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. 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
Mormactide was the second ship designed for Moore-McCormack's South American trade equipped with a cargo air conditioning system and the third ship to be built by Ingalls for the line.[1] The ship, a MC type C3 hull numbered 65, Ingalls hull 255 was assigned official number 240348 and completed on 10 April 1941.[2][3]Mormactide was turned over to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) for wartime operation on 10 March 1942. Mormactide was operated by Moore-McCormack for WSA under a standard Army Transportation Corps agreement until 8 August 1942 when the ship was transferred to the Custody of the War Department. On 13 September 1942 the Navy acquired Mormactide under a bareboat charter from WSA.[3]
World War II
After being turned over to the Navy, she completed conversion to an AP, Elizabeth C. Stanton-classtransport ship, on 20 September 1942. 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-boats which were a major danger at the time. The ship arrived at Safi on 7 November.[4]
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-boats 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 24 November.[4]
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.[4]
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.[4]
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.[4]
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.[4]
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.[4]
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.[4]
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.[4]
Lyon received five battle stars for World War II service.[4]
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.[4]
On 3 May 1946 the ship returned to operation by Moore-McCormack under a WSA agreement as Mormactide until 6 November when the ship was redelivered to the line. The ship remained under the ownership of Moore-McCormack Lines until August 1966 when she was sold to Grace Lines and renamed Santa Regina. On 18 January the ship was sold by the then Prudential-Grace Lines to Dah Young Steel Manufacturing Co., LTD for scrapping in Taiwan.[3]
USS Susan B. Anthony (AP-72) was a turbo-electric ocean liner, Santa Clara, of the Grace Steamship Company that was built in 1930. Santa Clara was turned over to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 28 February 1942 and operated by Grace Lines as agent for WSA as a troop ship making voyages to the South Pacific. The ship was chartered to the Navy on 7 August 1942 for operation as a United States Navy transport ship. The ship was sunk 7 June 1944 off Normandy by a mine while cruising through a swept channel with all 2,689 people aboard being saved.
USS Florence Nightingale (AP-70) was a Maritime Commission type C3-M cargo ship built as Mormacsun for Moore-McCormack Lines. Mormacsun operated for Moore-McCormack from May 1941 until December 1941 when she came under the War Shipping Administration (WSA) for the duration of World War II. The ship operated with Moore-McCormack as the WSA agent, playing an important role in early supply of the Southwest Pacific, until transfer to the United States Navy September 1942 and commissioning as Florence Nightingale whereupon she became an Elizabeth C. Stanton-class transport ship. She was named for Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), the nursing pioneer, and is one of the few United States Navy ships named after a woman. The ship was returned to WSA in 1946 and then to Moore-McCormack operating as Mormacsun until sold to operate as Japan Transport and lastly as Texas.
USS Elizabeth C. Stanton (AP-69) was the lead ship of her class of Second World War United States Navy transport ships, named for the suffragist and abolitionist Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
The first USS La Salle (AP-102) of the United States Navy was the lead ship of her class of transport ships in use during the latter part of World War II.
USS Arthur Middleton (AP-55/APA-25) was the lead ship of the Arthur Middleton-class attack transports and was in service with the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946. She was named for Founding Father Arthur Middleton and was scrapped in 1973.
USS Jeffers (DD-621/DMS-27), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Commodore William N. Jeffers.
USS Betelgeuse (AK-28/AKA-11) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship, the first United States Navy ship named for Betelgeuse, a star in the constellation Orion. She served as a commissioned ship for 4 years and 9 months.
USS Alhena (AKA-9) was an attack cargo ship named after Alhena, a star in the constellation Gemini. Robin Kettering had been purchased from Robin Line of the Seas Shipping Company some four months after launch and served as a commissioned ship for five years and four months. On 12 September 1946 the ship was transferred to the War Shipping Administration and placed in reserve until repurchased by Seas Shipping for operation as Robin Kettering. In 1957 the ship was sold, renamed Flying Hawk operating in cargo—passenger service until sold for scrap in 1971.
