USS Sandoval (APA-194/LPA-194) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, from 1951 to 1955 and from 1961 to 1970. She was scrapped in 1983. History World War II Sandoval was laid down under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 662) on 16 May 1944 by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, Washington; launched on 2 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Jack Crane; acquired by the Navy on loan charter on 7 October 1944; and commissioned the same day. Toward the end of October, Sandoval took on landing craft at San Francisco, California, then moved further south for shakedown training off southern California. In mid-November, she transported troops and cargo to Hawaii where she joined her squadron, Transport Squadron 16. Amphibious training followed with the 3d Battalion, 27th Regiment, 5th Marine Division, embarked; and, on 27 January 1945, she continued west, via Saipan, to Iwo Jima. On the morning of 19 February, she arrived off the latter island and soon disembarked her troops. During the landings on “Red Beach,” mortar fire damaged several of her landing craft and caused minor injuries to boat crew members. But, despite heavy resistance, the 27th Regiment took the cliffs overlooking the western beaches by mid-afternoon; and Sandoval moved in again to take on casualties and discharge critical cargo. Offloading continued until after 1800 when she retired for the night. At daybreak, she returned; and, for the next few days, maintained that pattern of operations. On the 27th, she transferred her remaining provisions and stores to other ships in the area and joined task unit TU 51.16.7 to return to Saipan. She arrived at Saipan on 2 March; shifted to Guam on the 3d; disembarked casualties; and, on the 5th, sailed for Tulagi where her damaged landing craft were replaced. At mid-month, she loaded troops and cargo of the Army's 105th Regiment, U.S. 27th Division, at Espiritu Santo; and, on the 25th, sailed for Ulithi and the Ryukyus. On 9 April, the transport anchored at Kerama Retto. On the 10th, she shifted to the Hagushi beaches of Okinawa to land her reinforcement troops; and, on the 19th, she departed the area to return to the Marianas to take on more men and supplies for the Okinawa campaign. On 23 May, Sandoval sailed for the Ryukyus again, with naval construction battalion (Seabee) units and equipment embarked. On the 27th, she