USS Henry T . Allen ( APA - 15 ) USS " Henry T . Allen " was built as a United States Army transport , declared surplus and saw commercial service until reacquired by the Army and then transfered to the Navy in December 1941 . After initial Navy classification as the transport AP - 30 the ship was reclassified to APA - 15 , A " Harris " - class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II . Army and commercial service . " Henry T . Allen " was launched as an Army transport under the US Shipping Board 25 May 1919 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation , Camden , New Jersey and completed during June 1921 as " Wenatchee " after which she was determined in excess of Army requirements and placed for sale . The ship was purchased by the Pacific Steamship Company and then the Admiral Orient Line in November 1922 to be renamed " President Jefferson " . The ship was returned to the U . S . Maritime Commission in 1938 to be laid up in the reserve fleet at Seattle until reacauired by the U . S . Army Transport Service ( A . T . S . ) 1 November 1940 and renamed USAT " Henry T . Allen " for service with the A . T . S . Pacific Fleet home ported at Fort Mason , California under Captain James McPherson from 11 November 1940 until 6 December 1941 . Naval conversion . The ship was then acquired by the Navy 6 December 1941 and placed in partial commission for conversion to Navy use at Moore Dry Dock of Oakland , California . The ship was at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 7 December 1941 . " Henry T . Allen " commissioned in full 22 April 1942 , Captain P . A . Stevens commanding . World War II service . After completion of outfitting , " Henry T . Allen " made one troop carrying voyage to Honolulu and return . Arriving San Diego 18 June 1942 , she took part in amphibious landing exercises until August , helping to mold the potent American assault forces which would be a decisive factor in the Pacific war . The ship sailed 22 August via the Canal Zone for Norfolk , Virginia , where she arrived 11 September for more landing training on the Maryland coast . Invasion of North Africa . " Henry T . Allen " departed 23 October for North Africa and Operation Torch as part of the Northern Attack Force under Brig . Gen . Lucian K . Truscott , Jr . and serving as flagship in that phase of the operation with headquarters remaining aboard during the landing of troops until it could be set up ashore . The force arrived off Mehedia , near strategic Port Lyautey , 7 November and " Henry T . Allen " began that morning to unload her Army troops from the transport area . She remained off the beaches occasionally subjected to fire from shore batteries until 15 November . She then helped consolidate the successful landing by mooring at Casablanca to unload cargo . The transport sailed 17 November and arrived Norfolk the 30th . Pacific Theatre . Following the important North Africa landings , during which much was learned about amphibious operations , " Henry T . Allen " was assigned to the Pacific , a theater in which amphibious assaults were to play a central role . Carrying Marines , she sailed 17 December and arrived Tutuila , Samoa group , via the Canal Zone , 13 January 1943 . The ship also transported troops to Noumea and Espiritu Santo and while at the latter port 1 February 1943 was redesignated an attack transport , APA - 15 . On 17 March 1943 " Allen " was assigned as flagship , Commander Amphibious Force , Seventh Fleet , but was in poor condition and urgently needed for training and transport . She was assigned to critical amphibious training for troops of Amphibious Force , Southwest Pacific reporting at Sydney . The ships condition was such that on 10 April 1943 she had to be withdrawn from training for five weeks overhaul availability at Sydney . Until March 1944 " Henry T . Allen " operated between New Guinea and Australian ports , carrying both American and Australian troops in support of the Allied offensive in New Guinea and the Solomons . She made many passages through the dangerous waters of the Coral Sea , and on one occasion , 13 July 1943 detected a torpedo track approaching her port bow . Alert action brought the transport around and out of danger , the torpedo passing a scant 50 yards ahead . Invasion of New Guinea . " Henry T . Allen " sailed from Buna 26 March for training exercises on Goodenough Island with the U . S . 24th Infantry Division , completing 16 April . The ship then got underway 17 April for the important Hollandia operation , the joint attack on Central New Guinea . " Henry T . Allen " joined Admiral Barbey ' s group for the landings at Tanahmerah Bay 22 April and after their success was assured steamed to Cape Sudest , New Guinea , 24 April . The ship spent the next few weeks transporting troops into Hollandia to consolidate gains and prepare for the next step in the westward advance toward the Philippines . " Henry T . Allen " anchored at Aitape 15 May to load troops for the Wakde - Sarmi landings , and got underway the next day for a run of 120 miles undetected by the Japanese . Under a brisk naval bombardment the transport unloaded on the 17th and returned to Hollandia . Made a flagship . The veteran transport spent the rest of her career as a flagship for various amphibious commands . Until September 1944 she performed training exercises on Bougainville and New Guinea , and after a voyage to Queensland , Australia , arrived Hollandia 3 October 1944 . There she received additional equipment and supplies to allow her to better perform her headquarters function . With Leyte approaching and destined to be the flagship for that operation on 7 October 1944 Captain H . J . Nelson , USN , Commander Administrative Command , Seventh Amphibious Force , established the Administrative Group of the Staff of Commander Seventh Amphibious Force aboard " Allen " . " Henry T . Allen " remained at Hollandia until January 1945 as the administrative base of the famous 7th Amphibious Force . She shifted her base to Leyte Gulf as American forces swept north and west , arriving 28 January 1945 . She was reclassified AG - 90 in January 1945 . Decommission . After the final surrender of Japan " Henry T . Allen " steamed to Manila 3 September and departed for the United States 15 November . She arrived 10 December 1945 , decommissioned 5 February 1946 and was redelivered to the War Department . After a period in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay , Benecia , California , she was sold to Boston Metals of Baltimore , Maryland , and scrapped in March 1948 .