History with my father’s WWII ship:
USS Henderson AP-1/USS Bountiful AH-9

USS Henderson AP-1 served in WWI 1916-1918 and WWII 1941 to 1943 as a troop transport, later in 1944 converted into a hospital ship, then commissioned as the USS Bountiful AH-9, serving in WWII 1944 to 1945.

USS Henderson/Bountiful in WWII saw action at Pearl harbor during the Japanese attack on 7 December 1941, also, the battles of Guam, Saipan, Pelelieu, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, in which treated more than 8,000 injured and sick solders.

USS Henderson was berthed beside the USS Oklahoma at Battleship row on Dec 6, 1941, at 2400hrs 12-7-41, the Henderson left her berthing and was replaced by another ship beside the USS Oklahoma. The Henderson was out bound of Pearl Harbor when Japanese aircraft flew over to bomb Pearl Harbor, the Henderson was responsible for downing one aircraft as they flew over the ship. The ship that replace the berthing area beside the USS Oklahoma was sunk that day on Dec 7, 1941.

My father was serving on the USS Henderson that day on Dec 7, 1941, also through out WWII. After the liberation of Guam, and the surrender of Japan, now the USS Bountiful hospital ship was anchored at Guam in the late 40’s, my father’s home of record, and that’s where he met my mother who was a nurse.
I’m grateful to the USS Henderson AP-1/USS Bountiful AH-9, for if it weren't for that ship, I wouldn’t have been born to my parents.

In 1949 father was stationed in Key West Florida of a submarine, myself, and brother and sister were all born on Key West, and raised on Guam.

Fascinating stuff. My dad was in the Navy