USS Francis Marion (APA-249) was a Paul Revere-class attack transport of the United States Navy.

The ship was launched on 13 February 1954 as Prairie Mariner by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, sponsored by Mrs. C. A. Wolverton, and delivered on 25 May to the Maritime Administration who operated her until she was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet on 6 January 1955.

She was transferred to the Navy on 16 March 1959, named, classified APA-249, and converted by Bethlehem Steel Co., Baltimore, Maryland.

In October – November 1962, she served as part of the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis with units of the 8th Marine Regiment aboard.

On 13 June 1977, Rear-Admiral John C. Dixon, Jr., his staff and crewmembers, along with 341 Midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy and NROTC Units were aboard when the ship departed Norfolk, Virginia as flagship for TG 21.6, the U.S. contingent for the Silver Jubilee Naval Review in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.