USS McCracken (APA-198) was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas. World War II service McCracken (APA 198) was laid down as a Victory ships under Maritime Commission contract by Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Vancouver, Washington, 8 June 1944; launched 29 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Albert Bauer; acquired by the Navy21 October 1944; and commissioned at Astoria, Oregon, 21 October 1944. After shakedown and training along the U.S. West Coast, McCracken embarked troops at San Pedro, California, and sailed for Pearl Harbor 27 December. Arriving there 2 January 1945, she departed for the South Pacific Ocean 10 January. Carrying troops and cargo, she reached Noumea, New Caledonia, 20 January. Thence between 26 and 31 January, she steamed via the Russell Islands to Guadalcanal, Solomons, where she began 6 weeks of intensive training. Assigned to TransDiv 52, she departed Guadalcanal 15 March and steamed for the invasion of Okinawa. Landing troops and their equipment on Okinawa After touching at Ulithi, Caroline Islands, McCracken closed the beaches off Okinawa early 1 April and debarked assault troops shortly after sunrise. During the day she off loaded cargo despite enemy air attacks. She remained off Okinawa until 6 April, but heavy weather prevented her from discharging troops and cargo. Disembarking troops on Saipan and Okinawa Between 6 and 10 April McCracken steamed to Saipan and debarked her remaining troops. Departing 11 April, she arrived Pearl Harbor the 22d. On 5 May she sailed to San Francisco, California, embarked troops and cargo, and returned to Pearl Harbor 26 May. Three days later she sailed westward carrying Navy Seabees and Army Engineers, arriving Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 5 July. After discharging men and supplies, she embarked elements of the 6th Marine Division at Hagushi 9 July, and from 10 to 16 July transported them to Guam. Landing troops in the Philippine Islands McCracken sailed for the U.S. west coast 17 July, arriving San Francisco the 30th. She loaded dry provisions there; embarked more than 1,400 Army troops at San Pedro, California; and departed 16 August, arriving Manila 12 September to debark troops. A week later she began embarking troops of the 25th Infantry Division at Lingayen Gulf, and on 1 October she sailed in convoy to carry occupation troops to Japan. End-of-war operations McCracken reached Nagoya, Honshū, 28 October