USS Catoctin ( AGC - 5 ) USS " Catoctin " ( AGC - 5 ) was an " Appalachian " - class amphibious force flagship in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for Catoctin Mountain . Commissioning and 1944 . " Catocin " was launched as SS " Mary Whitridge " 23 January 1943 by Moore Dry Dock Co . , Oakland , California , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Miss A . H . Morton ; acquired by the Navy 31 August 1943 ; and commissioned as " Catoctin " the same day , Commander H . B . Olsen , USNR , in command . Between 14 September and 11 October 1943 , " Catoctin " sailed from Long Beach , California , to Philadelphia , where she was decommissioned upon arrival . Converted to a combined operations and communications headquarters ship , " Catoctin " was recommissioned 24 January 1944 , Commander Charles Owen Comp in command , and reported to Atlantic Fleet . Shakedown complete , " Catoctin " cleared Norfolk 5 March 1944 for Algiers , where she reported on 19 March as flagship for Commander , 8th Fleet . She remained at Algiers and later Oran until 8 July , when she sailed to Naples , Italy . On 24 July , at Naples , King George VI of England visited on board the ship . For several months , " Catoctin " had been headquarters for the planning of the invasion of southern France , and on 13 August , she sailed from Naples for the assault , carrying Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal , and the commanders of the 7th Army , VI Corps , 12th Air Force , and French Naval Forces . At early dawn of 15 August 1944 , " Catoctin " arrived in position off the assault beaches , and began her historic role as heart of one of the most painstakingly planned , carefully coordinated , and magnificently executed amphibious assaults of the war . From her antennas flashed the commands which controlled the activities of thousands of men , in ships , landing craft , and airplanes , ashore , afloat , and aloft . On 18 August , 6 of her crew were killed and 31 wounded by exploding shrapnel during a German air raid . Arriving at Toulon 9 September , " Catoctin " greeted the return to France of the French fleet and General Charles de Gaulle on 15 September . On 25 September , she cleared Toulon for Naples , her base for the remainder of the year . 1945 . " Catoctin " left Naples 15 January 1945 , and after a brief repair period at Palermo , Sicily , sailed to Sevastopol , Russia . Arriving 26 January , she served as communications ship and as headquarters for the advance party planning the Yalta Conference . Her crew operated transportation , canteen , hospital , and dental facilities ashore , and in cooperation with other Allied facilities , operated an air - sea rescue net . On 11 February , she welcomed President Franklin D . Roosevelt and his party , including Fleet Admiral William D . Leahy , for an overnight stay . " Catoctin " cleared Sevastopol 15 February , returning to Naples 5 days later , then sailed for Oran . The command ship embarked military passengers at Oran , and proceeded to Philadelphia , where she underwent overhaul , followed by refresher training . On 20 June , she stood down Delaware Bay , bound for Pearl Harbor , where she arrived in July . Underway once more on 10 August , " Catoctin " arrived at Incheon , Korea , 8 September to accept the surrender of Japanese forces there . She sailed to Okinawa to embark Marines whom she transported to Taku , North China , where they were to maintain order until the representatives of China ' s Nationalist Government could establish their government . During October and most of November , " Catoctin " was headquarters for negotiations with the Chinese Communists , in power in Shantung and Manchuria , in which attempts were made to allow the officially recognized Nationalist Government to reestablish itself . Deactivation . " Catoctin " stood out of Shanghai , China , 25 November 1945 for Norfolk , where she arrived 28 December . She served from this port as flagship for Commander Amphibious Force , Atlantic , until 18 September 1946 , then underwent inactivation . On 26 February 1947 , she was decommissioned at Philadelphia , and placed in service in reserve . On 30 December 1959 , " Catoctin " was transferred to the Maritime Administration . References .