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{{Short description|American naval vessel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS American Legion APA-17.jpg
|Ship caption=As USS ''American Legion'' c. 1944–45
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}}
|Ship name=''American Legion''
|Ship namesake=The [[American Legion]], a patriotic organization
|Ship original cost=$7,309,189.37{{sfn|''Pacific Marine Review'' July 1922}}
|Ship yard number=242{{sfn|McKellar: ''Steel Shipbuilding under the U.S. Shipping Board, 1917-1921, Part III''}}
|Ship ordered=
|Ship sponsor=Mrs. [[Joseph S. Frelinghuysen]]
|Ship builder=[[New York Shipbuilding]]
|Ship christened=''American Legion''
|Ship maiden voyage=23 July 1921
|Ship renamed= 
|Ship laid down=
|Ship identification=United States [[official number]]: 221478
|Ship launched=11 October 1919{{sfn|''The Marine Review'' February 1922|p=77}}
|Ship delivered=15 July 1921
|Ship acquired=(by the Navy) 22 August 1941
|Ship commissioned=(Navy) 26 August 1941
|Ship decommissioned=(Navy) 20 March 1946
|Ship reclassified=AP-35 to APA-17, 1 February 1943
|Ship struck=(Navy) 20 March 1946
|Ship honors=Two [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap, 5 February 1948
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=*[[Emergency Fleet Corporation|EFC]] [[Design 1029 ship]]
*(Navy) {{sclass|Harris|attack transport}}
|Ship displacement=13,529 tons (lt), 21,900 t.(fl)
|Ship tonnage= 
|Ship length= {{convert|535|ft|2|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam=   {{convert|72|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=  {{convert|31|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation (1886)|Westinghouse]] geared turbine drives, 8 × [[Babcock & Wilcox]] [[Water-tube boiler|header-type boilers]]
* 2 propellers, designed {{convert|12000|shp|abbr=on|lk=in}}
|Ship speed={{convert|18|kn}}
|Ship range=
|Ship capacity=*Troops: 107 Officers, 1,537 Enlisted
*Cargo: 120,000 cu ft, 2,500 tons
|Ship complement=Officers 43, Enlisted 639
|Ship armament=*4 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|3"/50 cal.]] [[Dual purpose gun|DP gun]] mounts,
*2 × twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm gun]] mounts,
*2 × quad [[1.1"/75 caliber gun]] mounts,
*10 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm gun]] mounts.
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''''American Legion''''' was a United States Navy ship first launched on 11 October 1919 and decommissioned on 20 March 1946. She was built for the [[United States Shipping Board]] (USSB), one of the planned [[World War I]] [[Troopship|troop transport]]s converted before construction into passenger and cargo vessels, the [[Emergency Fleet Corporation]] [[Design 1029 ship]]s. The ship was [[Keel laying|laid down]] as ''Koda'' and perhaps assigned the name ''Badger State'' at one point, but renamed ''American Legion'' before [[Ceremonial ship launching|launch]] and one of only a few of the design not taking a state nickname. Originally operated by the USSB's agents and the [[Munson Steamship Line]] the ship saw commercial service until laid up 13 March 1939.

''American Legion'' was formally transferred to the [[United States Department of War|War Department]] for use as a [[United States Army]] transport on 19 December 1939 operating as '''USAT ''American Legion''''' until transfer to the [[United States Navy]] 22 August 1941. The Navy [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] the ship '''USS ''American Legion''''' initially classifying the ship a transport with [[Hull classification symbol|hull number]] AP-35. On 1 February 1943 the Navy reclassified the ship as an [[attack transport]] ({{sclass|Harris|attack transport|4}}) with hull number APA-17. ''American Legion'' [[Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] on 28 March 1946 and was sold for [[Ship breaking|scrap]] 5 February 1948.

==Construction==
''American Legion'' was a steel-hulled, twin-screw passenger and cargo [[steamship]], [[Keel laying|laid down]] as [[Yard number|yard hull number]] 242 on 10 January 1919 under a [[United States Shipping Board]] (USSB) contract at [[Camden, New Jersey]], by the [[New York Shipbuilding Corporation]].{{sfn|McKellar: ''Steel Shipbuilding under the U.S. Shipping Board, 1917-1921, Part III''}}{{sfn|''The Marine Review'' February 1922|p=77}}{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}} The name was the result of efforts by William J. Brown, an Emergency Fleet Corporation inspector and member of the [[American Legion]], who inspected the hull, proposed its name change to the Pennsylvania American Legion conference with passage of a resolution which was immediately publicized.{{sfn|''The American Legion Weekly'' 8 October 1920|p=22}} A week from that publication the ship was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] as ''American Legion'' on 11 October 1919 with Emily Frelinghuysen, wife of New Jersey senator [[Joseph S. Frelinghuysen]] christening the ship.{{sfn|''The American Legion Weekly'' 8 October 1920|p=22}} The ship, a type known in commercial service as "535's" for their [[length overall]], was assigned the United States official number 221478.{{sfn|''McKellar: Steel Shipbuilding under the U.S. Shipping Board, 1917-1921, Part III''}}

