General -
Originally launched as the Henderson (AP-1) on 17 June 1916 and commissioned on 24 May 1917. She served as a transport until decommissioned on 13 October 1943 for conversion to a hospital ship.
1944 -
Commissioned as Bountiful on 23 March. Departed San Francisco on 1 April for Honolulu, returning to San Francisco later that month Sailed 1 May for the western Pacific. Arrived on 18 June at Saipan after a brief service at Honolulu and Eniwetok. She made three passages to the hospitals on Kwajalein with casualties of the Marianas invasions and at about this time, Bountiful established one of the few blood banks on a Naval ship. She then remained at Manus until 17 September when she sailed for the Palaus to bring casualties of the Peleliu landing to hospitals in the Solomons. After November, Bountiful operated between Leyte and the rear bases carrying veterans of the Philippines campaign.
1945 -
She departed Manus 24 February for Ulithi and Saipan to receive casualties of the Iwo Jima assault, and in the next months sailed to rendezvous with the fleet to take on wounded from Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the fleet units themselves. Returning to Leyte Gulf on 15 June, she remained until 21 July, and then got underway for California. Bountiful arrived after war's end, sailing into San Francisco Bay on 21 August. Bountiful departed San Francisco on i November after being assigned as a hospital ship at Yokosuka, Japan. She arrived 24 November to support the occupation forces, and remained until 27 March 1946 when she sailed for San Francisco.
1946 -
The ship sailed 26 May for the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll, and after observing the series of nuclear experiments of Operation "Crossroads" returned to Seattle 15 August. She decommissioned 13 September. Bountiful was sold for scrap by the Maritime Commission on 28 January 1948 to Consolidated Builders, Inc., Seattle.
See Also -
Henderson (AP-1) (US Navy Transport)
These specifications and ship histories are adapted from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (US Naval Historical Center) and from various other sources. These summaries may not reflect the most recent information concerning the ships' status or operations. If you find an error or discrepancy, please email me at troopships@pier90.org or fill out our online crossing submission form.
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