USS Zeilin (APA-3) was an Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 ship launched for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) on 19 March 1921 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia as Silver State.

The Silver State was constructed by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia for delivery to the United States Shipping Board as an Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 combination passenger and cargo ship.

[citation needed] Silver State operated between Seattle, Washington, and the Far East with the Admiral Orient Line a subsidiary of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.

[3] Starting in 1937, the U.S. Navy studied converting the Dollar Line 535-foot (163 m) class ships to troop transports.

[citation needed] The SS President Jackson was acquired by the United States Navy in July 1940 and was renamed the Zeilin with the designation AP-9 after Brigadier General Jacob Zeilin (16 July 1806–18 November 1880) who was the first United States Marine Corps general.

[3][4] Zeilin, with Betelgeuse part of Transport Division Two, was ordered to sail on or about 20 July 1942 for the South Pacific.

[3] For the next two months, Zeilin traveled a route between Nouméa; Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, and Wellington, New Zealand.

[3] At 09:00, the task group received a report that nine carrier bombers and 12 fighters were approaching from the northwest and would reach their vicinity at about 09:30.

Fifteen minutes later, nine Japanese Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers from the Hiyō emerged from the clouds over Henderson Field.

[3] A second attack at 10:55 by 27 Mitsubishi G3M bombers was repulsed with anti-aircraft fire and fighter aircraft from Henderson Field.

[3] Though damaged and listing, Zeilin carried casualties to Espiritu Santo and then sailed via Tutuila, Samoa to San Pedro, California.

After a six-day stop in San Francisco, California, Zeilin continued on and arrived at Cold Bay, Alaska on 1 May.

[6] In June and July 1943, Zeilin operated along the west coast of the United States before returning to Adak on 5 August to participate in the invasion of Kiska, Alaska.

After a five-day stay at Pearl Harbor Zeilin continued to Wellington, New Zealand, via Funafuti and Espiritu Santo arriving on 17 October.

The ship remained at Wellington before departing on 1 November and proceeding to Efate in the Vanuatu where the attack force concentrated and practiced for the invasion of Tarawa.

[7] Zeilin returned to Pearl Harbor at the beginning of December 1943 to reload for the Marshall Islands operation leaving on 22 January 1944 with the Southern Attack Force.

Then after three days, Zeilin departed for the west coast of the United States arriving at San Francisco, California for a three-month overhaul.

[3] On 21 October 1944, Zeilin departed San Francisco arriving at Finschhafen on the west coast of New Guinea on 6 November.

[3] Zeilin loaded elements of the Army's 25th Infantry Division at Nouméa and departed for Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in December 1944.

The next morning, a single Japanese kamikaze aircraft attacked the convoy missing the amphibious command ship Mount Olympus (AGC-8) and striking Zeilin.

In October, Zeilin was tasked to carry the Army's 106th Regimental Combat Team to occupation duty at Jinsen, Korea.

[3] Departing from Jinsen, Zeilin made stops at Ulithi and Guam before arriving at San Francisco on 14 November.