USS Sitka ( APA - 113 ) USS " Sitka " ( APA - 113 ) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II . Named for Sitka , Alaska ( a town on the western coast of Baranof Island ) , she was the only U . S . Naval vessel to bear the name . The name " Sitka " was originally assigned to PF - 94 on 30 August 1943 , but she was renamed on 7 February 1944 . " Sitka " ( APA - 113 ) was laid down on 2 February 1944 under Maritime Commission contract ( MC hull 875 ) by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation of Pascagoula , Mississippi ; launched on 23 June 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Mary Lee Council ; and commissioned on 14 March 1945 with Captain Charles F . M . S . Quinby in command . Service history . 1945 – 1946 . " Sitka " departed Mobile , Alabama on 20 March 1945 ; and , after stopping at New Orleans for supplies , arrived at Bolivar Roads , Galveston on 28 March 1945 for shakedown . However , her shakedown lasted only four days , as she received orders to report to Newport , Rhode Island for duty as training ship for pre - commissioning crews being - formed there . " Sitka " arrived at Newport on 6 April and , for two and one - half months , she trained crews of new amphibious and auxiliary vessels in seamanship and gunnery . Relieved by the , " Sitka " sailed from Newport for Norfolk , Virginia , on 25 June . After a brief overhaul , " Sitka " sailed from Norfolk on 6 July with a replacement draft of several hundred marines , as well as other troops and cargo . Transiting the Panama Canal on 11 July , " Sitka " called at Pearl Harbor from 24 July to 3 August and at Eniwetok on the 11th and 12th , before arriving at Guam on the 15th . She discharged her troops and cargo at Guam , and sailed for Manila on 27 August to embark troops for the occupation of Japan . Departing Manila on 7 September , the transport arrived at Yokohama , Japan on the 13th and began disembarking troops and equipment two days later . " Sitka " departed Yokohama on the 19th ; and , between 23 and 27 September , embarked units of the 6th Marine Division at Guam for the occupation of Tsingtao , China . She arrived at Tsingtao on 11 October and disembarked her troops and cargo on the 15th and 16th . After returning to Manila on the 23rd for a week of upkeep , she embarked units of the 52nd Chinese National Army at Hai Phong , Indochina on 3 November ; and disembarked them at Chinwangtao in northern China on the 13th . After a week at Taku , she departed China on the 21st and arrived at Manila on the 26th to join " Operation Magic Carpet , " the transportation of war veterans home to the United States . " Sitka " sailed from Manila on 28 November carrying homeward - bound servicemen and arrived at Seattle , Washington on 14 December . " Sitka " remained at Seattle for repairs until sailing to Saipan and Guam on 30 January 1946 . The ship arrived at San Pedro on 23 February and got underway for the east coast on 1 March . On 16 March she arrived at Norfolk for deactivation . In mercantile service , 1946 – 1976 . " Sitka " was decommissioned on 14 May 1946 , returned to the War Shipping Administration the next day , and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 5 June 1946 . She was sold into mercantile service to Pope & Talbot Lines in 1947 and renamed SS " P & T Trader ; resold in 1957 to Moore - McCormack Lines and renamed SS " Mormacguide ; and resold in 1964 to the American Foreign Steamship Company and renamed SS " American Condor " in 1964 . The ship was scrapped in 1976 .