USS Livingston ( AP - 163 ) USS " Livingston " ( AP - 163 / AK - 222 ) was a " Crater " - class cargo ship built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations , provided valuable services to the U . S . Pacific Fleet , and returned home after the war with two battle stars to her credit . Liberty ship built in California . " Livingston " ( AP - 163 ) was laid down as " Josiah D . Whitney " 22 March 1943 by California Shipbuilding Corporation , Wilmington , California , under a U . S . Maritime Commission contract ; launched 16 April 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . D . W . Fernhout ; acquired by the Navy 25 October 1943 ; renamed " Livingston " 30 October 1943 ; and commissioned 10 November 1943 , Lt . Cmdr . Leroy J . Alexanderson in command . World War II service . After loading cargo , " Livingston " departed Port Hueneme , California , 22 November 1943 for Pearl Harbor , where she prepared for the Marshall Islands campaign . Departing Pearl Harbor 25 January 1944 with U . S . Marines and Seabee s , the transport arrived off Majuro 3 February to reinforce that island . Majuro , with its spacious lagoon , was ideal base for the mobile supply force under Capt . Worral R . Carter . After unloading her cargo , " Livingston " returned Pearl Harbor 21 February to prepare for the next assignment . Following another cruise to Majuro in March the transport remained in the Hawaiian Islands , rehearsing with the 27th Infantry Division for the Saipan invasion . Preparations complete , she departed Pearl Harbor 29 May , touched Kwajalein briefly , and arrived off Saipan 20 June . Needed “ to secure control of sea communications through the central Pacific , ” Saipan was the scene of a bitter battle in which 24 , 000 Japanese lost their lives futilely attempting to stop the American offensive . " Livingston " remained off Saipan supporting the fighters ashore until she sailed for Eniwetok 2 July . Throughout the summer , she transported troops and equipment among the Allied - occupied islands in the Marshall Islands , the Gilbert Islands , and the Mariana Islands . Reclassified " AK - 222 " on 20 August , she returned to Pearl Harbor 6 days later for additional supplies . " Livingston " returned to the advance bases 30 September , arriving at Eniwetok . For the next 4 months , she made cargo runs to the occupied islands before departing Saipan 26 January 1945 for San Francisco , California . Following a stateside overhaul , the cargo ship resumed operations in mid - April . After a round - trip cruise to Pearl Harbor , she sailed again from San Francisco , California , 15 May for Tarawa , Gilbert Islands . From arrival 12 June , she continued servicing American island forces in Micronesia throughout the rest of the war . Remaining in the western Pacific Ocean after the Japanese surrender , " Livingston " shuttled troops and cargo among the islands until late November . Departing Manus on the 29th , she arrived Seattle , Washington , 19 December . Post - war decommissioning . On 6 January 1946 the cargo ship arrived San Francisco where she decommissioned 27 February and was returned to the War Shipping Administration ( WSA ) the same day . She entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet and was berthed at Suisun Bay , California until sold for scrapping on 13 February 1973 , physically departing the reserve fleet on 27 March 1973 . Honors and awards . " Livingston " received two battle stars for World War II service : Qualified " Livingston " personnel were eligible for the following : References .