He enlisted for the US Naval Reserve as an officer on 9 Dec 1941 and went to New Haven, Connecticut for Basic Naval Training. By 2 January, 1942, he was assigned to the USS American Legion where he served as a LT Junior Grade. The USS American Legion was a "Harris" Class attack transport.
On 9 April 1942,the American Legion was transferred to the Pacific Theatre and sailed from New York for the Panama Canal Zone, bound, ultimately, for Tongatapu, in the Tonga, or Friendly Islands, which she reached on 8 May 1942. There she disembarked her passengers that included Army officers, nurses, and enlisted men who were to establish a field hospital on Tongatapu. Afterward, it then proceeded on to Wellington, New Zealand-arriving there on 29 May. The American Legion remained at Wellington through mid-July, earmarked for participation in the United States' first offensive landing operation in the Pacific War-the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
Between 1942 and 1943, the American Legion conducted numerous Naval assignments that included supply runs and participating in the invasion of Bougainville. It routinely conducted troop and cargo runs between Auckland, New Zealand; Nouméa, New Caledonia; and Guadalcanal. It arrived in Efate, in New Hebrides on 22 October 1943, in preparation for the invasion of Bougainville, Solomon Islands.
On the morning of 1 November 1943, the American Legion proceeded into the designated transport area in Empress Augusta Bay, and anchored at 06:46. Japanese planes arriving in the vicinity, prompted the ships to get underway. The transport's men observed Aichi D3A2 Type 99 "Val" carrier attack planes, attacking nearby destroyers and losing two or three of their number in the process. "Zeke" (Mitsubishi A6M "Zero") fighters then strafed the beach area, sinking an LCPL from the American Legion.
Securing from general quarters at 09:37, the American Legion anchored in the transport area a few moments later. Observers on board notice beaches "Red 2" and "Red 3" were littered with broached landing craft, two LCMs and four LCVPs from the American Legion among them. The command was given to cease unloading off Beach Red 2 and to proceed to Beach Blue 3; then the transport got underway and soon noticed the presence of shoal water. At 12:46, the ship's war diary recounts "several slight shocks to hull" as the American Legion grounded.
Ten minutes later, enemy planes were reported approaching, as the ship began using her engines in an attempt to work herself free of her predicament. While the other ships in the task unit got underway and stood out, American Legion remained fast aground. The ship, assisted in the effort by USS Sioux (AT-75) and USS Apache (AT-67), fired on "Vals" attacking the beachhead, and eventually worked free by 15:06. After standing out to sea during the night, the transport returned to the transport area the following morning and completed discharging cargo.
The USS American Legion seen long and courageous service while conducting naval operations in the Pacific Theatre between 1942 until it was decommissioned on 26 March, 1946
Records indicate that LTJG Abbott is listed as Missing-Killed in Action on 4 January, 1945. His name appears on the Tablets of the Missing, in the Manila American Cemetery, Philippines. He is the recipient of the Purple Heart Medal-Posthumously.
He enlisted for the US Naval Reserve as an officer on 9 Dec 1941 and went to New Haven, Connecticut for Basic Naval Training. By 2 January, 1942, he was assigned to the USS American Legion where he served as a LT Junior Grade. The USS American Legion was a "Harris" Class attack transport.
On 9 April 1942,the American Legion was transferred to the Pacific Theatre and sailed from New York for the Panama Canal Zone, bound, ultimately, for Tongatapu, in the Tonga, or Friendly Islands, which she reached on 8 May 1942. There she disembarked her passengers that included Army officers, nurses, and enlisted men who were to establish a field hospital on Tongatapu. Afterward, it then proceeded on to Wellington, New Zealand-arriving there on 29 May. The American Legion remained at Wellington through mid-July, earmarked for participation in the United States' first offensive landing operation in the Pacific War-the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
Between 1942 and 1943, the American Legion conducted numerous Naval assignments that included supply runs and participating in the invasion of Bougainville. It routinely conducted troop and cargo runs between Auckland, New Zealand; Nouméa, New Caledonia; and Guadalcanal. It arrived in Efate, in New Hebrides on 22 October 1943, in preparation for the invasion of Bougainville, Solomon Islands.
On the morning of 1 November 1943, the American Legion proceeded into the designated transport area in Empress Augusta Bay, and anchored at 06:46. Japanese planes arriving in the vicinity, prompted the ships to get underway. The transport's men observed Aichi D3A2 Type 99 "Val" carrier attack planes, attacking nearby destroyers and losing two or three of their number in the process. "Zeke" (Mitsubishi A6M "Zero") fighters then strafed the beach area, sinking an LCPL from the American Legion.
Securing from general quarters at 09:37, the American Legion anchored in the transport area a few moments later. Observers on board notice beaches "Red 2" and "Red 3" were littered with broached landing craft, two LCMs and four LCVPs from the American Legion among them. The command was given to cease unloading off Beach Red 2 and to proceed to Beach Blue 3; then the transport got underway and soon noticed the presence of shoal water. At 12:46, the ship's war diary recounts "several slight shocks to hull" as the American Legion grounded.
Ten minutes later, enemy planes were reported approaching, as the ship began using her engines in an attempt to work herself free of her predicament. While the other ships in the task unit got underway and stood out, American Legion remained fast aground. The ship, assisted in the effort by USS Sioux (AT-75) and USS Apache (AT-67), fired on "Vals" attacking the beachhead, and eventually worked free by 15:06. After standing out to sea during the night, the transport returned to the transport area the following morning and completed discharging cargo.
The USS American Legion seen long and courageous service while conducting naval operations in the Pacific Theatre between 1942 until it was decommissioned on 26 March, 1946
Records indicate that LTJG Abbott is listed as Missing-Killed in Action on 4 January, 1945. His name appears on the Tablets of the Missing, in the Manila American Cemetery, Philippines. He is the recipient of the Purple Heart Medal-Posthumously.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Kansas.
Family Members
Other Records
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