USS Shelby ( APA - 105 ) USS " Shelby " ( APA - 105 ) was a " Windsor " - class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II . She was commissioned late in the war and initially assigned to transport duties ; consequently she did not take part in any combat operations . " Shelby " was named after counties in nine US states . She was laid down on 13 June 1944 under Maritime Commission contract by the Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard , Sparrows Point , Maryland ; launched on 25 October 1944 ; and commissioned on 20 January 1945 , Capt . J . J . Fallon in command . World War II . " Shelby " underwent shakedown in Chesapeake Bay , and then reported to Davisville , Rhode Island , to embark 1 , 356 Seabees . Sailing on 24 February , she delivered the men to Pearl Harbor on 17 March . Invasion of Okinawa . At Pearl , she loaded combat medical supplies and 1 , 383 troops , and sailed on 7 April . Stopping at Eniwetok from 15 to 23 April and at Ulithi from 27 to 29 April , " Shelby " arrived at Okinawa and disembarked her troops on 3 and 4 May . The ships there underwent frequent air attacks , and , on 4 May , a kamikaze aircraft passed over " Shelby " and crashed into the light cruiser anchored nearby . The same day , " Shelby " began receiving casualties from the beach , although cargo unloading continued until 6 May . On 8 May , she got underway with 166 wounded servicemen on board , whom she disembarked at Saipan on 12 May before returning to San Francisco on 28 May . On 13 June , " Shelby " sailed from San Francisco with troops and cargo for Manila , where she arrived on 8 July after stops at Eniwetok and Ulithi . She then returned , via the same route , to San Francisco on 5 August ; and , after 10 days repairs , moved to San Diego to load more cargo and passengers . After hostilities . Sailing on 20 August , " Shelby " arrived at Pearl Harbor on 26 August and sailed from there on 1 September with troops and equipment for the occupation of Japan . The transport entered Sasebo , Japan , on 22 September ; and , after disembarking her troops , departed on the 25 September to pick up additional occupation forces in the Philippines . She embarked these in Lingayen Gulf between 3 and 5 October and delivered them at Sasebo on 14 October . Operation Magic Carpet . Embarking some marine units there , she sailed from Sasebo on 21 October and arrived at Saipan on 6 November . At Saipan , " Shelby " reported for duty with Operation Magic Carpet , and she sailed on 7 November loaded with homeward - bound servicemen . Disembarking these at Los Angeles on 21 November , she underwent repairs before sailing from San Pedro on 13 December on her second " Magic Carpet " run . She embarked troops at Manila between 2 and 4 January 1946 , and returned them to Seattle on 23 January . A month later , she sailed for the east coast , arriving at Norfolk , Virginia on 14 March for inactivation . Decommission . " Shelby " was decommissioned on 14 May 1946 , delivered to the War Shipping Administration on the 16 May and struck from the Navy List on 5 June 1946 . Service stars . " Shelby " received one battle star for her World War II service . Commercial service . " Shelby " was sold to American Export Lines in 1948 , which renamed her " Exeter " . She was sold again on 24 September 1965 , renamed " Oriental Pearl " , and re - flagged in Liberia . She was scrapped in 1974 .