The ship was one of three intended to become [[United States Army]] transports already under construction at the yard: hull 240 [[USS Henry T. Allen (APA-15)|''Wenatchee'']], hull 241 [[USS Wharton (AP-7)|''Sea Girt'']] and hull 242 ''Koda''.{{sfn|War Department|1919|p=4995}} Of those one had been launched and a second was ready for launch when the USSB changed plans from troop transports to completion as passenger ships.{{sfn|War Department|1919|p=4995}} At some point ''American Legion'' may have been assigned the name ''Badger State'' by USSB in conformance with the majority of the ships of the design but the three ships begun as Army transports when the design changed to passenger-cargo ships remained the only ones not formally assigned the state nicknames.{{sfn|''Pacific Marine Review'' January 1922|p=28}}<ref group=note>McKellar only shows ''Koda'' and that name is shown along with two other ships, hull 240, [[USS Henry T. Allen (APA-15)|''Wenatchee'']] (apparently initially ''C. M. Schwab'') and hull 241, ''Sea Girt'' that was completed as [[USS Wharton (AP-7)|''Southern Cross'']], of the early New York Shipbuilding group of this type. Later references begin associating the name ''Badger State'' with the ship launched as ''American Legion'' and a few mention ''Badger State'' being the name at launch. The "State" names were assigned to new construction of this type intended from the start as commercial ships and ''Badger State'' may have been briefly assigned retroactively  before efforts of the American Legion resulted in the name given for the organization. Contemporary sources make it clear the ship was launched as ''American Legion''. A close look at the period shows proposed names existing only on paper in a number of cases.</ref> In any case, the ship was launched as ''American Legion'', a name exceptionally kept throughout the ship's career, and was delivered to the USSB upon completion on 15 July 1921.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}{{sfn|''The American Legion Weekly'' 8 October 1920|p=22}}

Before delivery ''American Legion'' and ''Sea Girt'', soon to become ''Southern Cross'', were modified for tropical service carrying about 300 [[First class travel|first class]] passengers.{{sfn|Villard: The Nautical Gazette, 12 February 1921}}

==Commercial service==
[[File:S.S. American Legion being towed up River Plate (3567381161).jpg|thumb|SS ''American Legion'' being towed up the River Plate transporting the 2nd Captain Marshall Field Paleontological Expedition in 1926]]
''American Legion'', flying the Munson Steamship Line's flag which had been allocated the ship for operation in fast passenger service to South American ports, left the Camden yards at five-thirty on the afternoon of 16 July 1921 for the one-day voyage to [[Hoboken, New Jersey]] with cabins filled with dignitaries.{{sfn|''Marine Engineering'' August 1921|p=643}} The line's founder and owner, Frank C. Munson, and his wife were hosts to a party composed of executives of New York Shipbuilding, USSB Commissioners, members of Congress and prominent members of the American Legion.{{sfn|''Marine Engineering'' August 1921|p=643}} Both National and regional officials of the American Legion had been guests at a dinner aboard prior to sailing and had passed a resolution expressing appreciation for the naming of the ship after the organization and resolved to present a plaque bearing the American Legion's emblem to the ship.{{sfn|''The American Legion Weekly'' 29 July 1921}} The plaque, to hang in the ship's dining room, was presented in New York in 1922.{{sfn|''The American Legion Weekly'' 26 May 1922}} At four-thirty on the afternoon of 17 July ''American Legion'' arrived at Pier 3, Hoboken.{{sfn|''Marine Engineering'' August 1921|p=643}} On 23 July 1921 the ship departed on her maiden voyage to South America.{{sfn|''Marine Engineering'' August 1921|p=643}}

