USS Dawson (APA-79) was a Gilliam-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.

Clearing San Francisco 3 April 1945, Dawson carried passengers and cargo to Espiritu Santo, Tulagi, and Nouméa before arriving at Brisbane, Australia, 6 May to reload.

On 14 May she got underway for the Philippines and until the end of the war, carried men and equipment of construction battalions from Manus and New Guinea.

Assigned to "Magic Carpet" duty carrying veterans eligible for discharge home to the west coast she departed Sasebo 22 October and embarked Army Air Corps personnel at Saipan, arriving at San Francisco 14 November.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.