- USS Faribault (AK-179)
USS "Faribault" (AK-179) was an "Alamosa"-class
cargo ship acquired by theU.S. Navy during the final months ofWorld War II . "Faribault" served U.S. military forces in thePacific Ocean until shortly after the war when she was deactivated. During theKorean Crisis , she was reactivated and served with distinction, having been awarded twobattle stars before final decommissioning.Built in California
"Faribault" (AK-179) was launched
24 February 1945 by Kaiser Cargo, Inc.,Richmond, California ; sponsored by Mrs. L. J. Morand; acquired by the Navy from theU.S. Maritime Commission 20 April 1945 ; and commissioned the same day, Lieutenant Commander C. O. Fulgham,USNR , in command.World War II-related service
Between
16 June 1945 and1 September , "Faribault" voyaged fromSan Francisco, California , toLeyte andEniwetok with cargo, then sailed again29 September with cargo for use in theoccupation of Japan .She remained in the western
Pacific Ocean , carrying cargo to and fromYokosuka ,Guam ,Saipan ,Okinawa ,Luzon ,Samar , andManus Island , until returning to San Francisco23 April 1946 . "Faribault" was decommissioned atSeattle, Washington ,10 July 1946 , and returned to theU.S. Maritime Commission the following day.Korean War reactivation
Reacquired
16 May 1947 , "Faribault" was recommissioned26 June 1947 atBremerton, Washington , and assigned to duty in theService Force, Pacific Fleet , based onPearl Harbor ,Hawaii .She ranged among the islands of the Hawaiian, Marshall, Caroline, and Philippine groups, as well as other isolated islands such as
Johnston Island . Between7 November 1952 and22 July 1953 , she carried cargo fromPearl Harbor toJapan andKorea for support of the troops in Korea, then returned to duty in the Central Pacific."Faribault" served in the
Far East once more between11 August 1954 and3 April 1955 , and during September, October, and November1954 , lay atTourane andHaiphong ,Indochina , acting as fleet issue ship to the force carrying outOperation Passage to Freedom , the evacuation of civilian refugees from Communist-heldNorth Vietnam . From April1955 through the remainder of the year, she carried cargo fromPearl Harbor toMidway Islands and theMarshall Islands .Final decommissioning
On
13 April 1956 she arrived atSan Diego, California , where she was placed out of commission in reserve20 July 1956 . Her subsequent fate is not known.Honors and awards
"Faribault" received two
battle stars forKorean War service.ee also
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United States Navy
*World War II References
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* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/130179.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-179 Faribault]
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