USS Audubon ( APA - 149 ) USS " Audubon " ( APA - 149 ) was a " Haskell " - class attack transport acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas . " Audubon " ( MCV hull 814 ) was laid down on 21 October 1944 by the Kaiser Shipyards Co . , Inc . , Vancouver , Washington ; launched on 3 December 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Fons Hughes ; acquired by the Navy on 19 December 1944 ; designated " APA - 149 " ; and commissioned on 20 December 1944 , Capt . J . F . Goodwin in command . World War II service . Following shakedown at San Pedro , California , the attack cargo ship sailed on 24 February for Pearl Harbor . Upon her arrival , her passengers disembarked , and she began loading more cargo . The attack transport got underway for Eniwetok on 29 March , reached that atoll on 6 April , and continued on to Ulithi on the 11th . There , " Audubon " took U . S . Army passengers and equipment on board and sailed for Okinawa . She anchored off Hagushi Beach on 26 April during the Battle of Okinawa and began discharging her passengers and cargo . From Okinawa to Saipan to Guadalcanal to the Philippines . " Audubon " departed Okinawa on 30 April and headed for Saipan . After a brief stop there , the ship got underway for Hawaii . Having topped off her fuel and provisions at Pearl Harbor , she sailed on to San Francisco , California , where she arrived on 22 May . The ship was next ordered to Leyte , Philippines . She made intermediate stops at Pearl Harbor , Eniwetok , and Ulithi before reaching Leyte on 30 June . On 9 July , the ship proceeded to Guadalcanal to transport Army troops to the Philippines . Following a fuel stop at Hollandia , New Guinea , on 17 July , she arrived at Leyte on 26 July . After disembarking most of her passengers , the ship moved on to Cebu on 29 July and the remaining contingent left the ship . " Audubon " paused at Samar on 2 August , then got underway to return to the United States . End - of - war operations . At the time of the Japanese capitulation , " Audubon " was in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor . The transport pulled into San Francisco on 19 August and began a period of voyage repairs . Upon their completion , " Audubon " joined Operation Magic Carpet and sailed on 31 August , headed for the Philippines . She arrived at Leyte on 18 September , then shifted to Samar on the 20th . While at Samar , " Audubon " developed mechanical problems which necessitated a period of drydocking . In early October , the ship was ordered back to California . On 22 October , she began an availability period at San Pedro , California . " Audubon " sailed once again for the Philippines on 11 November . After negotiating heavy seas , the attack transport arrived at Manila on 1 December . Thirty - six hours later , she sailed with almost 2 , 000 passengers embarked and reached San Francisco on 20 December . " Audubon " began 1946 making preparations for a trip to Yokosuka , Japan . However , just before she was due to leave , her orders were cancelled ; and she sailed on 11 January for the east coast of the United States . She transited the Panama Canal on 20 January and reached Norfolk , Virginia , on 27 January 1945 . Post - war decommissioning . The ship was decommissioned on 19 February 1946 , returned to the Maritime Commission on 13 March 1946 , placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet , and laid up in the James River , Virginia . She was sold on 9 April 1973 to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corp . , of New York City , and scrapped . Military awards and honors . " Audubon " earned one battle star for her World War II service