U.S.S. HARRY LEE - APA-10
by Vincent L. Saldutti

 
PAINTING OF THE U.S.S. HARRY LEE by Shipmate JIM VANNEST
 

A Copy of the
USS Harry Lee
Magazine

sent to us by Shipmate Joe Miceli
and his daughter, Joanne
Thanks, Joe and Joanne!!
"Wackiest Ship the Navy Ever Saw"  
Click HERE for a  
Newspaper Article from 35-40 years ago
about the USS HARRY LEE!
sent to us by
H. HAWKEY
daughter of Shipmate ARTHUR L McELHINEY

NEWS about our Shipmates

We have been notified by PATRICIA CORNETT FARLEY, daughter of our shipmate,
McKINLEY CORNETT, Jr.
that McKinley passed away in August of 2006 at age 82.

McKinley's Page has been added to the Roster section in his memory.  Photos will be forwarded and added to the website
in the near future.  Patricia would love to hear from any shipmates who served with her father.
 

We have been notified that our shipmate,
GERALD McDONALD
of Terry,MS, passed away at home
on July 20, 2011 at age 89.

Gerald's obituary and a beautiful video tribute,
showing photos of Gerald and his wonderful
family, have been added to Gerald's page.
 

SHIRTS from HULLNUMBER.COM

 

Dedicated to all who served aboard the USS Harry Lee  

This website is dedicated to the officers and enlisted men 
who served aboard the USS Harry Lee, APA-10,
an Assault Tranport during the Second World War.
    
The USS Harry Lee participated in seven (7) initial invasions:

  • the first on July 10, 1943, in the landing at Scoglitti, Sicily.

She returned to the States with German prisoners, who were units of "The Desert Fox" Rommel's famed "Afrika Korps", which boarded in Mers El Kabir, North Africa. 
Soon after her arrival in the States, the Lee was assigned to the Pacific theater, where she participated in six more invasions:

  • Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 20 November 1943,
  • Kwajelein, Marshall Islands, 31 January 1944,
  • Aitape,New Guinea, 19 April 1944,
  • Guam, Marianas Islands, 21 July 1944,
  • Lingayen Gulf, Philippines, 7 January 1945, and
  • Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945.

After months of transferring and training, the Lee moved from island
to island in the months that followed.  Then on 20 July 1945, she got
underway for San Francisco, CA, proceeding independently, arriving
 8 August 1945 - a great day - V.J. Day!

On 29 September, the long-awaited destination: Tokyo, Japan.

 
I would like to express thanks to Patrick Smith of Saxton, PA, Eugene McAndrews,
Walter Ward, Colby Hinton, Don Tracy, Bob McCarty, Jim Vannest,
and to all others who have contributed to locating and bringing together shipmates,
and remembering those who have passed on.

Thank you, Pat, for that phone call I received from you that evening in 1992, initiating the reunion
of those of us who shared a great comradery onboard the USS Harry Lee.
Your newsletters that we receive are a great comfort for those of us who cannot
physically get to meet each other in person.

Your friend and shipmate, Vince Saldutti, PhM/2C
 
Important Request: To all Shipmates 
From U.S. Dept. of Defense's Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command

July 25, 2011

 

As a member of the Department of Defense's "Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command" (JPAC) in Honolulu, I am investigating the case of a MIA from Tarawa who was buried at sea from the USS Harry Lee on November 21, 1943. 

The only record that can be located so far in the archives pertaining to this burial at sea case is a notation in the Harry Lee's deck log listing this deceased individual as having a ring with the initials"WM". 

If possible, I would like to communicate with someone who might have information on this case.  Specifically, someone who was actually on board the Harry Lee at the time with information on how the casualties were processed, identified, etc. In other words, were the deceased casualties fingerprinted, photographed, described based on height, weight, race, hair color, etc. or any identifying information on their uniforms such as rank, stenciled numbers, etc.? Just something to help me know if a record even exists and any clues on where to look. 

If you have any information you feel is helpful, please contact me via email at rick.stone@jpac.pacom.mil  

Rick Stone 
Chief of Police (Ret.) 
U.S. Department of Defense 
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) 
Intelligence Directorate (J2) 

 
 

 

VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945 from Richard Sullivan on Vimeo.

E-Mail Vince!

This site was last updated on
Monday, January 16, 2012