USS Henderson (AP-1)

USS Henderson (AP-1) was a United States Navy transport ship that served from the final years of World War I through World War II. Named for United States Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson, she was the first ship of her name and the lead vessel in her class. The ship played a vital role in amphibious warfare development and transported thousands of Marines and Army personnel across the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean.

Construction and commissioning

The vessel was constructed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her keel laid in June 1916. She was launched in June 1917, sponsored by Miss Genevieve W. Taylor, granddaughter of Commandant Archibald Henderson. Commissioned in August 1917 under the command of Captain Henry D. Cooke, the ship was originally designated as a transport and later reclassified as AP-1 under the Navy's hull classification system.

Service history

Following her shakedown cruise off the coast of Virginia, Henderson was immediately pressed into service for World War I. She conducted multiple transatlantic voyages, carrying American Expeditionary Forces personnel to Brest, France. In the interwar period, she became a workhorse of the Pacific Fleet, regularly shuttling Marine detachments between San Diego and stations like Guantánamo Bay, Pearl Harbor, and American Samoa. The ship also participated in numerous Fleet Problems and amphibious warfare exercises, contributing to the development of tactical doctrine. In 1937, she assisted in the evacuation of American citizens from Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

World War II service

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Henderson was undergoing overhaul at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California. She quickly returned to service, operating as a troop transport along the U.S. West Coast and to Alaska. In 1942, she was assigned to support the Guadalcanal campaign, making critical runs from New Caledonia and Espiritu Santo to the embattled island. She later supported operations in the Northern Solomons and landings at Empress Augusta Bay. In 1944, she was transferred to the Atlantic Theater, supporting the invasion of Southern France by transporting elements of the 36th Infantry Division from Naples to the French Riviera.

Decommissioning and fate

After the conclusion of World War II, Henderson was tasked with Operation Magic Carpet, returning American servicemen from the Pacific Theater to the United States. She was decommissioned in March 1946 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register in April 1946, the veteran transport was sold for scrap in August 1948 to the Boston Metals Company of Baltimore, Maryland.

Awards and legacy

For her extensive service, USS Henderson earned three battle stars for her World War II campaigns. Her long career bridging two world wars made her a familiar sight across the Pacific Ocean and a key platform in the interwar development of amphibious assault techniques. The ship's name was later revived for the ''Henderson'' (DD-785), a Gearing-class destroyer that served during the Korean War and Vietnam War.

Category:Transport ships of the United States Navy Category:World War I transports of the United States Category:World War II transports of the United States Category:Ships built in Philadelphia Category:1917 ships