Clearfield APA-142

Clearfield

A county in Pennsylvania.

(APA-142: dp. 6,720; 1. 445', b. 62'; dr. 24'; s. 17 k.;
epl. 536; a. 1 6", cl. Haskell

Clearfield (APA-142) was launched 21 November 1944 by California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington Calif., under a Maritime Commission contract, sponsored by Mrs. F. L. Chambers; acquired by the Navy 11 January 1945; and commissioned 12 January 1946, Captain F. C. Stelter, Jr., in command.

Clearfield loaded construction battalion troops and cargo at Port Hueneme, Calif., and departed 9 March 1946 for Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Ulithi and Okinawa, where she arrived 17 April, to disembark her passengers and their equipment at Le Shima, to build an airfield.

She sailed from Okinawa 26 April to load Army replacements at San Francisco and transported these troops to Manila, arriving 23 June. After moving occupation troops among the Philippine Islands, Clearfield departed Manila 27 August for Tokyo, where she landed soldiers 2 September.

From 4 September 1945 Clearfield operated between Okinawa and Manila and ports in China, supporting the reoccupation of northern China by transporting Marines and Chinese troops. She got underway for Tacoma, Wash., 2 December, and after overhaul, sailed to Norfolk, arriving 4 February 1946. Clearfield was decommissioned 4 March 1946, and returned to the War shipping Administration 6 March 1946.

Clearfield received one battle star for World War II service.