Bayfield Class: USS Fremont APA-44 was launched 31 March 1943 by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation; Pascagoula, Mississippi; as Sea Corsair, sponsored by Mrs. W.R. Guest, placed in partial commission on 30 May 1943. On 11 June 1943, Fremont arrived at Bethlehem Steel's Key Highway Yards, and was decommissioned. Fremont was refitted for duty as a relief flagship.

On 23 November 1943 the ship was placed in full commission as USS Fremont APA-44 with Captain Clarence V. Conlan, USN as her first commanding officer. Mrs. Mary Casey, the wife of LTJG William R. Casey the ship's Dental Officer was a sponsor of the USS Fremont at the re-commissioning ceremony. All Attack Transport ships built at that time were named after Counties. Fremont was named after counties in Colorado, Idaho, Iowa and Wyoming.

• Ship's compliment included some 369 enlisted and 25 officers as crew members.
• Combat troops embarked numbered approximately 1200 and were quartered in the upper holds.
• The heavy equipment (trucks, ammunition, and supplies) needed by the troops were carried in the lower holds.
• An APA's armament is its boats. Fremont carried the following boats:
  
  4 LCM-6 (Mike) boats, 56 foot, 28 ton steel landing craft for carrying troop and vehicles -- capacity, 120 combat equipped troops each.
  
  12 LCVP (Peter) boats, 36 foot, 9 ton armored wooden landing craft for carrying troops and vehicles -- capacity 36 combat equipped troops each.
  
  2 LCPL, 36 foot, 9 ton steel fiberglass boats used primarily as command craft.
  
  The crew of the landing craft consisted of a coxswain, motor mechanic, and bow hook.
• Deck guns included: (1) 5"/38 calibur dual purpose gun aft and (3) quadruple 40MM Anti Aircraft guns
• Maximum Displacement 16,000 tons
• Length 492' Beam 69'6"
• Draw 26'6"
• Machinery: geared turbines with 2 combustion engineering type boilers with 8,500 shaft horsepower maximum
• Speed 18 knots