USS Clay ( APA - 39 ) " USS Clay " ( APA - 39 ) was a " Bayfield " class attack transport which served with the US Navy in World War II . " USS Clay " was originally laid down as " Sea Angel " by the Western Pipe and Steel Company on 14 October 1942 . The vessel was launched on 23 January 1943 and commissioned into the US Navy as naval transport USS " Clay " AP - 84 on 29 June 1943 . The ship then sailed from San Pedro to New York , where she was decommissioned for conversion on 11 August 1943 , and recommissioned into service as an attack transport designated APA - 39 on 21 December 1943 , after which she sailed to Pearl Harbor in preparation for operations against the Japanese . Operational history . Saipan . After an abortive operation against Kavieng ( cancelled due to neutralization of the Japanese forces there by other means ) , " USS Clay " headed to Saipan , where on the morning of 15 June 1944 she participated in a feint landing off the island ' s northwestern coast in order to draw Japanese troops away from the real landing zone . On the afternoon of the same day , " Clay " participated in the invasion proper , landing elements of the 2nd Marine Division . " Clay " then returned to Pearl Harbor with troops and Japanese prisoners of war , arriving on 9 July . " Clay " ' s naval division was then ordered to San Diego to embark the 5th Marine Division for an attack on Guam , but during the trip Guam fell to US forces and the ship was diverted to Hawaii in preparation for a new operation . Leyte . After intensive rehearsals , " USS Clay " then embarked with elements of the 96th Infantry Division for an attack on Yap , but once again the course of the war made the invasion unnecessary and the ship was ordered to participate in an invasion of Leyte instead , 700 miles beyond . The vessel staged at Manus and on 14 October set sail as part of a large invasion force , taking part in the invasion on 20 October . Under constant threat from Japanese aircraft , " Clay " then sailed from Leyte to Hollandia and thence Morotai , before returning to Leyte with vital reinforcements and supplies . The vessel unloaded in a single day and on 14 November proceeded once again to Manus , then to Cape Gloucester , where following her arrival on 27 November , she began to prepare for the invasion of Luzon in Lingayen Gulf . Luzon . On 31 December 1944 , " USS Clay " departed for the invasion of Luzon . In the face of kamikaze air attacks , the invasion was successfully carried out on 9 January . " Clay " herself helped beat off the suicide attacks , and the Japanese erroneously reported her sinking . " Clay " then returned to Leyte to embark elements of the 1st Cavalry Division , which she also transported to Luzon , arriving on 27 January . After taking on board wounded soldiers , " Clay " then set sail for Guadalcanal to embark elements of the 6th Marines . Okinawa . After more rehearsals , " USS Clay " embarked in March with elements of the 6th Marines as part of the massive invasion fleet destined for Okinawa . Braving attacking planes and gunfire , the invasion took place on 1 April . By 5 April " Clay " was returning home to San Francisco for an overhaul and an increase in her armament in preparation for the invasion of Japan . While in port she also received a new commanding officer , Captain E . M . Eller , and refresher training at San Diego . After the Japanese surrender . On 27 July " USS Clay " headed once more for the Pacific , but before she could arrive the US unleashed its atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima and the Japanese surrendered . " Clay " continued to Leyte , and from there to Cebu where she embarked elements of 182nd Infantry Regiment for occupation duties in Japan . On 1 September , she sailed for Tokyo Bay as flagship of Temporary Squadron 13 ( part of Tokyo Force ) , skippered by Squadron Commander Captain R C Bartham . Sailing through swept minefields and past the wreck of the Japanese battleship " Nagato " , " USS Clay " disembarked her cargo in the devastated industrial region between Yokohama and Tokyo , before returning to Cebu and thence to Otaru with more occupation troops . She then journeyed to Guam to pick up occupation troops for Tientsin , China . From there she sailed to Saipan to embark troops returning home to the United States , arriving at San Pedro on 5 December 1945 . After a second trip to the Pacific to pick up more returning servicemen , she sailed from San Francisco on 9 March 1946 and arrived at New York on 27 March . She was decommissioned on 15 May 1946 . In the course of her naval career , " USS Clay " covered over 100 , 000 miles in wartime operations . She received four battle stars for her wartime service . Commercial service . After decommissiong , the vessel was sold through the Maritime Commission on 12 September 1946 to American President Lines , which renamed her SS " President Johnson " . By the 1970s she had been sold again , to Waterman Steamship Corporation , and renamed SS " La Salle " . The vessel was finally scrapped in 1974 .