From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

Elkhart

A county in Indiana.

(APA - 80: dp. 4,247; l. 426'; b. 58'; dr. 16'; s. 17 k.; cpl. 320; a. 1 5"; cl. Gilliam)

Elkhart (APA-80) was launched 5 December 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, Calif., under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. J. B. Bonny; transferred to the Navy 7 February 1945; and commissioned the following day, Lieutenant Commander C. R. Frazier, USNR, in command.

Sailing from San Diego 3 April 1945, Elkhart during her brief war service carried cargo in or out of Eniwetok, Ulithi, Leyte, Peleliu, Guam, and Okinawa. In July she supported the occupation of Kume Shima in Okinawa Gunto. With the end of hostilities, she made one trip to Tokyo Bay to deliver occupation cargo, then transported 6th Division Marines from Guam to reoccupy Tsingtao. Arriving at Haiphong in November, she embarked Chinese troops for transportation to Chinwangtao, then continued on to Jinsen (Inchon) to embark servicemen eligible for discharge upon return home. They reached the Golden Gate 3 January 1946. Elkhart was decommissioned at Seattle 12 April and returned to the Maritime Commission 28 June 1946.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.fr)