USS Lander ( APA - 178 ) USS " Lander " ( APA - 178 / LPA - 178 ) was a " Haskell " - class attack transport . Her dangerous task was to deliver troops to the battle front , and to recover and care for the wounded . She served her country in the Pacific Ocean in the war against the Empire of Japan and returned home post - war with two battle stars to her credit . " Lander " ( APA - 178 ) was laid down 9 October 1944 by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp . , Portland , Oregon , under a Maritime Commission contract ; launched 19 November 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . H . C . McVean , Jr . ; acquired by the Navy 8 December 1944 ; and commissioned 9 December 1944 at Astoria , Oregon , Capt . John D . Sweeney in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . After shakedown , " Lander " operated off the California coast until she departed San Pedro , California , 9 February 1945 for the western Pacific . Supporting Iwo Jima operations . Steaming via Pearl Harbor , the attack transport reached Eniwetok 28 February , joined units of task force TF 51 , and sailed 2 March for Iwo Jima . She sighted the embattled island 6 March and cruised in a holding area before dropping anchor 14 March . She embarked U . S . Marine casualties and loaded cargo , then sailed for Guam 20 March . Arriving the 22d , she embarked additional marines and departed the next day for Pearl Harbor where she arrived 4 April . Supporting Okinawa operations . Carrying troops and cargo , the attack transport departed 20 May for the Ryukyus . Steaming via the Marshall Islands and Ulithi , she arrived Okinawa 7 June and landed her troops as reinforcements . After embarking 220 military passengers and 560 enemy prisoners , she sailed 11 June and transferred troops and POW ’ s at Ulithi 17 June . Departing the 18th , " Lander " embarked additional passengers at Manus , Admiralties ; Eniwetok , Roi Namur , and Kwajalein , Marshall Islands ; and Pearl Harbor before arriving San Francisco 17 July . End - of - war activity . As the war drew to a close , " Lander " transported 1 , 436 troops to Eniwetok , arriving 17 August . Proceeding 25 August , she steamed via Ulithi to the Philippines and arrived Manila 7 September . On two cruises from 20 September to 21 October , she carried occupation troops and equipment between the Philippines and Japan . After joining the “ Operation Magic Carpet ” fleet 24 October , she sailed from Matsuyama , Japan , 27 October ; embarked 1 , 934 homebound veterans at Saipan ; and departed 1 November for San Francisco , California , where she arrived 14 November . Sailing for the western Pacific 29 November , she embarked military passengers at Guam 15 December and returned them to San Pedro , California , 28 December . " Lander " departed for San Francisco 21 January 1946 . then sailed 28 January for the U . S . East Coast . Post - war decommissioning . Arriving Norfolk , Virginia , 16 February , she decommissioned 29 March . Transferred to the Maritime Commission 1 April , she was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet and was berthed at James River , Virginia . She was redesignated Amphibious Transport ( LPA - 178 ) on 14 August 1968 and was struck from the Naval Register 1 September 1983 . On 17 September 1983 , she was disposed of by MARAD . Her fate is unknown . Military awards and honors . " Lander " received two battle stars for World War II service .