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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

AP-93 / APA-48 Leon

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Victor - Kilo

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 (5)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)

Bayfield Class Attack Transport:<

Originally assigned the name SS Sea Dolphin by the Maritime Commission

Assigned to the Navy as a Transport and renamed Leon (AP-93)

Reclassified an Attack Transport (APA-48), 1 February 1943

Laid down, 6 February 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (C3-S-A2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 428) at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS.

Launched, 19 June 1943

Acquired by the Navy, 11 September 1943 and placed in partial commission, 11 September 1943 through 27 September 1943, for transit to her fitting out yard at Brooklyn, N.Y.

Fitted out at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Recommissioned USS Leon (APA-48), 12 February 1944, CAPT. Bruce B. Adell in command

During WWII Leon 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 to 24 June 1944	Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landings, 11 and 22 January 1945
Western Caroline Islands operation Capture and occupation of Southern Palau Islands (Angaur Island), 17 to 23 September 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 4 April 1945
Leyte operation Leyte landings, 16 to 22 October and 23 November 1944	.

Decommissioned, 7 March 1946, at Chickasaw, AL.

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 2 April 1946, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, AL. Group, for disposal

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Sold for commercial service by the Maritime Commission to Isthmian Steamship Co., 11 April 1947, renamed SS Steel Chemist

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in Spain, 29 July 1971, to Hierros Ardes S.A.

Leon received five 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 Accommodations 43 Officers, 108 Enlisted
Troop Accommodations 80 Officers, 1,146 Enlisted
Cargo Capacity 175,000 cu. ft., 4,700 t.
Boats

twelve LCVPs

four LCM (Mk-6)s

three LCP(L) (MK-IV)s
Armament

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

two single 40mm AA gun mounts

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
Propulsion Westinghouse geared drive turbine, 2 Foster-Wheeler D-type boilers, 1 propeller, Design shaft horsepower 8,500

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
Commercial Service
	68k	Ex-Leon (APA-48) in commercial service as the Isthmian Steamship Co.'s SS Steel Chemist underway in the harbor at Philadelphia, PA., date unknown.		David Nixon

View the Leon (AP-93 / APA-48)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
No Information Available

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Last Updated 21 December 2007