The USS Effingham (APA-165) was a Haskell-class attack transport constructed during World War II, serving the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. Built by Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon, she was launched on September 29, 1944, under a Maritime Commission contract and sponsored by Mrs. J. C. Casada. The vessel was transferred to the Navy on July 19, 1944, and commissioned on November 1, 1944. Designed as an attack transport, the USS Effingham was equipped to carry troops and their equipment to combat zones, supporting amphibious operations. She departed San Francisco on January 2, 1945, and trained at Guadalcanal alongside the 1st Marines. She participated in the pivotal Okinawa invasion, staging at Ulithi for the landings on April 1, 1945. During the subsequent six days, she remained off Okinawa, unloading cargo and defending against enemy air assaults. Afterward, she returned to San Francisco for overhaul, then rejoined the Okinawa campaign on August 12, 1945. Following World War II, the USS Effingham shifted to transportation duties supporting the occupation of East Asia. She transported troops to Jinsen, Korea, and Taku, China, and later embarked Chinese soldiers at Hong Kong for transfer to Chinwangtao and Qingdao. In December, she returned to the U.S. West Coast, bringing home servicemen, and participated in "Operation Magic Carpet," repatriating troops from the Far East. Notably, she was involved in returning Mochitsura Hashimoto to Japan after his court-martial testimony. Decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, on May 17, 1946, the USS Effingham was returned to the Maritime Commission and eventually sold for scrapping in 1973 to Union Minerals & Alloys for $111,560. Throughout her brief service, she earned one battle star for her participation in World War II. Her operational history underscores her role in key amphibious and post-war occupation efforts in the Pacific theater.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.