''American Legion'', along with [[sister ship]] {{SS|Southern Cross|1921|2}} and the seized [[Norddeutscher Lloyd]] ships {{USS|Aeolus|ID-3005|2}} and {{USS|Huron|ID-1408|2}} allocated to Munson by the USSB after the war, began operating as the Pan America Line serving a New York-to-[[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Montevideo]], and [[Buenos Aires]] route with [[Santos, São Paulo|Santos]], added during return voyages.{{sfn|United States Shipping Board|1926|p=89}}{{sfn|Larsson: Maritime Timetable Images}} On 31 August 1922, ''American Legion'' suffered a mishap in which she rammed  several [[Argentine Navy]] ships; she split the [[despatch boat]]s {{ship|Argentine despatch boat|Azopardo||2}} in two and sank her and damaged the despatch boats {{ship|Argentine despatch boat|Gaviota||2}} and {{ship|Argentine transport|La Pampa||2}}, the [[survey ship]] {{ship|Argentine survey vessel|Alfarez Mackinlay||2}}, the [[troopship]] {{ship|Argentine transport|Patagonia||2}}, and the [[gunboat]] {{ship|Argentine gunboat|Patria||2}}.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Steamer runs amok in harbour |date=2 September 1922 |page=7 |issue=43126 |column=F }}</ref>

By 1924 ''Aeolus'' and ''Huron'' had dropped off the New York-Rio de Janeiro-Montevideo-Buenos Aires route to be replaced by sister "535's" {{SS|Pan America||2}} and {{SS|Western World||2}}.{{sfn|Larsson: Maritime Timetable Images}} The addition of the relatively fast "535's" on the direct route between New York and South America resulted in the British [[Lamport and Holt|Lamport and Holt Line]] cutting its first class rates to South America, from $415 to $315 New York-Rio de Janeiro fare, and the USSB then cutting its rates to $295 for the same route and offering a round trip to Rio de Janeiro at $450.{{sfn|Villard: ''The Nautical Gazette'', 29 April 1922|p=527}}

As the USSB sold off its vessels the Munson Steamship Line bought the four vessels operating for its Pan America Line service in February 1926.{{sfn|United States Shipping Board|1926|p=89}} Each ship, including ''American Legion'', was purchased for a price of $1,026,000.{{sfn|United States Shipping Board|1926|p=92}} For the next fourteen years, ''American Legion'' and her running-mates were familiar sights on that particular passenger-and-cargo route.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}} By 1931 ''American Legion'' and her sister "535's" had been taken off the South American service and were running between New York and [[Bermuda]].  Financial difficulties forced foreclosure of the Munson Steamship Line on 13 March 1939 and ''American Legion'' was then laid up in the [[Patuxent River]].{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

==Army troopship service==
Her enforced idleness did not last long. A little under three months after the [[Invasion of Poland (1939)|German invasion]] of [[Poland]], triggering World War&nbsp;II in Europe, the [[Maritime Commission]] (the successor to the USSB) transferred ''American Legion'' to the [[United States Department of War|War Department]] on 28 November 1939 for use as a [[Troopship|troop transport]]. On 19 December 1939, the ship was formally transferred, and taken to New York for rehabilitation and conversion by the [[Atlantic Basin Iron Works]] of [[Brooklyn, New York]].{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

[[File:U.S.A. transport, American Legion entering San Juan Bay (part of El Morro Castle in foreground). 1940..jpg|thumb|right|USAT ''American Legion'' departing San Juan Bay (part of [[Fort San Felipe del Morro|El Morro]] Castle in foreground). 1940]]
'''[[United States Army Transport|USAT]] ''American Legion''''' departed [[New York City]] early in February 1940, on her maiden voyage, bound for [[Panama]]. Over the next few months, the ship made five round-trip voyages to the [[Panama Canal Zone|Canal Zone]], with stops at [[Charleston, South Carolina]], and [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]], carrying civilian and military passengers. The worsening situation in Europe, though, soon resulted in the ship's receiving a special mission.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Vital mission to Petsamo===
President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] directed that ''American Legion'' leave New York immediately and proceed to [[Pechengsky District|Petsamo]] in northern [[Finland]]. There, she was to embark the [[Princess Märtha of Sweden|Crown Princess Märtha]] of [[Norway]] and her party and bring them to the [[United States]], their homeland having fallen to the [[Nazi Germany|Germans]] the previous spring. Further, as Acting [[Secretary of State]] [[Sumner Welles]] reported to the United States Minister in [[Sweden]], the President also desired that [[Florence Jaffray Harriman|Mrs. J. Borden Harriman]], the former American Minister to [[Norway]], return in the same vessel. The transport would "likewise bring back to this country such Americans in [[Scandinavia]]n countries as can be accommodated and as may not be able to return safely in any other way."{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

''American Legion'' — her neutrality shown clearly by the U.S. flags painted prominently on her sides — sailed for Finland on 25 July, and reached Petsamo on 6 August, as scheduled. On the 15th, she embarked Crown Princess Märtha, and her three children, the Princesses [[Princess Ragnhild of Norway|Ragnhild]] and [[Princess Astrid of Norway|Astrid]], and [[Harald V of Norway|Prince Harald]]. The Army troopship also embarked a host of American nationals and [[refugee]]s from a variety of countries: [[Poland]], [[Finland]], [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], Sweden, [[Norway]], [[Denmark]], Germany, and the [[Netherlands]], the total number of people being 897. Among the passengers was a young Danish comedian and musician, [[Victor Borge]]. The American Legation in [[Stockholm, Sweden]], also consented to the embarkation of 15 "prominent nationals of American republics...including the [[Mexico|Mexican]] minister..."{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

