USS Lyon ( AP - 71 ) USS " Lyon " ( AP - 71 ) was a ship of the United States Navy which played an extensive role in naval transportation during World War II . The " Lyon " was built as the " Mormactide " under a Maritime Commission contract by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Company of Pascagoula , Mississippi . She was laid down 21 August 1939 , and was launched on 12 October 1940 ; sponsored by Gloria McGehee . On 20 August 1942 , the ship was acquired by the Navy and was renamed the " Lyon " after Mary Lyon , the founder of Mount Holyoke College ( then " Mount Holyoke Female Seminary " ) . ( See also List of U . S . military vessels named after women . ) The " Lyon " was transferred for conversion to the Atlantic Basin Iron Works of Brooklyn , New York on 13 September 1942 . The ship was commissioned on 16 September 1942 , with Captain M . J . Gillan in command . After the ship ' s service in World War II , the ship was decommissioned on 3 May 1946 , and was returned to her owners , Moore - McCormack Lines . In 1966 the ship was acquired by Grace Lines and renamed the " Santa Regina " . Pre - World War II . Prior to her World War II service , " Mormactide " operated commercially with Moore - McCormack Lines . After being turned over to the Navy , she completed conversion to an AP , ship , on 20 September 1942 . World War II . The " Lyon " departed from Newport News , Virginia on 22 October 1942 to assist in the invasion of French Morocco , taking part in the largest assembly of ships ever assembled at the time . The " Lyon " safely crossed the Atlantic Ocean , encountering none of the U - boat s which were a major danger at the time . The ship arrived at Safi on 7 November . While ships of the western task force of Operation Torch silenced French shore batteries and naval resistance , troops of the western pincer were landed to trap the retreating Afrika Korps of General Erwin Rommel , the " Desert Fox " . Though a cease - fire was negotiated on 11 November , German U - boat s interfered , and torpedo attacks began 10 November . Since the 15 transports and cargo ships anchored in Fedhala Roads offered a target , they were removed to the security of Casablanca . The " Lyon " was part of a convoy that sailed for the United States on 15 November , and arrived back in Norfolk on the 24 November . From 13 December 1942 to 11 March 1943 , " Lyon " made two voyages between New York City and Oran , Algeria , transporting reinforcements for the campaign in North Africa . The ship was then ordered to duty with Atlantic Amphibious Force for several weeks , and returned to Africa on 23 May to participate in amphibious training exercises until 28 June . " Lyon " next departed Mers el Kebir , Algiers on 6 July , with units of the Army ' s 1st Infantry Division for the assault on Gela , Sicily . The troops on the " Lyon " disembarked safely in stormy weather on 10 July for the initial advance into what had been called Europe ' s " soft underbelly " . The vessel sailed from the battle area on 12 July and arrived back in Algeria three days later to prepare for the next assignment , the Salerno landings . Operation Avalanche was launched on 9 September . The landings were successful despite heavy enemy fire , air attacks , and complications resulting from a false report of Italy ' s surrender . The " Lyon " returned to Oran on 14 September and for the next two months reinforced American forces fighting in the Naples area . The ship departed the Mediterranean Sea on 7 November and arrived in New York City on 21 November for overhaul . In January 1944 , the " Lyon " transported 2 , 000 Army Air Corps and Army Medical Corps personnel to Scotland , returning to New York City on 28 January . The " Lyon " then departed for North Africa via England , making two voyages to Naples before beginning five months of training . She sailed from Naples on 13 August as part of a combined British - French - United States operation to land in the St . Tropez area of southern France . " Lyon " received her fourth battle star here where the Allied landings overwhelmed opposition at this “ back door ” to Europe . The ship continued to reinforce these landings until 24 October when she again departed for New York . Arriving 8 November , she prepared for Pacific duty , and sailed from New York on 26 December . " Lyon " embarked combat forces in San Francisco in January 1945 , and departed for the invasion of Okinawa . " Lyon " successfully completed her role in this major attack in the face of kamikaze attacks , and returned to San Francisco on 21 May . She departed Seattle , Washington , on 2 June to reinforce Okinawa , sailing via Honolulu , Eniwetok , and Ulithi . " Lyon " arrived off Okinawa on 14 July and was immediately forced out to sea by a typhoon . For two days her convoy was exposed to enemy submarine and kamikaze attacks , but the proximity of Admiral William Halsey , Jr . ’ s 3rd Fleet diverted potential attackers . She returned to Okinawa on 21 July and embarked veteran marines bound for Guam to prepare for the planned assault on the Japanese home islands . She returned to the west coast on 14 August . " Lyon " received five battle star s for World War II service . After World War II . After two voyages to the Far East between August and November transporting occupation troops and returning veterans , " Lyon " arrived in San Francisco on 3 February 1946 . She departed Oakland , California , on 2 March with 1 , 000 German prisoners of war bound for Liverpool , England , and returned to New York on 12 April . She decommissioned on 3 May 1946 and was returned to her owners , the Moore - McCormack Lines , and her original name . " Mormactide " remained under the ownership of Moore - McCormack Lines until 1966 , when she was acquired by Grace Lines and renamed " Santa Regina " .