USS Haskell (APA-117) was the lead ship of her class of attack transports, built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Haskell was named for the Haskell Counties of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
USS Algorab (AKA-8) was laid down as Mormacwren, one of the earliest Maritime Commission-type C2 ships, on 10 August 1938 by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania as hull 177 for Moore-McCormack. Mormacwren was acquired by the United States Navy 6 June 1941, commissioned 15 June 1941 as USS Algorab (AK-25) and was redesignated an attack transport on 1 February 1943 with the hull number chanted to AKA-8. Algorab decommissioned on 3 December 1945 and was delivered to the Maritime Commission on 30 June 1946 for disposal, purchased by Wallem & Co. on 4 April 1947 for commercial service.
USS DuPage (AP-86/APA-41) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was then sold into commercial service and was scrapped in 1973.
USS Thomas Jefferson (APA-30), serving from 1 May 1942 until 18 July 1955, was a transport and then reclassified on 1 February 1943 as a President Jackson-class attack transport. She was laid down under Maritime Commission contract as President Garfield on 5 February 1940 at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company for the American President Lines. The ship was launched on 20 November 1940, sponsored by Miss Eugenia Merrill. President Garfield was completed 26 March 1941 and acquired by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) 29 November 1941 with American President Lines, the WSA agent, operating the ship as a troop transport. On 1 May 1942 the United States Navy purchased the ship and commissioned her USS Thomas Jefferson, named for Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, on 31 August 1942.
USS Riverside (APA-102) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. In 1948, she was sold into commercial service. She sank in Smyth Channel, Chile, in 1968.
USS Custer (AP-85/APA-40) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was sold into commercial service in 1948 and was scrapped in 1973.
USS Henrico (APA-45) was a Bayfield-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy in World War II, and subsequently in the Korean War, Cold War and Vietnam War.
USS Griggs (APA-110) was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was subsequently sold into commercial service and was scrapped in 1973.
USS Grundy (APA-111) was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. She was subsequently sold in to commercial service and was scrapped in 1973.
USS Harris (APA-2) was an Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ship launched for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) on 19 March 1921 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, at Sparrows Point, Maryland as Pine Tree State. After operation by commercial lines for the USSB, during which the ship was renamed President Grant and operated commercially until laid up in the late 1930s.
USS George F. Elliott (AP-105) was a cargo liner built for the Mississippi Shipping Company as SS Delbrasil for operation between New Orleans and the east coast of South America in 1939 by its operator, Delta Line. The ship entered that service and operated until taken over by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 28 April 1942 for operation by Delta Line acting as WSA's agent. On 25 August 1943 WSA allocated the ship to the Navy for conversion to a troop transport commissioned and operated by the Navy for the duration of the war. Ownership of the ship was transferred from Mississippi Shipping to WSA on 4 February 1944 while under Navy operation and was retained until sale to American South African Lines on 22 December 1948. The ship was renamed African Endeavor until returned as a trade in to the Maritime Commission on 22 September 1960 for layup in the James River reserve fleet and later sold to Boston Metals for scrapping.
SS Sea Marlin was a C3-S-A2 cargo ship operated for the War Shipping Administration (WSA) by Grace Lines during World War II. WSA allocated Sea Marlin to United States Army requirements. Sea Marlin was crewed by United States Merchant Marines, with a contingent of the US Naval Armed Guards for the guns and had a complement of the US Army Transportation Corps aboard for troop administration.
References
↑ Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast (May 1941). "Ingalls Delivers Mormactide". Pacific Marine Review. San Francisco: J.S. Hines: 76. Retrieved 10 August 2019.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
1 2 3 Maritime Administration. "Mormactide". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Naval History And Heritage Command (29 July 2015). "Lyon". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History And Heritage Command. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
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