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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

AP-84 / APA-39 Clay

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Echo - Alpha

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)

Bayfield Class Attack Transport:

Laid down, 14 October 1942, as SS Sea Carp, a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 274) at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA.

Assigned to the Navy as Transport (AP-84)

Launched, 23 January 1943

Reclassified Attack Transport (APA-39), 1 February 1943

Acquired by the Navy, 29 June 1943 and placed in partial commission for transit to her fitting out yard at New York

Decommissioned at New York

Completed as an Attack Transport and recommissioned USS Clay (APA-39), 21 December 1943, CAPT. E. W. Abdill in command

During WWII Clay was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 June 1944	Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 and 27 January 1945
Leyte operation Leyte landings, 20 to 24 October and 13 to 14 November 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April 1945

Decommissioned, 15 May 1946, at New York, N.Y.

Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)

Returned to the Maritime Commission for disposal

Commercial Service,/f>

Sold 12 September 1946 to American President Lines, renamed SS President Johnson

Sold to Waterman Steamship Corp, date unknown, renamed SS La Salle

Final Disposition, scrapped in 1974

Clay received four battle stars for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 8,100 t.(lt), 16,100 t.(fl)
Length 492' 6"
Beam 69' 6"
Draft 26' 6"
Speed 18 kts.
Complement 51 Officers, 524 Enlisted
Flag Accommodation 43 officers, 108 Enlisted
Troop Accommodation 80 Officers, 1,146 Enlisted
Cargo Capacity 200,000 cu. ft., 4,700 t.
Boats

twelve LCVP

four LCM (Mk-6)

three LCP(L) (MK-IV)
Armament

two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, one fore and one aft

two quad 1.1" gun mounts, aft port and starboard, replaced by two single 40mm AA gun mounts

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts forward, port and starboard

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
Propulsion General Electric geared turbine, two Combustion Engineering D-type boilers, single propeller, Design shaft horsepower 8,500

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Clay (APA-39)
	34k	Clay (APA-39) underway, date and place unknown. US Navy photo.	US Naval Historical Center
Commercial Service
	90k	Ex-Clay (APA-39) underway, location unknown, as the American President Lines vessel SS President Johnson, circa late 1950s early 1960s. Photo originally copyrighted by American President Lines.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	59k	Ex-Clay (APA-39) underway in the Malacca Strait as the Waterman Steamship Corp. vessel SS La Salle, circa 1970. Photo originally copyrighted by Airfoto Malacca.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus

View the Clay (APA-39)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
No Information Available

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Last Updated 1 June 2007