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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Harris (APA-2)
ex
 USS Harris (AP-8) (1940 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Sierra - Whiskey
 NISW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - 8 and 9 January 1945, 1 to 3 April 1945)
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Third Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (9)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (3)
Harris Class Transport:
  • Built as SS Pine State in 1921 at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Renamed SS President Grant in 1922
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission, 17 July 1940
  • Converted to a Naval Transport at Todd Shipyard, Seattle, WA.
  • Commissioned USS Harris (AP-8), 19 August 1940, LT. A. M. Van Eaton in command
  • During World War II USS Harris (AP-8) was first assigned to the European Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    North African Occupation
    Algeria-Morocco occupation, 8 November 1942

  • Reclassified as an Attack Transport (APA-2), 1 February 1943
  • USS Harris (APA-2) participated in the following Asiatic-Pacific Theater campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Aleutian Islands operation
    Attu occupation, 11 May 1943     		Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 20 to 28 October 1944
    Gilbert Islands operation
    Tarawa landings, 20 November to 2 December 1943     		Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 January 1945
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 8 February 1944     		Manila Bay - Bicol operations
    Zambales - Subic Bay, 20-30 January 1945
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 16 to 20 June 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 6 April 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands
    Babelthuapt Island landing, 15 September 1944
    Ulithi Atoll landing, 23 September 1944     		.

  • Reclassified as an Attack Transport (APA-2), 1 February 1943
  • Decommissioned, 16 April 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 28 June 1946, at Davisville, R.I.
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 3 July 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 20 July 1946, to American Shipbreakers Inc.
  • USS Harris received ten battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 13,529 t.(lt) 21,900 t.(fl)
    Length 535' 2"
    Beam 72' 6"
    Draft 31' 3"
    Speed 17 kts.
    Complement 37 Officers, 585 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodation Officers 126, Enlisted 1,557
    Cargo Capacity 190,000 cu. ft., 2,200 t.
    Armament
    4 single 3"/50 gun mounts
    2 twin 40mm gun mounts
    10 single 20mm gun mounts
    Propulsion
    8 Yarrow header-type boilers
    2 Curtis type turbines
    2 propellers
    designed shaft horsepower 12,000.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Namesake
    Harris 111k Colonel. John Harris USNC
    John Harris was born in Pennsylvania, 20 May 1790, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, 23 April 1814. He fought with a mounted detachment of Marines in the Florida Indian Wars 1836 to 37 and as part of the occupying force in Mexico near the close of the war. Harris was promoted to the office of Colonel Commandant of the Corps, 7 January 1859, on the eve of the Civil War. Colonel Harris died while serving as Commandant 12 May 1864.    		 Bill Gonyo
    USS Harris (AP-8 / APA-2)
    SS 143 62k USS Harris (APA-2) moored in the background of this photo of USS S-38 (SS-143) following overhaul at San Diego, April 1943.
    US Navy photo # 1198-43 from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard collection now held at Seattle NARA.    		 Tracy White
    Harris 51k USS Harris (APA-2) at anchor, date and location unknown. Brian Morris
    Harris 58k USS Harris (APA-2) at anchor, date and location unknown. Harris is painted camouflage Design 32 Measure 4T. Russ Padden
    Harris 33k USS Harris (APA-2) at anchor, date and location unknown. Harris is painted camouflage Design 32 Measure 4T. Russ Padden
    Harris 51k USS Harris (APA-2) at anchor, date and location unknown. Russ Padden
    View USS Harris (APA-2) Crew and Miscellaneous Photos
    View the USS Harris (APA-2)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Web Based Reunion Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    APA 2 Harris
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 15 February 2008