USS Mifflin

USS Mifflin (APA-207), underway, 1 April 1946, location unknown.
History
United States
Name:	Mifflin
Namesake:	Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Ordered:	as a Type VC2-S-AP5 hull, MCE hull 555
Builder:	Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Yard number:	555
Laid down:	15 May 1944
Launched:	7 August 1944
Sponsored by:	Alma De Bretteville Spreckles
Commissioned:	11 October 1944
Decommissioned:	5 July 1946
Struck:	1 October 1958
Identification:	Hull symbol: APA-207 Code letters: NPOH
Honors and awards:	2 × battle stars for World War II service
Fate:	laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Stockton Group, 5 July 1946 returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 8 August 1958, laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet
Status:	sold for non-transportation use (NTU), 17 July 1975, delivered, 6 August 1975
General characteristics
Class and type:	Haskell-class attack transport
Type:	Type VC2-S-AP5
Displacement:	6,873 long tons (6,983 t) (light load) 14,837 long tons (15,075 t) (full load)
Length:	455 ft (139 m)
Beam:	62 ft (19 m)
Draft:	24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power:	2 × Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 465 psi (3,210 kPa) 750 °F (399 °C) 8,500 shp (6,338 kW)
Propulsion:	1 × Westinghouse geared turbine 1 x propeller
Speed:	17.7 kn (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried:	2 × LCMs 1 × open LCPL 18 × LCVPs 2 × LCPRs 1 × closed LCPL (Captain's Gig)
Capacity:	2,900 long tons (2,900 t) DWT 150,000 cu ft (4,200 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Troops:	87 officers, 1,475 enlisted
Complement:	56 officers, 480 enlisted
Armament:	1 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual purpose gun 1 × quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) gun mounts 4 × twin 40mm Bofors (AA) gun mounts 10 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon cannons AA mounts
Service record
Part of:	TransRon 15
Operations:	Assault and Occupation of Iwo Jima (19–25 February 1945) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (1–11 April 1945)
Awards:	Combat Action Ribbon American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal

USS Mifflin (APA-207) was a Haskell-class attack transport of the US Navy built and used during World War II. She was of the VC2-S-AP5 Victory ship design type. Mifflin was named for Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

Mifflin was laid down 15 May 1944, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 555, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California; launched 7 August 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Alma De Brettville Sprecies; acquired from MARCOM on loan-charter; commissioned 11 October 1944, Commander Louis J. Modave, USNR, in command.

After shakedown, Mifflin embarked 1,100 troops and sailed to Pearl Harbor. Exchanging her initial passengers for members of the 4th Marine Division, she continued amphibious exercises off Maui, until ordered to Saipan 27 January 1945.

On 19 February, her boats landed the2nd Battalion 23rd Marines and their Shore Party, B Co 133 NCB—4th Marine Division on beach "Yellow 2", Iwo Jima. She remained almost a week to offload priority, then request cargo, and to take on board battle casualties. This included her own, for the ship's beach party was hard hit the first day suffering 14 wounded and three missing. Mifflin also sustained a shell hit on her 40mm gun director before retiring with the wounded to Saipan on 28 February.

Having replaced lost equipment and boats, she sailed 16 March, to nearby Tinian to practice for the invasion of Okinawa. In position for this last great assault, on 1 and 2 April, her boats feinted a landing of 2d Division Marines on the southeastern shore to lessen opposition to the main effort on the western beaches.