USS Seminole (AKA-104)

Seminole independently zigzagged her way to Ulithi, Caroline Islands, from 17 to 21 June, where she loaded anti-tank land mines for Okinawan operations.

From 12 to 17 September, Seminole loaded general cargo, ammunition, vehicles, landing craft, and gasoline for the 40th Infantry Division.

She remained in Philippine waters, loading cargo at various points, until 18 October when she stood out of San Fernando Harbor, Luzon, for Korea.

After unloading equipment and 84 officers and men of the U.S. 6th Infantry Division at Jinsen, Seminole again set out for the Philippines, anchoring in Guiuan Harbor, Samar, on 5 November.

On 1 December, the attack cargo ship departed Leyte Gulf, and arrived in San Francisco, California, on 2 March 1946, after stopping off at Qingdao, Guam, and Pearl Harbor.

During the postwar years from 1946 to 1950, Seminole operated along the west coast, and at Pearl Harbor, Guam, and other Pacific ports.

In Puget Sound when war broke out in Korea in the summer of 1950, Seminole and sister ship, Washburn (AKA-108), got underway for Yokosuka, Japan.

After voyage repairs at the Mitsubishi dockyards and lashing down for Typhoon Jane, Seminole loaded military cargo and got underway for Pusan, Korea, on 4 September accompanied by Pickaway (APA-222) and Fort Marion (LSD-22).

Seminole returned to Kobe that same day in compliance with a confidential dispatch, fueled to capacity, and got underway independently at 0027 on 5 September.

Two days later, Seminole got underway for Pusan and sank a mine with fire from small arms and 20 millimeter guns en route.

Early in December, the attack transport returned to Korea to evacuate troops who had been endangered by the entry of Chinese communist forces into the war.

For the remainder of 1950, Seminole completed several trips between Hungnam and Pusan, ferrying Japanese stevedores, as well as 3rd Division and ROK soldiers.

On 13 January 1951, Seminole stood out of Kobe en route to Korea, anchoring at the Pusan outer harbor the next day.

On 29 January, Seminole interrupted this work to engage in simulated amphibious movements and assault landings along the eastern coast.

From 28 July to 12 September, she ferried almost 10,000 North Korean and Chinese POW's in "Operation Big Switch" from Koje Do to Inchon.

On 30 November 1955, the attack transport ship stood into Subic Bay, Philippines, and arrived at Saigon, Vietnam, on New Year's Eve.

Back in Yokosuka on 3 July 1958, the AKA remained in East Asian waters until her return to San Diego on 8 December.

On 14 April Seminole assisted in the rescue of 28 survivors of SS Silver Peak, which had been run aground by typhoon "Violet."

Seminole participated in Operation Beaver Cage, an amphibious and helicopter borne assault in support of the 1st Marine Division from 28 April to 13 May.

A short duration, surprise amphibious assault in the vicinity of Huế, was followed by a search and destroy sweep inland, Operation Kangaroo Kick.

Operation Belt Drive, as it was named, came to a successful completion on 5 September and deterred enemy terrorism over the election period.

From 24 April to 3 May 1968, Seminole participated in fleet exercise "Beagle Leash" off the California islands of Coronado and San Clemente.

After spending Christmas in Hong Kong, Seminole stood out of the harbor on 27 December 1968, to rejoin her unit off the Vietnamese coast near Da Nang.

Following additional upkeep, training, and an amphibious demonstration for students and faculty from the Vietnamese Defense College, Seminole departed Subic Bay on 25 January 1970 for Vietnam and Operation Keystone Bluejay.