USS Hanover ( APA - 116 ) USS " Hanover " ( APA - 116 ) was a that served with the US Navy during World War II . " Hanover " was launched under Maritime Commission contract by Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula , Mississippi , 18 August 1944 , loaned to the Navy and simultaneously commissioned 31 March 1945 , Comdr . J . H . Henderson in command . Operational history . After conducting a brief shakedown cruise off Galveston , Texas , " Hanover " arrived Gulfport , Mississippi , 3 May 1945 and began loading Marines and SeaBees for transportation to the Pacific . She got underway 6 May and sailed to Pearl Harbor , carrying out training operations en route . After her arrival 24 May , the ship unloaded her troops for further transfer and until 6 June took part in underway training operations in Hawaiian waters . She then sailed for San Francisco in company with other transports , and just before reaching California was diverted to Portland , Oregon , where she arrived 19 June . " Hanover " got underway 1 July for Eniwetok Atoll , an important Pacific staging area , expecting to take part in the final assault on Japan . Arriving 14 July , she sailed in convoy 3 days later , bound for Ulithi . The ship remained at this base briefly , using the rest and recreation at Mogmog island , which is a part of the Ulithi atoll . Troops stayed in bunks that were 6 bunks high . For a few hours a day , a group of troops would exercise on the main deck , then it was back below deck so others could exercise . She stopped in Manila , Philippines . She was soon bound for Okinawa , where she arrived 12 August 1945 . " Hanover " unloaded replacement troops on that battle - scarred island , and after the close of the war prepared to take part in the occupation . One of the Army officers that had been exercising his troops a few days before , went into the caves on Okinawa and was killed . Some Japanese refused to surrender at the end of the war . After hostilities . After embarking Army units , " Hanover " sailed 5 September for Jinsen , Korea , to aid in the occupation , and unloaded her troops three days later . The transport returned to Okinawa 14 September but was soon forced to stand out to sea to ride out the great typhoon of September 1945 . After the severe weather subsided , " Hanover " returned to Okinawa and loaded troops for the occupation of China . She arrived Taku 30 September to help stabilize the troubled situation there and aid in the consolidation of the area by Nationalist forces . Operation Magic Carpet . " Hanover " ' s next assignment was with the Operation Magic Carpet fleet , bringing home American troops from the Pacific . While traveling alone , a new sailor was assigned to manually adjust the water make up valve to control the water level . However , the valve was overhead , and the handwheel was below an overhead valve . As the water level in the boiler started to go low , the sailor turn the wheel counter - clockwise ( intending to open the valve ) . But instead he shut off the water , and the ship lost all steam power , propulsion , and steerage . It was a completely silent , sunny clear afternoon . It took hour to light off the boiler and develop enough steam to spin the water pumps , fans , and generators to restore operations . She spent five days and nights in the fog while approaching Seattle , Washington . The ship radioed shore for help in verifying its location . The shore - based radio operators said they could not help . The ship ' s radio operator instructed the shore operators and the ship ' s location was established . Later she sailed down the coast and up the river to Portland , Oregon . She arrived San Francisco on her last voyage 6 February 1946 , and was ordered to steam via the Panama Canal . One morning about 4 AM , the Officer of the Deck woke the Captain to show him a crystal clear mirage of a beautiful harbor . The ship steamed on to Norfolk , Virginia , where she arrived 9 March . The ship decommissioned 11 May and was returned to the Maritime Commission the next day . Operational Dates Summary . 1945 Mar 31 Pascagoula , Mississippi USA 1945 APR 11 New Orleans , Louisiana USA 1945 MAY 01 Galveston , Texas USA 1945 MAY 06 Gulfport , Mississippi USA 1945 MAY 11 Canal Zone , Panama , USA 1945 JUN 01 Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , USA 1945 JUL 01 Portland , Oregon , USA 1945 JUL 17 Eniwetok , Marshall Islands , USA 1945 SEP 09 Okinawa 1945 SEP 11 Jinsen , Korea 1945 SEP 26 Nago Nan Bay , Okinawa 1945 OCT 03 Taku , China 1945 OCT 05 Taku , China 1945 OCT 16 Manila , Philippine Islands 1945 OCT 23 Manila , Philippine Islands 1945 OCT 25 Hong Kong , China 1945 OCT 26 Chinwangtao , China 1945 NOV 02 Taku , China 1945 NOV 10 Hong Kong , China 1945 NOV 26 Tsingtao , China 1945 DEC 01 Okinawa 1945 DEC 28 Seattle , Washington USA 1946 JAN 26 Yokosuka , Japan 1946 FEB 20 San Francisco , California USA Commercial service . Sold to the Matson Navigation Company in 1947 , she sailed as " Hawaiian Wholesaler " until 1961 , when she became " Ventura " for Matson ' s Oceanic Steamship Company . She was scrapped in 1972 .