USS Cavalier (APA-37)

USS Cavalier (APA-37) underway off Hong Kong, 1959
History
Name:	USS Cavalier (APA-37)
Builder:	Western Pipe & Steel
Laid down:	10 December 1942
Launched:	15 March 1943
Sponsored by:	Mrs M W Jackson
Acquired:	19 July 1943
Commissioned:	16 January 1944
Decommissioned:	1968
Struck:	1 October 1968
Identification:	MC hull type C3-S-A2, MC hull no. 276
Honors and awards:	Five battle stars for World War II service, four for Korean War service and five for the Vietnam War
Fate:	Scrapped, 1969
General characteristics
Class and type:	Bayfield-class attack transport
Displacement:	8,100 tons (lt), 16,100 t (fl)
Length:	492 ft (150 m)
Beam:	69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Draft:	26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Propulsion:	1 x General Electric geared turbine, 2 x Combustion Engineering D-type boilers, 1 x propeller, designed shaft horsepower 8,500
Speed:	18 knots
Boats & landing craft carried:	12 x LCVPs, 4 x LCMs (Mk-6), 3 x LCP(L)s (MK-IV)
Capacity:	200,000 cu ft, 4,700 tons
Troops:	80 officers, 1,146 enlisted; flag 43 officers, 108 enlisted
Complement:	51 officers, 524 enlisted
Armament:	2 x single 5"/38 dual purpose guns, one fore and one aft, 2 x twin 40mm guns, 2 x single 40mm AA guns, 18 x 20mm guns

USS Cavalier (AP-82/APA-37) was a Bayfield-class attack transport in the United States Navy. She was named for Cavalier County, North Dakota.

Cavalier was reclassified APA-37, 1 February 1943; launched 15 March 1943 by the Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Francisco, California; sponsored by Mrs. M. W. Jackson; acquired 19 July 1943; fitted out as an attack transport by Bethlehem Steel Co., Hoboken, New Jersey; and commissioned 15 January 1944, Captain R. T. Mc-Elliott, USCG, in command.

Cavalier cleared Davisville, Rhode Island on 17 February 1944 with men and equipment of two construction battalions, whom she disembarked at Honolulu 16 March.

In October, 1942, film star Cesar Romero voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and served in the Pacific Theatre. He reported aboard the Coast Guard-manned assault transport USS Cavalier (APA-37) in November, 1943 and saw action at Tinian and Saipan. He preferred to be a regular part of the crew and was eventually promoted to the rank of chief Boatswain's Mate.

After special amphibious training in the Hawaiian Islands, she sailed by way of Kwajalein for the invasion beaches of Saipan in the Joint Expeditionary Force Reserve. When stiff Japanese resistance was encountered on 15 June, Cavalier's group was summoned to unload reinforcements, and landings began at dusk on 16 June.

Working at top speed, since the Japanese fleet was known to be approaching, Cavalier landed her troops, but was ordered to retire before she could get off the artillery she carried. Leaving many of her boats behind for shuttle duty, she drew away to the east while the classic air Battle of the Philippine Sea was fought, then returned to the beachhead area on 25 June to complete offloading artillery and to embark casualties. Next day, Cavalier cleared for Eniwetok, where the wounded were put ashore, and cargo, including 37 tons of dynamite for use in underwater demolition, was loaded.