Unbeknownst to probably all but a handful of individuals, ''American Legion'' also took on board an important cargo during her brief stay at Petsamo. Before she sailed on the 16th, after an almost Herculean effort involving taking this special cargo by truck the entire length of Sweden, the transport loaded a twin-mount [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40-millimeter Bofors antiaircraft gun]], "equipped with standard sight, and accompanied by spare parts and 3,000 rounds of ammunition." The State Department had obtained the cooperation of no less than three governments to make possible the shipment of the Bofors gun: [[United Kingdom|British]], Swedish, and Finnish. The move had been made none too soon, for ''American Legion'' was the last neutral ship permitted to leave Petsamo.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

''American Legion'' sailed for the United States on 16 August, and reached [[New York City|New York]], 12&nbsp;days later, escorted the final leg of the voyage by several American [[destroyer]]s. The transport unloaded the [[Bofors]] brought from Petsamo, whence it was shipped to [[Dahlgren, Virginia]], where it would be tested, and ultimately adopted by the US&nbsp;Navy and produced domestically. Its installation in American [[warship]]s from late 1942 proved a significant upgrading to the [[antiaircraft]] capability of the ships of the US&nbsp;Navy.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Other transport missions===
''American Legion'' soon returned to the more prosaic calling she had pursued since earlier in the year, that of an Army transport, and resumed the regularly scheduled service between New York and the [[Panama Canal Zone]]. Ultimately, as the United States expanded her defense perimeter, ''American Legion'' supported this movement, transporting men and cargo to such ports as [[Hamilton, Bermuda]], and [[Port-of-Spain]], [[Trinidad]], as well as to [[Cristóbal, Colón|Cristóbal]], in the Canal Zone.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

As the United States began assuming a greater share of the [[Battle of the Atlantic]], to aid the hard-pressed British, the [[6th Marine Regiment (United States)|6th Marine Regiment]] was taken to [[Iceland]], where it relieved a British garrison of defense duties. A second troop and supply movement followed. ''American Legion'' from New York on 27 July 1941, as part of a convoy which included within its escort the [[aircraft carrier]] {{USS|Wasp|CV-7|6}}.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

''American Legion'' — whose cargo included [[United States Army Aviation Branch|Army Air Corps]] gear earmarked for use by the [[33rd Pursuit Squadron]] (whose [[Curtiss P-40|Curtiss P-40 fighter]]s were flown off from ''Wasp'') — reached [[Reykjavík]], Iceland, on 6 August. Unable to enter the inner harbor because of her deep draft, ''American Legion'' discharged her cargo and disembarked her passengers into [[tank lighter]]s and [[motor launch]]es over the days that followed, the cargo movement facilitated by marines and sailors from the ships.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

==Navy commission==
Having delivered the men and goods to Reykjavik, the convoy sailed on the 12th with its heavy escort and reached New York on 21 August. The next day, ''American Legion'' was acquired by the Navy and classified as a transport, '''AP-35'''. She was placed in commission on the afternoon of 26 August 1941.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

''American Legion'', having shed her white Army transport livery for a more businesslike and somber dark gray, was towed to Pier&nbsp;3, [[Army Transport Service]] Pier of Embarkation, [[Brooklyn]], by four [[tug]]s, on 12 September, and commenced taking on cargo that afternoon. Shortly before noon the following day, she began embarking civilian passengers for her maiden voyage as a Navy transport.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Transport missions===
Underway for the [[Gravesend Bay]] Explosive Anchorage soon afterwards, ''American Legion'' loaded a cargo of [[ammunition]] — under the supervision of a detail of [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guardsmen]] from {{USCGC|Arundel|WYT-90|6}} — early that afternoon, and, after loading the balance of the cargo the following day, weighed anchor for Charleston, South Carolina, at 14:12. She reached her destination on the afternoon of 18 September.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

There, she embarked contingents of troops slated for [[garrison]] duties, and sailed for [[Bermuda]] on the morning of 19 September. On the afternoon of 22 September, as she neared her destination, her local escort — two Army planes — arrived overhead and accompanied the ship on the last leg of her voyage. Ultimately, at 19:45 on 22 September, she moored in Hamilton harbor. She disembarked troops the following morning, and, the following afternoon, sailed for [[Puerto Rico]].{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

