Leon (APA-48) served as an attack transport of the Bayfield class built by Bethlehem at Sparrows Point. She was commissioned on 12 February 1944.
On 15 June 1944 the invasion fleet reached Saipan. On D-day her beach party and her boats set their Marines ashore under artillery fire and mortar bursts. That fire put three of the boats out of action.
On 17 September 1944 the boats from Leon set 1,404 troops on the shore at Angaur.
Between 16 and 22 October 1944 she brought part of the 1st Cavalry Division across to Leyte. A later voyage put soldiers of the 77th Division on that island on 23 November.
In Reinforcement Group 77.9 she delivered troops into Lingayen Gulf on 11 January 1945, and she did so again on 27 January. Four battle stars stand on her wartime record.