The USS La Salle (AP-102) was the lead ship of her class of transport vessels in the U.S. Navy during the latter part of World War II. Originally laid down as the Type C2 ship SS Hotspur on 29 April 1942 by Moore Dry Dock Company in Oakland, California, she was launched on 2 August 1942. Sponsored by Mrs. Naomi S. Kehoe, the vessel was acquired by the Navy on 18 March 1943 and commissioned as Hotspur on 31 March 1943. Soon after, she was renamed La Salle on 6 April 1943. Constructed for rapid deployment, La Salle was equipped to carry troops, equipment, and supplies essential for amphibious operations. Her service record highlights her role in several key Pacific campaigns. She departed Naval Base Ventura County in April 1943 carrying Seabees to Guadalcanal, returning in July, and subsequently supported operations in the South Pacific, including simulated attacks and landing exercises with Marines in Wellington, New Zealand. La Salle participated in the historic Battle of Tarawa in November 1943, landing troops and enduring enemy shore battery shelling, though she sustained no serious damage. Throughout 1944, La Salle was actively involved in major invasions, including the Mariana campaign where she arrived off Kwajalein and later supported the invasion of Saipan. She also participated in the Palaus campaign, landing troops at Angaur, and supported the Leyte invasion in the Philippines, where her troops helped secure the beaches. Her service extended to the Luzon landings in January 1945, during which she shot down an enemy "Jake" fighter aircraft, and the Okinawa campaign, where she endured heavy kamikaze and suicide attacks, emerging unscathed. After the war, La Salle contributed to the "Magic Carpet" operations, repatriating U.S. troops from the Pacific. She was decommissioned at Seattle on 24 July 1946 and transferred back to the Maritime Commission. Throughout her service, USS La Salle earned eight battle stars, reflecting her significant contribution to the Pacific Theater amphibious operations during World War II.

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