The USS Wharton (AP-7) was a troop transport vessel that served in the United States Navy during World War II, with a notable history prior to her military service. Originally constructed as a Design 1029 type ship for the United States Shipping Board, she was laid down under the name Manmasco, launched as Sea Girt, and completed in September 1921 as Southern Cross. The vessel measured approximately 8,400 gross tons and was operated initially by the Munson Steamship Line, running routes along South America from 1921 to 1938, primarily between New York, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires. In 1939, the ship was acquired by the U.S. Maritime Commission and transferred to the Navy in November 1939, when she was renamed USS Wharton and designated AP-7. She was converted into a troop transport at Todd Shipbuilding in Brooklyn, New York, and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard in December 1940. Her early service involved transporting personnel and cargo along the West Coast, from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, and participating in shakedown and training exercises. During World War II, Wharton was actively engaged in multiple theaters. She transported troops and supplies to Hawaii following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and from mid-1942 onward, she undertook numerous missions to the Southwest Pacific, including Samoa, Auckland, Espiritu Santo, Nouméa, and Fiji. She participated in key operations such as the Marshall Islands campaign in early 1944, where she supported the landing at Kwajalein and Eniwetok, sometimes disembarking troops and treating casualties as a hospital ship. Wharton also played a vital role in the Mariana and Guam campaigns, participating in amphibious landings and casualty evacuations, often under enemy fire. She supported the Okinawa operation in May 1945, disembarking over 2,100 troops without damage from kamikaze attacks. Following the hostilities, she contributed to "Operation Magic Carpet," repatriating American military personnel from the Pacific, and took part in atomic bomb test support during "Operation Crossroads" in 1946. Decommissioned in 1947, USS Wharton earned three battle stars for her service and was eventually sold for scrap in 1952. Her extensive wartime activity, versatility in transportation, and participation in significant Pacific campaigns underscore her maritime significance 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.