USS Navarro ( APA - 215 ) USS " Navarro " ( APA - 215 ) was a that saw service with the US Navy in World War II and the Vietnam War . " Navarro " was named after Navarro County , Texas . She was laid down 27 June 1944 as MCV hull 563 and launched by Permanente Metals Corporation of Richmond , California , 3 October 1944 , and commissioned 15 November , Comdr . F . E . Angrick in command . Operational history . World War II . After commissioning , " Navarro " moved to the Naval Supply Depot , San Francisco to take on stores . Then , in a series of moves about San Francisco Bay , the ship took on ammunition and degaussed . She commenced shakedown 1 December with a twelve - day cruise to San Pedro , and 16 December she commenced a week of amphibious training at San Diego . " Navarro " got underway New Year ' s Day 1945 for Seattle , Washington , to embark troops and equipment for transport to the South Pacific . She departed Seattle 12 January , called at the Hawaiian Islands 20 January , reached Guadalcanal 10 February , where she offloaded cargo and troops , and then moved to Sunlight Channel , Russell Islands . At the Russells , " Navarro " participated in an intensive rehearsal for the invasion of Okinawa . Invasion of Okinawa . " Navarro " arrived off Okinawa Easter Sunday 1945 , the morning that U . S . Forces invaded the island . The next two days were spent offloading troops and cargo , accomplished in record time . So effective was screening and air cover that , despite several air alerts , " Navarro " ' s gunners fired on hostile air contacts but three times . After six days in the area , " Navarro " steamed for Guam . The morning of 12 April she departed for the United States , via Pearl Harbor , arriving San Francisco 30 May ; then transported troops and equipment to Seattle . She departed Seattle 21 June for Ulithi via Eniwetok , but continued on to Okinawa where she commenced offloading 24 July , amidst frequent calls to General Quarters . " Navarro " then steamed to Ulithi , and was anchored in that lagoon when the Japanese surrendered . Postwar transport missions . She had been scheduled to return to the United States , but was hurriedly rerouted to the Philippines and arrived Leyte 23 August . A few days later she steamed for Yokohama , carrying occupation troops for the Yokohama district . " Navarro " next participated in Operation Magic Carpet , returning American troops home . She decommissioned 15 March 1946 and went into reserve at Stockton , California , where she remained until the Korean War generated the requirement for a rapid expansion of forces . Second commission . Recommissioned 2 December 1950 , Captain R . E . Westbrook in command , " Navarro " transited the Panama Canal to join the Amphibious Force , Atlantic Fleet . During the next four years she operated out of Norfolk , Virginia , participating in both Mediterranean and Caribbean deployments . She returned to the Pacific Fleet in 1955 , and made periodic deployments to the Western Pacific . Her 1956 WESTPAC cruise was marked by amphibious demonstrations held for the Korean Marines and Midshipmen at Chinhae , Korea . During the summer of 1958 , " Navarro " provided services for a series of atomic test s at Eniwetok . In 1960 , she landed 1 , 200 U . S . Marines on Formosan beaches while participating in a mock amphibious invasion . Laotian crisis . The Laotian situation entailed changes of embarkation plans for the 1st Battalion , 4th Marines , while " Navarro " was in Hawaii . Originally intended for a practice assault on California beaches , the marines were instead carried under sealed orders to Okinawa . After participating in large scale amphibious demonstrations for the president in January 1962 , " Navarro " deployed to the Western Pacific 22 January for a seven - month tour with the 7th Fleet . When a further deterioration of the Laotian situation seemed imminent , the president ordered a task force to move toward Indochina 12 May . " Navarro " carried a portion of the 1 , 800 embarked marines of this force . When anti - submarine aircraft carrier , " Navarro " , and landing ship - dock arrived in the Gulf of Siam , they were directed to off - load their 1 , 800 - man Battalion Landing Team by helicopter from the Gulf to Bangkok , Thailand . This force bolstered the Thai defense against possible attack by Laotian communists . Modernization overhaul . The ship ' s boats were used for the re - creation of the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944 , in the 1964 film " The Americanization of Emily " , starring James Garner and Julie Andrews . This is a minor anachronism to the film , as the " Navarro " was laid down after D - Day . " Navarro " departed Okinawa 11 August and arrived Long Beach 25 August for upkeep and operational readiness training . Upon return from her 1964 Western Pacific deployment , " Navarro " underwent a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization overhaul at Pacific Ship Repair Shipyard , San Francisco . Upon completion , she participated in exercise " Silver Lance " 25 February - 9 March 1965 off the southern California coast , and 27 April she departed on another WESTPAC deployment . Vietnam War . From 27 January through 16 February 1966 , " Navarro " formed part of a special task unit which provided boating and support for the combat landing of 1 , 200 marines in Southern Quang Ngai Province , Republic of Vietnam , in " Operation Double Eagle . " Over a dozen ships and 5 , 000 marines combined to mark " Double Eagle " as the largest amphibious operation up to that time since the Korean War . Unit commendation . " Navarro " returned to Long Beach , California on 16 March after 10 months and 27 days as part of the Amphibious Assault Forces of the 7th Fleet operating off Vietnam . For service in support of military operations in Vietnam during the period 1 January through 23 March 1968 , " Navarro " received the Secretary of the Navy , Meritorious Unit Commendation . She rescued forty - three seamen from the stranded British merchant ship when it grounded on a reef in the South China Sea during a typhoon . In November 1967 , " Navarro " ' s salvage efforts contributed directly to the salvage of landing ship - tank , damaged and stranded on the coast of Vietnam . " Navarro " ' s officers and men carried out this salvage operation within range of enemy small arms and artillery . Final decommission . " Navarro " continued to maintain a high state of readiness and provided amphibious expertise through both her west coast training operations and her deployments to the Western Pacific . Reclassified an amphibious transport , " LPA - 215 " , on 1 January 1969 , she was decommissioned at San Diego . On 20 August 1970 , she was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay , California . On 1 February 1982 , " Navarro " was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and formally transferred to the Maritime Administration . her final disposition is unknown . Decorations . " Navarro " received one battle star for World War II service , and six battle stars and a unit commendation for service in the Vietnam War .