''American Legion'' reached [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]] three days later, mooring at Pier&nbsp;7, Puerto Rico Dock Company, shortly after noon. There, she debarked civilian passengers as well as 33 Army officers and 176&nbsp;men, and embarked passengers for the rest of the voyage. Underway on the afternoon of 29 September, the transport reached "Ceriseport" — the code name for [[St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda|St. John's, Antigua]] — the next morning. The ship there discharged more cargo and took on board another group of passengers on 2 October before she sailed on the morning of 4 October for Puerto Rico.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Taken in tow after breakdown===
''American Legion'' returned once more to San Juan on 8 October, mooring at 09:56 and disembarking naval enlisted passengers brought from Trinidad. Once more, her turnaround was comparatively swift, for she was underway again on the morning of 10 October, bound for Hamilton. late that afternoon, though, the ship's port main engine and steering engine proved troublesome. As ''American Legion'' limped back to San Juan, two Navy [[tugboat]]s came out to assist, as did the [[lighthouse tender]], USCGC ''Acacia''. Ultimately, though, it was the small [[seaplane tender]] {{USS|Thrush|AVP-3|6}} that came to the rescue, passing a line to the crippled transport at 16:50 and taking her in tow back to San Juan.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

Following repairs, ''American Legion'' sailed for Hamilton on the morning of 18 October. Anchoring in [[Murray's Anchorage]] on the morning of the 21st, she embarked New York-bound passengers and took departure the same day. Ultimately, on 23 October, ''American Legion'' reached Pier&nbsp;2, Army Base, Brooklyn, and disembarked her passengers — civilian workers and naval dependents evacuated from Puerto Rico. Underway soon afterwards, the transport anchored off [[Staten Island]] that same afternoon.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Overhaul and repairs===
''American Legion'' weighed anchor on the morning of the 24th and moored at the [[New York Navy Yard]]. Initially slated for repair work at the [[Morse Dry Dock|Morse Dry Dock Company]], [[Brooklyn]], the transport was taken, instead, to the [[Bethlehem Steel Company]] yard in Brooklyn, for completion of an overhaul. She remained there into January 1942.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) on 6 February ''American Legion'' embarked men slated for duty at a destroyer base being established at [[Derry]], [[Northern Ireland]], and sailed, in convoy, on the first leg of her voyage, bound for [[City of Halifax|Halifax]]. Engineering difficulties, however, soon came to the fore again, and "engineering unreliability" caused her to be sent to the [[Boston Navy Yard]] for repairs. Accordingly, escorted by the [[destroyer]]s {{USS|Nicholson|DD-442|6}} and {{USS|Lea|DD-118|6}}, ''American Legion'' reached [[Boston]] on 4 March after a two-day passage from [[Nova Scotia]]. Ultimately deemed ready for service once more, ''American Legion'' reported for duty with the NTS on 28 March 1942.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Transfer to Pacific Theater===
On 9 April 1942, ''American Legion'' sailed from New York for the Panama Canal Zone, bound, ultimately, for [[Tongatapu]], in the [[Tonga]], or [[Friendly Islands]], which she reached on 8 May 1942. There she disembarked her passengers — Army officers, nurses, and enlisted men who were to establish a field hospital on Tongatapu — and proceeded on to [[Wellington, New Zealand]], arriving there on 29 May. ''American Legion'' remained at Wellington through mid-July, earmarked for participation in the United States' first offensive landing operation in the [[Pacific]] War — the invasion of [[Guadalcanal]], in the [[Solomon Islands|Solomons]].{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Invasion of Guadalcanal===
Three days before she was to sail from Wellington, she received an augmentation of her antiaircraft battery — a dozen [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]. Under the direction of the ship's executive officer, Comdr. Ratcliffe C. Welles, and the gunnery officer, Lt. Comdr. Elmore S. Pettyjohn, USNR, ''American Legion'''s ship's force installed the [[Artillery battery|battery]] on the ship's former sun deck in 48&nbsp;hours, laboring continuously in inclement weather and having the battery in firing order by the time the ship upped-anchor and sailed on 18 July. Rendezvousing with Task Force&nbsp;44 (TF-44) on the following day, the transport, with elements of the [[5th Marine Regiment (United States)|5th Marine Regiment]] embarked, proceeded to [[Koro Island]], in the [[Fiji|Fiji Islands]], for rehearsals for [[Operation Watchtower]]. During that training and practice evolution, the ship embarked war correspondent [[Richard Tregaskis]], whose experiences would later be chronicled in the book, ''[[Guadalcanal Diary (book)|Guadalcanal Diary]]''.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

