USS Harry Lee ( APA - 10 ) USS " Harry Lee " ( APA - 10 ) was a " Harry Lee " - class attack transport that saw service with the US Navy during World War II . She served in the Pacific War , as well as in North Atlantic Ocean operations , and safely returned home post - war with seven battle stars to her credit . She was the only ship in her class . " Harry Lee " was built as the passenger ship SS " Exochorda " by New York Shipbuilding Co . , Camden , New Jersey , in 1931 and operated in the Mediterranean area for American Export Lines . Acquired by the Navy 30 October 1940 , she was converted at Tietjen and Lang Dry Dock Co . , Hoboken , New Jersey , and commissioned " Harry Lee " ( AP - 17 ) 27 December 1940 , Captain R . P . Hinrichs in command . " Harry Lee " was redesignated " APA - 10 " , 1 February 1943 . Pre - World War II North Atlantic operations . " Harry Lee " spent the first few months of her commissioned service transporting U . S . Marine combat units to the Caribbean for training exercises , helping to build the amphibious teams which were to find such great success in the later stages of World War II . After a stay at Norfolk , Virginia , the transport was assigned in July to the Iceland route , carrying troops and supplies to that country from Norfolk and New York . World War II operations . After making two such passages , she returned to Boston , Massachusetts , 22 December 1941 to take part in additional training exercises . With America then in the war , " Harry Lee " spent the next 18 months in amphibious maneuvers in the Caribbean area . During this time the ship carried out many valuable experiments with landing craft and boat control procedures , all of which bore fruit in the dangerous months to come . Supporting the North Africa invasion . Returning to Boston 6 April 1943 , " Harry Lee " was designated for use in the upcoming offensive in the Mediterranean , and sailed 8 June for Algeria . She anchored at Oran 22 June to prepare for the landing and found herself off the southwest coast of Sicily 10 July with Vice Admiral Hewitt ' s Western Naval Task Force . During this giant invasion " Harry Lee " debarked her troops through the heavy surf at Scoglitti and withstood several Axis air attacks before retiring 2 days later . Transferred to the Pacific Fleet . After the success of the Sicilian operation , the transport returned German prisoners of war to the United States , arriving Norfolk 3 August . It was then decided that her amphibious prowess was needed in the Pacific , and she sailed 24 August for Wellington , New Zealand , via the Panama Canal and San Francisco , California , arriving 12 October 1943 . At Wellington " Harry Lee " loaded Marines in preparation for the big push of the invasion of the Gilbert Islands . The invasion of Tarawa . She proceeded to Efate , New Hebrides , 1 November – 7 November and for the next few weeks held amphibious practice landings in preparation for the landings on Tarawa . The transport departed for Tarawa 13 November , and arrived offshore 20 November . There she launched her Marines onto the bloody beaches , under threat of submarine attack and air attack and sailed the next day for Pearl Harbor . Invasion of the Marshall Islands . " Harry Lee " participated in rehearsal landings in Hawaiian waters after her arrival at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1943 , and sailed 23 January 1944 for the invasion of the Marshall Islands , next step on the island road to Japan . She arrived off Kwajalein 31 January . She effectively carried out her role in this complicated operation by landing troops on two small islands in the atoll ; they met little opposition . " Harry Lee " remained off Kwajalein until departing for Funafuti 5 February . From there she sailed to Noumea 24 February and by 14 March was anchored off Guadalcanal to load troops and continue her amphibious preparations . New Guinea operations . After carrying troops to Bougainville and New Guinea in April , " Harry Lee " sailed to Aitape , New Guinea , under Rear Admiral Barbey for the Hollandia operation . She arrived 23 April after the initial assault , unloaded her troops , and proceeded to bring reinforcements from other points in New Guinea to the landing area . This accomplished , the transport arrived Espiritu Santo 11 May . Landing troops on Guam . " Harry Lee " was next to take part in the invasion of the Marianas . After landing operations conducted around Guadalcanal the ship sailed to Kwajalein and got underway in convoy for Guam 12 June . During this gigantic operation , in which troops were projected over 1 , 000 miles of ocean from the nearest advance base , " Harry Lee " was held in reserve for the Guam landings . She arrived off Agat , Guam , 21 July 1944 and debarked her troops . The transport then remained offshore loading and relanding troops for tactical purposes until 25 July , when she steamed with her fellow transports to Eniwetok . They arrived 29 July , and 2 days later sailed for Pearl Harbor . Overhaul , and then to the Philippines . Arriving Pearl Harbor 7 August 1944 , " Harry Lee " set course for California and a much - needed overhaul . She arrived San Pedro , California , 18 August and remained in California until departing 21 October with troops for Seeadler Harbor , Manus . Until 31 December the ship conducted practice landings in New Guinea and the Solomons for the upcoming invasion of Luzon , and departed the last day of 1944 for Lingayen Gulf . Under heavy fighter aircraft attack . En route , Japanese planes attacked the task force savagely with suicide planes and bombers , but " Harry Lee " by effective gunfire and luck escaped damage . She entered Lingayen Gulf 9 January 1945 and began landing troops under constant air alert . That night the transports retired off the beaches under smoke screens , returning next day to resume the dangerous job of landing supplies . " Harry Lee " sailed 10 January for Leyte Gulf , anchoring 14 January . Iwo Jima , her last amphibious operation . With troops ashore at Lingayen , " Harry Lee " departed 19 January for Ulithi and arrived 2 days later . She soon was back in action , however , sailing 17 February for Iwo Jima and her last amphibious operation of the war . The transport arrived via Guam 22 February , 3 days after the initial landings , and after sending a reconnaissance unit ashore 24 February disembarked her troops . The ship remained off Iwo Jima until 6 March acting as a hospital evacuation vessel . She then sailed with casualties to Saipan 6 March – 9 March . " Harry Lee " spent the rest of her time in the Pacific transporting troops and supplies , as the American thrust at Japan neared its final phase . She touched at Tulagi , Noumea , New Guinea , Manus , and the Philippines , bringing reinforcements and vitally needed supplies . The ship was at Leyte Gulf 20 July when ordered back to the United States , and she arrived for a brief stay 8 August . It was during this time that news of Japan ' s surrender reached the veteran transport . End - of - war activity . The ship reached Manila 16 September at aid in the occupation of Japan , and after loading troops at various points in the Philippines arrived Tokyo Bay 13 October 1945 . Assigned to Operation Magic Carpet , and the huge job of bringing American veterans home from the Pacific , " Harry Lee " arrived San Francisco 4 November , and made another round trip to the Philippines and back , arriving 20 January 1946 . From San Francisco she sailed 23 January for New York , via Norfolk . Post - war decommissioning . The ship arrived 9 February 1946 and decommissioned at Brooklyn Navy Yard 9 May 1946 . After a period in Reserve Fleet , she was sold to Turkey in April 1948 . Renamed " Tarsus " , she was burned in the Bosporus after a rare three - ship collision 14 December 1960 . Military awards and honors . " Harry Lee " received seven battle stars for World War II service .