11-203 Garand Picture of the Day

[Snafu]

Troops of the 2d Battalion, 2d Marines, 2d Marine Division, load magazines and clean their weapons enroute to Tarawa on board the attack transport Zeilin (APA 3).

Information

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[Harlan (Deceased)]

That's a great photo Snafu!

I also scanned it from one of my books and we discussed in a thread on the Vintage Gear Forum last month -

1905 bayonet and scabbard

[Mark in Rochester]

U.S.Zeilin, a 21,900-ton transport, was built in 1920 at Newport News, Virginia, as the passenger liner Silver State. She was employed in merchant service from 1922 to 1940 under the name President Jackson. Acquired by the Navy in June 1940, she was converted to a transport and commissioned in February 1942. During the next year, Zeilin made a round-trip voyage to the South Pacific, then took part in the Guadalcanal Campaign, during which she was damaged by Japanese air attack on 9 November 1942. Following repairs, and reclassification as an attack transport (APA-3), she participated in operations in Alaskan waters, including the landings at Attu in May 1943 and at Kiska in August. From late 1943 to mid-1944, Zeilin carried troops for the invasions of Tarawa, Kwajalein and the Marianas.

After an overhaul, Zeilin returned to the Pacific war zone, and, in January 1945, transported troops for the invasion of Luzon. While withdrawing from the invasion area on 13 January, she was damaged by a Japanese Kamikaze plane. However, she was able to remain in operation and took part in the Iwo Jima operation during the next month before returning to the U.S. for repairs. The Pacific War ended in August 1945 as Zeilin was again entering the combat area, and she spent the next few months on occupation service and in transporting personnel back to the United States. From November 1945 to January 1946, she operated along the West coast, then steamed through the Panama Canal to the East coast, where she was decommissioned in June 1946. USS Zeilin was then transferred to the Maritime Commission, which retained her until she was sold for scrapping in May 1948.


Tarawa The Zeilin traveled to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in mid-September 1943. After a five day stay at Pearl Harbor Zeilin continued to Wellington, New Zealand, via Funafuti and Espiritu Santo arriving on 17 October. The ship remained at Wellington before departing on 1 November and proceeding to Efate in the Vanuatu where the attack force concentrated and practiced for the invasion of Tarawa.

On 13 November, Zeilin departed Efate and arrived off Betio on 19 November. Early the following morning, Marines from 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines were offloaded into landing craft from Zeilin for their assault. During the unloading operation Zeilin was under fire from Japanese shore guns. The ship did not sustain any damage from the attack. During this operation, Commander Thomas Benjamin Fitzpatrick was in command of the ship

[browningautorifle]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Zeilin_(APA-3) Check out the history of that particular "troop carrier" if you will. Eight battle stars I think?