Assigned to Task Group "X-ray", ten attack transports and five [[attack cargo ship]]s, ''American Legion'' proceeded thence to the Solomon Islands. On the morning of 7 August 1942, she went to [[general quarters]] at 05:45 and manned "ship to shore" stations fifteen minutes later. At 06:14, attending [[cruiser]]s and destroyers opened fire on the [[beachhead]]s, softening up the beaches for the impending landing. ''American Legion'' and {{USS|Fuller|AP-14|6}} soon landed the first troops to go ashore on Guadalcanal.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

That afternoon, while the landings proceeded apace, ''American Legion'' joined in the antiaircraft barrage that repelled the initial [[Imperial Japan|Japanese]] air attacks on the invasion fleet, as she did the next day. Discharging cargo at "Red" Beach on the morning of 8 August, the transport got underway as a wave of Japanese twin-engined [[bomber]]s came after the shipping off Guadalcanal. At noon, ''American Legion'' sighted the incoming planes, which dropped their [[bomb]]s near the supporting cruisers and destroyers before heading toward the [[amphibious warfare|amphibious]] ships.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

During the action, one [[Mitsubishi G4M|Mitsubishi G4M1 Type 97]] land attack plane ("Betty") passed from [[starboard]] to [[port]] directly over ''American Legion''{{'s}} stern, at {{convert|100|ft|m}}. The [[aft]]er 20-millimeter guns and .50-caliber machine guns — as well as the larger {{convert|3|in|mm|adj=on}} guns — all opened up in a deadly fusillade, while men on board the transport could see the Japanese aircrew using their own machine guns to sweep the decks with gunfire. Some of this return fire fatally wounded Seaman 1st Class Charles Kaplan. Riddled from practically all quarters, the "Betty" crashed into the water close aboard on the port quarter.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

====Rescue mission====
''American Legion'', still lay off "Red" Beach in the predawn hours of the 9th, too, and began observing heavy gunfire commencing at 01:48 to the northwestward. Lookouts also saw flares and tracers, with parachute flares brightly lighting up the area to the northeastward. Transport Group "X-ray" ceased discharging cargo and darkened ship, remaining shut down for the rest of the night, crews at general quarters. ''American Legion''{{'s}} men did not know it at the time, but they were witnessing the disastrous [[Battle of Savo Island]], in which three American [[heavy cruiser]]s were sunk, one American heavy cruiser damaged and an [[Australia]]n heavy cruiser sunk.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

The next morning, the transport began embarking survivors from the sunken heavy cruiser {{USS|Quincy|CA-39|6}} and from the destroyer {{USS|Ellet|DD-398|6}}, completing the transfer by 14:00. Within a half-hour, ''American Legion'' got underway, the majority of her cargo having been unloaded by her busy boat crews who had labored almost continuously since the 7th with almost no sleep and subsisting only on sandwiches and coffee. She left behind one officer and 19 enlisted men as part of the burgeoning naval base at Guadalcanal, having transferred them on the evening of the 8th.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

''American Legion'', with the rest of the amphibious ships of TF 62, then proceeded to [[Nouméa]], [[New Caledonia]], which she reached on 13 August. Soon afterwards she transferred her ''Quincy'' survivors to the auxiliary {{USS|Argonne|AG-31|6}} and the transport {{USS|Wharton|AP-7|6}}.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

====Supply runs====
Over the next several months, ''American Legion'' carried out a series of supply runs, including as ports of call Guadalcanal;[[Tulagi]]; [[Auckland, New Zealand]]; Nouméa; [[Brisbane, Australia]]; and [[Espiritu Santo]], in the [[New Hebrides]]. She arrived at Brisbane on New Year's Day 1943 and sailed soon afterwards for [[Melbourne]], Australia; thence she proceeded to [[Tongatapu]], [[Pago Pago]], Espiritu Santo, and Guadalcanal. Early in this period, on 1 February 1943, the ship was reclassified to an attack transport '''APA-17'''. She then carried out a series of training landings at [[Naval Base Upolu]], [[Upolu]], [[American Samoa]], between 9 April and 10 May 1943, and then later at New Zealand, at [[Paekākāriki]], between 13 and 16 June. While there, a landing accident claimed the lives of one officer and nine enlisted men when one of ''American Legion''{{'s}} [[landing craft|landing boats]] capsized in a heavy surf.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Invasion of Bougainville===
Troop and cargo runs then followed, between Auckland, New Zealand; Nouméa, New Caledonia; and Guadalcanal, before she put into [[Efate]], in the New Hebrides, on 22 October 1943, in preparation for the invasion of [[Bougainville Island|Bougainville]], Solomon Islands.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

