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Other Memories
Sarasota (APA-204) was laid down under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 552) on 11 April 1944 by the Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond, Calif.; launched on 14 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Clayton L. Shaff; acquired by the Navy on 16 August 1944 and commissioned the same day, Comdr. James I. MacPherson, USNR, in command.
Following shakedown, Sarasota embarked Naval Construction Battalion units and departed California on 21 October. On 9 November, she arrived in Seeadler Harbor, Manus. The next day, Mount Hood (AE-11) carrying approximately 3,800 tons of ordnance material, exploded, causing damage to ships and men within 2,000 yards. Immediately afterward, Sarasota's small boats carried first aid parties to stricken ships arid craft, and her sick bay took in more seriously wounded personnel for emergency treatment.
Two days later, the APA steamed to Hollandia and during the next week, transported troops and equipment to Biak, Mios Woendi, and Milne Bay-then returned to Manus. On the 27th, she sailed again, and after calling at Finschhafen, put into Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, to load units of the 2d Battalion, 129th Regimental Combat Team, 37th Infantry Division. Landing exercises at Lae followed; and, on 21 December, she returned to Manus to stage for the invasion of Luzon.
As flagship of Transport Division 8, Sarasota got underway with TU 79.3.3 on the 31st. On 8 January 1945, having survived Japanese suicide attacks, she approached her destination. On the 9th, she rode in Lingayen Gulf as her boats took the troops into "Crimson Beach" near the town of Lingayen.
After the landings, Sarasota steamed to Leyte transferred casualties she had received from the beaches of Lingayen Gulf; and, on the 21st, loaded troops of the 34th Regimental Combat Team, 24th Infantry Division, in preparation for operation "Mike VII," the landing in Zambales Province, Luzon.
On 26 January, Sarasota again sailed north. Three days later, she landed the assault troops on "Blue Beach," west of San Antonio, then departed the area. Returning to Leyte, she remained through February. In March, she embarked men and equipment of the 2d Battalion, 381st Regiment, 96th Infantry Division; conducted training operations, and, on the 27th steamed from Philippine waters.
On 1 April, she stood off the Hagushi beaches of Okinawa as her LCMs and DUKWs landed the troops on the "White Beaches." Their equipment followed
and, by the 4th, Sarasota had completed offloading. She then shifted to Kerama Retto, assisted in offloading the damaged Henrico and prepared for the assault on le Shima. On the i6th, she landed units of the 305th Regimental Combat Team on that island off the Motobu Peninsula. Three days later, she returned to the Hagushi anchorage and, on the 22d, departed the Ryukyus for the Marianas.
At the end of April, Sarasota disembarked Okinawa casualties at Saipan. On 2 May, she sailed for the Solomons, whence she carried general cargo, Marines Army hospitalmen, and Navy passengers to Guam. From there, she transported casualties to Pearl Harbor; then continued on to San Francisco. After availability at Seattle she embarked Army troops and, on 18 July, again headed for Okinawa.
She arrived in the Hagushi anchorage on 12 August and began disembarking her reinforcement troops and, offloading her cargo. Three days later, hostilities ceased. On the 29th, the APA shifted to Naha to load her first contingent of occupation troops, units of the X l V Corps. On 8 September, she disembarked those troops at Jinsen, Korea. On the 14th, she returned to Okinawa, whence on 1 October she delivered marines to Chinwangtao. Following offloading, she assumed station ship duties in the Tientsin-Taku area
The USS Sarasota, a Haskell Class Attack Transport, was built at the Permanente Metals Corporation located in Richmond, California (part of the Kaiser Shipyard Corporation) at the request of The United States Maritime Commission. She was launched on June 14, 1944 and officially commissioned on that very day under the command of Commander James I. MacPherson.
By November 9, she had sailed to her destination of Seeadler Harbor, Manus. She was moored near a ship called the USS Mount Hood. The day after The Sarasota arrived, an explosion on The Mount Hood caused tremendous damage and injured many crew members. The Sarasota's crew jumped into action to help the wounded, and brought a large number of people into the sick bay.
Within 2 days of this incident, The Sarasota was on the move again. She made voyages to transport both troops and equipment, and then ended up back at Manus. The fleet there was preparing to invade Luzon, an important island of the Philippines. On January 9, 1945 The Sarasota landed at the Lingayen Gulf near Luzon, and her boats were released with the soldiers who would be storming the island.
Following this invasion, The Sarasota transported more troops to other key sites that were scheduled for US invasion as well. Some of the major areas she brought troops to include Okinawa and le Shima. It was following a final trip to Okinawa that the war came to an end, and The Sarasota's mission was finished. She had earned 3 battle stars for all of her efforts.
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