Swanson , USN , relieved Commander J . E . Baker , USNR , as commanding officer . The " New Kent " sailed from San Diego on 5 December for Guam , Marianas Islands to make its second Magic Carpet run . The ship ' s destination was again changed , this time to Saipan , Marianas Islands , at which port the ship docked 21 December . After loading 1 , 980 passengers , the ship sailed for San Pedro , California , destination changed en route to San Francisco , where the ship arrived on 1 January 1946 . Christmas and New Year ’ s were celebrated aboard ship with special programs for all hands including a Roman Catholic mass , Christmas carols , Christmas gifts distributed by Santa Claus , and a turkey dinner . On 31 December 1945 Commander Swanson reported that since the ship was commissioned it had been underway 228 days and had steamed a total of 195 days , 5 hours or . Post World War II Service . In mid - March 1946 the " New Kent " steamed through the Panama Canal and arrived at Norfolk , Virginia on 20 March . For the next year she conducted amphibious training exercises along the East and Gulf coasts and in the Caribbean . On 29 July 1949 she was decommissioned , and berthed with the Orange , Texas Group , Atlantic Reserve Fleet . On 10 October 1951 she was re - commissioned and reassigned to amphibious training duty , resuming exercises along the shores of the Atlantic . With the exception of a voyage to Casablanca in July 1952 , " New Kent " continued her training operations until the Spring of 1954 when , again inactivated , she returned to Orange , Texas on 12 July 1954 . The " New Kent " rejoined the Reserve Fleet on 17 September 1958 and was struck from the Navy List on 1 October 1958 . Fate . On 28 October 1971 the " New Kent " was sold to Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation for scrap , at the time she was based at Mobile , Alabama as part of the Reserve Fleet . On 24 July 1972 she was officially withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet . Awards . American Campaign Medal , Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal ( with 1 battle star ) , World War II Victory Medal , Navy Occupation Service Medal ( with Asia clasp ) , National Defense Service Medal , Philippine Liberation Medal .