USS La Grange ( APA - 124 ) USS " La Grange " ( APA - 124 ) was a " Haskell " - class attack transport of the US Navy . She was built and used during World War II . She was of the VC2 - S - AP5 Victory ship design type . " La Grange " was named for LaGrange County , Indiana . World War II service . " La Grange " was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract 26 June 1944 by the California Shipbuilding Corp . , Wilmington , California ; launched 1 September 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Albert Krutcher ; acquired by the Navy 10 November 1944 ; and commissioned 11 November 1944 , Capt . Frank R . Walker in command . After shakedown and amphibious training operations , " La Grange " departed San Diego 1 January 1945 for the western Pacific . Arriving Manus 18 January the attack transport carried cargo and passengers to Hollandia and the Philippines before joining Transport Squadron 17 . Following a month of intensive preparations , " La Grange " departed Dulag Harbor , Philippine Islands , as part of the western islands attack group in the greatest amphibious assault of the Pacific war , the invasion of Okinawa . Arriving in the transport area off Kerama Retto , 26 March , " La Grange " successfully landed advance forces who took that small cluster of islands which served as an advance naval base for fueling , repairs , and replenishment during the conquest of Okinawa itself . She remained off Okinawa for the next 30 days supporting operations on shore . Returning to Saipan 5 May , " La Grange " sailed 2 weeks later with Navy passengers bound for San Francisco . She resumed war operations upon her arrival Eniwetok 11 July , and sailed for Okinawa 29 July . Arriving Buckner Bay 1 week later , " La Grange " unloaded cargo needed for the final days of the war . While anchored in Buckner Bay 13 August , she came under enemy air attack and suffered the last known kamikaze attacks of the war . Despite accurate antiaircraft fire , an unidentified kamikaze carrying a 500 - pound bomb crashed into " La Grange ’ s " superstructure . A second suicide plane struck the top of a kingpost and splashed 20 yards from the ship . The transport suffered considerable damage in both strikes , with 21 sailors killed and 89 wounded . After hostilities ended 15 August , " La Grange " did field repairs and prepared for the cruise home . Departing Guam 6 September , she arrived San Francisco 21 September . Because of the remaining battle damage , " La Grange " decommissioned there 27 October 1945 and was returned to the War Shipping Administration for transfer back to her original owner . She was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay , California . Fate . In 1955 " La Grange " was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet as part of a Repair Program , GAA - Coastwise Line , and then returned . On 18 April 1975 she was sold to Nicolai Joffe Corp . , for US $ 208 , 489 . 78 , to be scrapped . At 1130 PDT , on 21 May 1975 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and sent to the breaker ' s yard . All that remains of " La Grange " is her brass builder ' s plate . Awards . " La Grange " received one battle star for World War II service . Book . A book written about the USS La Grange was authored by Gerald Yankee ( a former crewman of the USS La Grange during World War II ) of Palm Bay , Florida . The events of the USS La Grange ' s history is told from the ship ' s perspective of what occurred during World War II and includes the story of the last attacks against the ship .