William P. Biddle (APA-8) served as an attack transport of the Heywood class built by Union Iron Works at Alameda. Her earlier life was the cargo ship Eclipse, a hull finished during February 1919. Merchant voyages followed, first under the name City of Hamburg and afterward under City of San Francisco. On 13 November 1940 she passed into naval hands.
On 20 November 1943 she lay off Tarawa in company with the 2nd Marine Division. The division went onto Betio that day, and the defense there was stiff.
At 0615 on 21 July 1944 she stood into the transport area off Agat, Guam. She sent the greater share of Combat Landing Team 1, from the 22d Marines, onto Beach Yellow One, a short distance south of Agat. Casualties came off that beach through the day. She passed patients to Leedstown (APA-56). Further patients went to Fayette (APA-43). On 25 July she cleared the transport area.
At 0840 on 20 October 1944 she came to anchor off Leyte, in the transport area. Men of the Army's XXIV Corps went from her onto Beach Blue One.
On 9 January 1945 she lay in the transport area at Lingayen. Debarkation opened at 0745. Two minutes afterward an enemy aircraft bore in on the transports. Her after 40-millimeter gun fired seventy-two rounds. Shell fragments wounded two men who were serving exposed gun stations. By 0905 the assault waves had left the ship, and the last of the cargo was out at 1740.