USS Leyden (IX-167), was an auxiliary transport ship of the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. She was built as the Northland by Harlan & Hollingsworth Corp., Wilmington, Delaware, in 1911.

Service history

During the first part of World War II, she operated as a transport with the British Royal Navy. She was assigned the name Leyden (IX-167) on 18 May 1944, acquired by the US Navy and commissioned on 22 May 1944, Lt. William S. Johnson in command.

From her commissioning until July 1945, Leyden operated as a naval auxiliary in British staging areas and French ports during the final European campaigns of World War II.

Leyden was decommissioned at Falmouth

Falmouth, Cornwall

Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....

, England, on 23 July 1945 for return to the War Shipping Administration

War Shipping Administration

The War Shipping Administration was a World War II emergency war agency of the US Government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the US needed for fighting the war....

(WSA), and was sold to the Fu Chung International Corp., on 7 November 1946. She was renamed Hung Chong.

External links

• Photo gallery at navsource.org