Stuff You Should Know
USS Leon was a Bayfield-class attack transport laid down on February 6, 1943 and launched on June 19, the same year. It was commissioned on February 12, 1944 under Capt. Bruce B. Adell’s command with the hull number APA-48 and it served in the US Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on March 7, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 575 people onboard and had the main missions in Okinawa, Pearl Harbor, Manus, Lingayen, San Francisco, Ulithi or Palaus. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List and sold in 1947 to Isthmian Steamship Company where it was renamed Steel Chemist. For the services brought to the country during the World War II, USS Leon received 4 battle stars.