AMERICAN LEGION APA 17
Ship Name and Designation History
This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. The list is in chronological order.
- Heywood Class Transport
- USAT AMERICAN LEGION
Commissioned February 1940
Acquired by U.S. Navy from War Department August 22 1941
- USS AMERICAN LEGION AP 35
Commissioned August 26 1941
- USS AMERICAN LEGION APA 17
Reclassified Attack Transport (APA) February 1 1943
Decommissioned March 20 1946
Returned to War Department March 20 1946
Struck from Naval Register March 20 1946
Sold February 5 1948 for scrap
Keel Laid October 11 1919
Launched 1921 as Passenger Liner BADGER STATE
Delivered to United States Shipping Board (USSB) July 15 1921
Renamed (Date unknown)
Sold to Muston Line December 18 1925 as AMERICAN LEGION
Operated between New York and South America
Laid up March 13 1939
Acquired by U.S. Army Transportation Corps February 1940
This section lists active links to the pages displaying covers associated with the ship. There should be a separate set of pages for each incarnation of the ship (ie, for each entry in the "Ship Name and Designation History" section). Covers should be presented in chronological order (or as best as can be determined).
Since a ship may have many covers, they may be split among many pages so it doesn't take forever for the pages to load. Each page link should be accompanied by a date range for covers on that page.
-
S.S. American Legion Covers Page 1 (1935-37)
- USS American Legion Covers Page 1 (1941)
Postmarks
This section lists examples of the postmarks used by the ship. There should be a separate set of postmarks for each name and/or commissioning period. Within each set, the postmarks should be listed in order of their classification type. If more than one postmark has the same classification, then they should be further sorted by date of earliest known usage.
A postmark should not be included unless accompanied by a close-up image and/or an
image of a cover showing that postmark. Date ranges MUST be based ONLY ON COVERS IN
THE MUSEUM and are expected to change as more covers are added.
>>> If you have a better example for any of the postmarks, please feel free to replace the
existing example.
|
Postmark Type |
Postmark Date |
Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image |
Thumbnail Link To Cover Image |
|---|
S.S. AMERICAN LEGION Postmarks
|
N.Y.& |
1935-08-31 |
 |
 |
As "S.S. AMERICAN LEGION"
Post Office Established September 15 1941 - Disestablished March 16 1946
|
Locy Type |
1941-10-27 |
 |
 |
As AP-35. First Day of Postal Service
|
Locy Type |
1941-12-04 |
 |
 |
As AP-35
|
Locy Type |
1941-11-05 |
 |
 |
As AP-35
|
Locy Type |
1941-12-18 |
 |
 |
As AP-35. Add-on cachet by Bruce D. Liddell
|
Locy Type |
1941-12-18 |
 |
 |
As AP-35. Add-on cachet by Bruce D. Liddell
U.S.S. AMERICAN LEGION Non-Postal Marking
|
Non-Postal |
1941-10-27 |
 |
 |
As AP-35. Compliments of the "NATCASHSO CREW" of the Naval Cover Collectors of America.
Other Information
AMERICAN LEGION earned two battle stars for her World War II service
*
Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings
August 7-9 1942
*
Treasury-Bougainville operation
Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, November 1 and 13 1943
AMERICAN LEGION earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp), the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (w/ 2 Battle stars) and the World War II Victory Medal during her Naval career.
NAMESAKE - Named for the patriotic organization founded in Paris, France, in March 1919, comprised of veterans of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) and chartered by the United States Congress on September 16 1919.
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