USS Mount Olympus ( AGC - 8 ) USS " Mount Olympus " ( AGC - 8 ) was a " Mount McKinley " - class amphibious force command ship , named after the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains of Washington . She was designed as an amphibious force flagship , a floating command post with advanced communications equipment and extensive combat information spaces to be used by the amphibious forces commander and landing force commander during large - scale operations . World War II . " Mount Olympus " was laid down on 3 August 1943 at the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company in Wilmington , North Carolina ; launched on 3 October 1943 as " Eclipse " , a transport , sponsored by Mrs . W . C . Park ; renamed " Mount Olympus " on 27 December 1943 ; and commissioned at Boston , Massachusetts , after conversion on 24 May 1944 , with Captain John Henry Shultz in command . " Mount Olympus " departed the east coast in early July , arriving Hawaii via the Panama Canal 23 July . With Commander , 3d Amphibious Force , embarked , she was underway from Hawaii 29 August . She arrived Leyte Gulf 20 October , serving as the afloat headquarters for the invasion force . The landing force was subjected to constant air attacks but its survival was assured by the American naval victory in the Battle of Leyte Gulf , which destroyed the Japanese Navy as an effective combat force . On 26 October , the flagship departed for Hollandia , New Guinea , via Peleliu , in preparation for the next assault on the Japanese occupied Philippines . After invasion rehearsals in Huon Gulf , New Guinea , the ship departed Manus Island , Admiralties , 31 December for the assault on Lingayen Gulf 9 January 1945 . After the initial assault and with the ground force commander disembarked , " Mount Olympus " was underway 11 January from Lingayen Gulf . She called at Ulithi to allow Commander , 3d Amphibious Force , to disembark to travel by plane to Hawaii , while she herself sailed for overhaul at San Francisco , arriving 11 February and leaving 22 April for Hawaii and Guam . Arriving Guam 6 July , " Mount Olympus " sailed on for Manila , colliding en route with oiler . The flagship was escorted to San Pedro Bay , Leyte , for repairs by , then continued to Manila , arriving 3 August . After the close of hostilities , " Mount Olympus " arrived Tokyo Bay 2 September with the 1st Cavalry Division on board for Yokohama . After 8 months ’ moving occupation troops from the Philippines and other bases to ports in Japan and China , she left Shanghai 28 May 1946 for San Diego , the Panama Canal , and New York , arriving 7 July . Post - war . In September she was made flagship for Operation Highjump , the Navy Antarctic Expedition . The ship sailed from Norfolk 2 December , passed through the Panama Canal to rendezvous with the Pacific group , and with them reached Bay of Whales , New Zealand , 16 January 1947 . Detached 11 February , " Mount Olympus " returned Norfolk 17 April to become flagship of Commander , Amphibious Group 2 , in training along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean . She became flagship and temporary headquarters for CINCNELM / CINCSOUTH in the Mediterranean 21 June 1951 . Relieved by in August 1951 , " Mount Olympus " returned to Norfork and duty as Amphibious Group 2 flagship , joining in NATO naval exercises “ Mainbrace ” and “ Longs ” in northern Europe and the Mediterranean from August to December 1952 . After an overhaul in Norfolk from December to March 1953 , when a helicopter deck was installed , she served in the Atlantic Fleet until 5 January 1955 , when she sailed for the Panama Canal and San Diego , arriving 23 January . Having participated in exercise “ Surfboard ” off the coast of Washington in February , " Mount Olympus " proceeded to Arctic waters as part of Project 572 in support of DEW Line operations , While underway from Point Barrow to Point Hope , Alaska , she became icebound , but was freed by the icebreaker . Having sustained damage to structural bulkheads from the ice pressure , the ship was repaired by " Current " in Point Hope . " Mount Olympus " returned to San Diego on 29 September and on 31 October 1955 proceeded to Mare Island Naval Shipyard for inactivation . Decommissioning . She decommissioned on 4 April 1956 and was struck from the Navy list on 1 June 1961 . The ship transferred to the Maritime Administration in June 1966 and remained in the Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet , Suisun Bay , California . She was scrapped in 1973 . " Mount Olympus " received two battle star s for World War II service .