Arriving off [[Cape Torokina]], Bougainville, on the morning of 1 November 1943, ''American Legion'' proceeded into the earmarked transport area in [[Empress Augusta Bay]] and anchored at 06:46. Japanese planes arriving in the vicinity prompted the ships to get underway, the transport's men observing [[Aichi D3A|Aichi D3A2 Type 99]] "Val" carrier attack planes attacking nearby destroyers and losing two or three of their number in the process. "Zeke" ([[A6M Zero|Mitsubishi A6M "Zero"]]) fighters then strafed the beach area; sinking an [[LCPL]] from ''American Legion''.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

====Temporarily grounded====
Securing from general quarters at 09:37, ''American Legion'' anchored in the transport area a few moments later, observers on board noting beaches Red&nbsp;2 and 3 littered with broached landing craft, two [[Landing Craft Mechanized|LCM]]s and four [[LCVP (United States)|LCVP]]s from ''American Legion'' among them. Ordered to cease unloading off Beach Red&nbsp;2 and to proceed to Beach Blue&nbsp;3, the transport got underway and proceeded thence, soon noting the presence of [[shoal water]]. At 12:46, the ship's war diary recounts "several slight shocks to hull" as ''American Legion'' grounded. Ten minutes later, enemy planes were reported approaching, as the ship began using her engines in an attempt to work herself free of her predicament. While the other ships in the task unit got underway and stood out, ''American Legion'' remained fast aground. The ship, assisted in the effort by {{USS|Sioux|AT-75|6}} and {{USS|Apache|AT-67|6}}, fired on "Vals" attacking the beachhead, and eventually worked free by 15:06. After standing out to sea during the night, the transport returned to the transport area the following morning and completed discharging cargo.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

Following the landings at [[Cape Torokina]], ''American Legion'' returned to the United States via Pago Pago, [[Samoa]], and reached [[San Francisco]] on 8 December 1943, having traveled {{convert|83140|nmi|km mi}} since leaving New York the previous spring. She then underwent repairs at San Francisco into the spring of 1944.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Amphibious warfare training ship===
Departing San Francisco on 12 April 1944, ''American Legion'' proceeded to [[San Diego]] where she became part of the Transport Training Division, Amphibious Training, Pacific. Based at the Amphibious Training Case at [[Coronado, California]], ''American Legion'' operated in the training capacity for the duration of World War II, exercising off Coronado, off [[Aliso Canyon]], near [[Oceanside, California]], and the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] Base, [[Camp Pendleton]], and at [[Pyramid Cove]], near [[San Clemente Island]].{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

Departing San Diego on 7 September 1945, ''American Legion'' proceeded to San Francisco, stopping there only briefly before sailing on 11 September for [[Pearl Harbor]] and [[Guam]]. Returning to San Pedro on 24 October, ''American Legion'' sailed for her second Pacific voyage on 8 November, bound for the [[Philippines]]. After calling at [[Manila]] and [[Tacloban]], the veteran transport returned to the United States, reaching San Francisco on 12 December 1945.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Decommission===
Clearing that port for the last time on 6 March 1946, she reached [[Olympia, Washington]], on the 9th. She was decommissioned there on 28 March 1946 and was turned over to the [[War Shipping Administration]] for disposal. Her name was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] the same day. She was ultimately sold for scrap on 5 February 1948 to [[Zidell Ship Dismantling Company]], of [[Portland, Oregon]].{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

===Awards===
* [[American Defense Service Medal]]
* [[American Campaign Medal]]
* [[European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal]]
* [[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] with two [[battle star]]s
* [[World War II Victory Medal]]  {{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}

