USS Oconto ( APA - 187 ) USS " Oconto " ( APA - 187 ) was a " Haskell " - class attack transport acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas . World War II service . " Oconto " ( " APA – 187 " ) , formerly " MCV Hull 655 " , was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract 5 April 1944 by Kaiser Shipbuilding Corporation , Vancouver , Washington ; launched 20 June 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . J . Wallace Neighbor ; acquired by the Navy 2 September 1944 ; and commissioned the same day , Comdr . Paul Jackson in command . Landing troops and their equipment in the Philippines . After fitting out and shakedown off the U . S . West Coast , " Oconto " loaded mail and troops in San Francisco , and sailed 27 October 1944 for New Guinea , arriving Oro Bay 14 November . Several days later she left for Noumea , New Caledonia , where she remained for a month prior to conducting amphibious exercises off Guadalcanal in preparation for the Lingayen Gulf landings on Luzon . " Oconto " departed Manus 2 January 1945 and , after sailing the length of the Philippines , offloaded troops and cargo for two days beginning the 11th . Returning south , the transport again loaded troops , at Biak , Netherlands East Indies , and landed them on Mindoro . Retiring to Leyte Gulf 12 February , she prepared the following six weeks for her next objective : Okinawa . End - of - war operations . This landing proved to be the most trying yet for " Oconto " . During her time off the beach from 1 to 4 April , there were numerous air raids , as she downed her first kamikaze and assisted in splashing a second . A respite in order , " Oconto " sailed to Seattle , Washington , for three weeks of general repairs and liberty . She left again 21 May , steaming via San Francisco , Oahu , and other islands for Saipan , where she embarked reinforcements for Okinawa . Stopping briefly at Ulithi , she arrived off Okinawa 24 July and spent the next 10 days unloading troops and cargo , dodging Japanese air attacks , and weathering a typhoon . “ ” Mopping up ” operations . Departing for the U . S . West Coast on 6 August , " Oconto ’ s " eastward progress stopped at Ulithi as rumors of a Japanese surrender increased . She returned to the Philippines , loaded occupation units , and sailed for Japan , arriving at Yokohama on 8 September . After transporting over a thousand liberated prisoners of war to Manila on the first leg of their journey home , " Oconto " returned to Japan , then made one supply run to Taku , China , before entering Manila Bay for the last time 8 November . A load of Seabees was transported from Manila to Guam , and " Oconto " proceeded to Okinawa to pick up her first homeward bound passengers in eight months . She made one more “ magic - carpet ” voyage , leaving the U . S . West Coast for Guam on 11 January 1946 . Post - war decommissioning . " Oconto " returned to San Francisco , then sailed to Norfolk , Virginia , arriving 20 March . Decommissioning 22 May , she was turned over to the War Shipping Administration 31 May and struck from the Navy List 19 June 1946 . " Oconto " was berthed in the James River , Virginia , as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet . She was sold for scrapping on 7 May 1974 to Luria Bros . & Co . . She was delivered on 15 Aug 1974 . Military awards and honors . Oconto earned 1 battle star for World War II service .