USS Mt McKINLEY AGC7

• Flagship Role in WWII: USS Mount McKinley (AGC-7) served as a command ship (amphibious force flagship) and played a pivotal role in directing amphibious operations during World War II, particularly in the Pacific Theater. • Namesake: The ship was named after Mount McKinley (now Denali), the highest peak in North America, symbolizing strength and command. • Launched in 1943: She was launched on September 27, 1943, by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company in Wilmington, North Carolina, and commissioned on May 1, 1944. • Invasion of Leyte: Mount McKinley served as the flagship for the invasion of Leyte in the Philippines in October 1944, one of the largest amphibious operations of WWII. • Flagship at Okinawa: She acted as the flagship for Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turner during the Battle of Okinawa, the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific, from April to June 1945. • Atomic Tests: After WWII, Mount McKinley served as command ship for Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946. • Korean War Service: The ship was recommissioned for service in the Korean War and served as flagship for amphibious operations, including the famous Inchon Landing in September 1950. • Vietnam War Involvement: She participated in several operations during the Vietnam War, serving as an amphibious force flagship and providing vital command and control functions. • Decorations: USS Mount McKinley earned multiple battle stars for her service in WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. • Decommissioning and Fate: After a distinguished career, she was decommissioned in March 1970 and was eventually sold for scrap in 1976, ending over three decades of service.