== Footnotes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/american-legion.html}}
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin|2}}
*{{cite journal |last=American Legion Weekly |year=1920 |title=The ''American Legion'' Ready Soon |journal=The American Legion Weekly |volume=2 |issue=8 October 1920 |page=22 |location=New York |publisher=The Legion Publishing Corporation |url=https://archive.org/stream/americanlegionwe237amer#page/22/mode/1up |access-date=8 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|''The American Legion Weekly'' 8 October 1920}}}}
*{{cite journal |last=American Legion Weekly |year=1921 |title=Aboard the ''American Legion'' |journal=The American Legion Weekly |volume=3 |issue=29 July 1921 |page=19 |location=New York |publisher=The Legion Publishing Corporation |url=https://archive.org/stream/americanlegionwe330amer#page/19/mode/1up |access-date=8 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|''The American Legion Weekly'' 29 July 1921}}}}
*{{cite journal |last=American Legion Weekly |year=1922 |title=The Spirit That Goes to Sea |journal=The American Legion Weekly |volume=4 |issue=26 May 1922 |page=15 |location=New York |publisher=The Legion Publishing Corporation |url=https://archive.org/stream/americanlegionwe421amer#page/15/mode/1up |access-date=8 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|''The American Legion Weekly'' 26 May 1922}}}}
*{{cite book |last=Charles |first=Roland W. |title=Troopships of World War II |year=1947 |location=Washington |publisher=The Army Transportation Association |lccn=47004779 |page=7 |url=http://www.history.army.mil/documents/WWII/wwii_Troopships.pdf |access-date=8 August 2015 }}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/maritime/images/munson.htm |title=Munson Line |last=Larsson |first=Björn |date=15 November 2009 |work=Maritime Timetable Images |publisher=Björn Larsson |access-date=9 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|Larsson: Maritime Timetable Images}}}}
*{{cite journal |last=Marine Engineering |year=1921 |title=Steamship ''American Legion'' on Maiden Voyage After Trial Trip |journal=Marine Engineering |volume=26 |issue=August |page=643 |location=New York |publisher=Aldrich Publishing Company |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-1gfAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA643 |access-date=4 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|''Marine Engineering'' August 1921}}}}
*{{cite journal |last=Marine Review |year=1922 |title=1921 Construction Record of U.S. Yards |journal=The Marine Review |volume=51 |issue=February |page=77 |location=New York |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rW8-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA77 |access-date=8 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|''The Marine Review'' February 1922}}}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.shipscribe.com/mckellar/ |title=Steel Shipbuilding under the U. S. Shipping Board, 1917-1921, Part III, Contract Steel Ships |last=McKellar |first=Norman L. |work=Steel Shipbuilding under the U. S. Shipping Board, 1917-1921 |page=140b |publisher=ShipScribe |access-date=8 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|''McKellar: Steel Shipbuilding under the U.S. Shipping Board, 1917-1921, Part III''}}}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/american-legion.html |title=''American Legion'' |author=Naval History And Heritage Command |work=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher=Naval History And Heritage Command |access-date=8 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''American Legion''}}}}
*{{cite journal |last=Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast |year=1922 |title=What's In a Name: United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation |journal=Pacific Marine Review |volume=19 |issue=January |page=28 |location=San Francisco |publisher=J.S. Hines |url=https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev1922paci#page/n37/mode/1up |access-date=12 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|Pacific Marine Review January 1922}}}}
*{{cite journal |last=Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast |year=1922 |title=Cost of U.S.S.B. Vessels |journal=Pacific Marine Review |volume=19 |issue=July |page=434 |location=San Francisco |publisher=J.S. Hines |url=https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev1922paci#page/n525/mode/1up |access-date=8 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|Pacific Marine Review July 1922}}}}
*{{cite journal |editor-last=Villard |editor-first=Harold G.  |year=1921 |title=First 535's For Munson Line |journal=The Nautical Gazette |volume=100 |issue=12 February 1921 |page=222 |location=New York |publisher=The Nautical Gazette, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XYk9AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA222 |access-date=10 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|Villard: The Nautical Gazette, 12 February 1921}}}}
*{{cite journal |editor-last=Villard |editor-first=Harold G.  |year=1922 |title=Drastic Cut in S. American Rates |journal=The Nautical Gazette |volume=102 |issue=29 April 1922 |page=527 |location=New York |publisher=The Nautical Gazette, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qn09AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA527 |access-date=4 August 2015 |ref={{sfnref|Villard: The Nautical Gazette, 29 April 1922}}}}
*{{cite book |last=United States Shipping Board |year=1926 |title=Tenth Annual Report of the United States Shipping Board |location=Washington |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=izEwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA89 |access-date=19 August 2015 }}
*{{cite book |last=War Department |title=War Department Annual Reports, 1919; Transports Building at Camden Yard |year=1919 |location=Washington |publisher=Government Printing Office |pages=4994–4995 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=du1EAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA4995 |access-date=8 August 2015 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS American Legion (APA-17)}}
* [https://archive.org/stream/literarydigest72newy#page/n588/mode/1up Rio de Janeiro is Now Only 11 Days Away] (United States Shipping Board advertisement/Munson Steamship Line's advertisement with ship description)
* [http://www.timetableimages.com/maritime/images/munson23.htm ''American Legion'' interior photos and brochure cover] (Maritime Timetable Images)
* [http://www.timetableimages.com/maritime/images/munsoni.htm United States Government Ships] (Maritime Timetable Images)

{{Design 1029 ships}}
{{Harris class attack transport}}
{{1922 shipwrecks}}
{{1970 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:American Legion APA-17}}
[[Category:1919 ships]]
[[Category:Design 1029 ships]]
[[Category:Passenger ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Design 1029 ships of the United States Army]]
[[Category:Design 1029 ships of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Harris-class attack transports]]
[[Category:Ships built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation]]
[[Category:World War II auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1922]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1970]]