USS Francis Marion (APA-249)

USS Francis Marion (APA-249) was a Haskell-class attack transport commissioned by the United States Navy in 1954. Named after the Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the ship was designed to carry troops and equipment for amphibious assaults. Throughout her service, she participated in numerous training exercises, Cold War operations, and deployments with the Atlantic Fleet, including support for NATO operations and crisis response missions. The Francis Marion was decommissioned in 1979 and later transferred to the Maritime Administration, concluding her distinguished naval career.