USS Leonard Wood ( APA - 12 ) USS " Leonard Wood " ( APA - 12 ) was a " Harris " - class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II . " Leonard Wood " , ex - " Nutmeg State " and " Western World " , was built in 1922 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation at Sparrows Point , Maryland ; purchased by the War Department in 1939 and renamed " Leonard Wood " after the former Army Chief of Staff ; served as an Army transport until acquired by the Navy 3 June 1941 ; and commissioned 10 June ( with Hull ID AP - 25 ) , manned by the United States Coast Guard , Comdr . H . G . Bradbury , USCG , in command . Pre - war . On 8 August 1932 , " Western World " ran aground at Porto do Boi , Brazil . She had 166 crew and 85 passengers on board at the time . The passengers were taken off by the German ship and landed at Rio de Janeiro . She was refloated on 10 September , subsequently repaired and returned to service . World War II . After training off North Carolina , " Leonard Wood " departed Halifax , Nova Scotia , 10 November 1941 carrying reinforcements around the Cape of Good Hope to British outposts in the Far East . After debarking troops at Bombay and Singapore , she returned , entering Philadelphia Navy Yard in March 1942 for conversion to an attack transport . She was re - designated APA - 12 on 1 February 1943 . Invasion of North Africa . Alterations completed late in April , the attack transport trained in Chesapeake Bay for the invasion of North Africa . She departed Hampton Roads 24 October carrying almost 1 , 900 fighting men from the 3rd Infantry Division and slipped in close to beaches at Fedhala , French Morocco , on the night of 7 to 8 November . The next morning , she sent her boats ashore and provided gunfire support while also rescuing survivors from torpedo ed sister ships . " Leonard Wood " remained in the first line of transports , carrying out her mission until 12 November when enemy submarine s , which had already sunk or damaged six Allied ships , forced the remaining transports to finish unloading at Casablanca . Departing 17 November , she arrived Norfolk on the 30th for repairs and more amphibious warfare training . Invasion of Sicily . The transport sailed 3 June 1943 and arrived Mers el Kebir , Algeria , 22 June where she prepared for the assault on Sicily . She sortied with TF 65 on 5 July and 4 days later , began unloading waves of troops in the Wood ' s Hole sector , some 5 . 5 miles west of Socglitti , Sicily . At dawn of the 10th , her gunners fired at an enemy bomber which dropped bombs 200 to 300 yards astern , and kept up an antiaircraft barrage throughout the day , helping to splash three planes . With unloading completed and damaged landing craft salvaged , the ship got underway for Norfolk , Virginia on the 12th , arriving 4 August . Pacific Theatre . Three weeks later , she departed Norfolk for San Francisco , embarked troops , then steamed for Honolulu , arriving 27 September . " Leonard Wood " spent the remainder of World War II in the Pacific , distinguishing herself in seven amphibious landings . Invasions of Gilbert and Marshall Islands . In the Gilbert Islands and Marshall Islands operations , the ship gained experience , especially in cargo handling , which proved invaluable when " Leonard Wood " later took part in the final push toward victory with the landings at Saipan , Leyte , and Lingayen Gulf . Invasion of Saipan . " Leonard Wood " departed Pearl harbor 29 May 1944 , bound for the capture and occupation of Saipan , Marianas Islands . Arriving Eniwetok , Marshall Islands , an atoll " Leonard Wood " had helped to secure just 3 months before , the ship fueled , watered , and provisioned before departing 11 June for her assigned anchorage off Saipan . Arriving 15 June , " Leonard Wood " unloaded and cleared all boats in 49 minutes . For the next 9 days , the transport stood off Saipan , unloading cargo and receiving on board casualties for transfer to hospital ships . The transport sailed 24 June for Eniwetok , and then returned to Pearl Harbor 20 July . Invasion of Palaus . After Saipan , the ship made transport and training runs between Pearl Harbor , Eniwetok and Guadalcanal until she sailed from Guadalcanal 8 September for the capture and occupation of Angaur Island , Palau Island Group . Arriving 7 September , the ship landed troops , and then began unloading cargo and receiving casualties . " Leonard Wood " completed unloading 21 September , and departed for Manus Island 27 September . Invasion of the Philippines . Remaining at Manus just long enough to fuel , provision and reembark troops , the transport sailed 12 October to begin the long - awaited liberation of the Philippines . Arriving off the Leyte beachheads 20 October , " Leonard Wood " debarked troops and cargo in record time and steamed for Palau only 10 hours later . For the next week , " Leonard Wood " prepared for further operations in the Philippine Islands , departing Sansapor , New Guinea , 30 December 1944 for the assault on Lingayen Gulf . Many Japanese suicide planes attacked the formation and " Leonard Wood " helped down one of them . Arriving Lingayen 9 January 1945 , she again unloaded troops and cargo while firing at enemy planes before departing the same day for Leyte . " Leonard Wood " took part in her last amphibious landing with the Mindoro Island assault 9 February 1945 . Debarking her troops and cargo in less than 5 hours , she steamed for San Francisco via Leyte , Ulithi , and Pearl Harbor , arriving 27 March . After repairs at San Francisco , " Leonard Wood " began transport duties between the United States and the western Pacific , making two runs to Manila and one to Tokyo . Decommission . The ship ' s Coast Guard crew debarked 22 March 1946 when " Leonard Wood " decommissioned and was redelivered to the Army at Seattle , Washington , pending transfer to the War Shipping Administration . The ship was sold to Consolidated Builders , Inc . , for scrap 20 January 1948 . Awards . " Leonard Wood " earned eight battle stars for World War II service .