- USNS Geiger (T-AP-197)
USNS "Geiger" (T-AP-197) was a transport ship in the
United States Navy . She was named afterRoy Geiger , who, from July 1945 to November 1946 he commanded Marine Force,Pacific Fleet . "Geiger" was laid down as "President Adams"1 August 1949 underMaritime Commission contract forAmerican President Lines by New York Shipbuilding Corp.,Camden, New Jersey ; launched9 October 1950 ; sponsored by Mrs. Edward J. Hart, wife of Congressman Hart ofNew Jersey ; renamed "Geiger"2 January 1951 while under conversion forMSTS ; acquired by the Navy13 September 1952 ; and placed in service the same day.Korean Conflict operations
Acquired for transport service during the Korean conflict, "Geiger" has operated under MSTS since 1952. Over the years she has made numerous runs in support of peace-keeping operations throughout the world. She has crossed the
Atlantic dozens of times, deploying troops to European bases and returning troops and refugees to theUnited States .Middle East assignment
Operating out of
New York , "Geiger" has provided valuable support for the mighty6th Fleet on station in the turbulentMiddle East . In response to the pro-Soviet takeover of theSyrian Army in August 1957, she steamed in theMediterranean while the 6th Fleet deployed to protect independent nations in the Middle East, including the pro-Western government ofKing Hussein inJordan . In July 1958 she carried troops from European bases toLebanon to thwart an attempted Communist coup against the government of PresidentChamoun .North Atlantic assignments
Between 1959 and 1965 "Geiger" continued operations out of New York, steaming to
Bremerhaven, Germany ; Mediterranean ports inNorth Africa ,Italy ,Greece , andTurkey ; and American bases in theCaribbean . Following theCuban Missile Crisis , she made three runs between New York andCuba to return military dependents toGuantanamo Bay Naval Base during December 1962 and January 1963. Between 6 October and23 November 1964 , she participated in the massive amphibious exercise, Operation "Steel Pike I", the largest peacetime amphibious exercise ever conducted in the Atlantic. She supported the movement of combat-ready troops from the United States to the southwest coast ofSpain and took part in the largest American military landing operation since theKorea n war. After returning toCharleston, South Carolina , 23 November with 768 marines embarked, she resumed transport runs between New York andBremerhaven . Arriving New York1 June 1965 , she departed the next day for the Caribbean, where from 6 to 17 June she operated offSanto Domingo to support naval forces engaged in endingcivil war in theDominican Republic .Pacific Ocean operations
Following two more runs to Bremerhaven, "Geiger" departed New York 16 August for the
Pacific . Steaming viaPearl Harbor , she arrivedQuin Nhon ,South Vietnam , 19 September to bolster the Navy's transportation capabilities during the struggle to halt Communist aggression inSoutheast Asia . Between 23 September and 1 October she sailed viaYokohama ,Japan , toPusan ,South Korea , where she embarkedRepublic of Korea troops bound forVietnam . She returned toQui Nhon 8 October; steamed toCam Ranh Bay the 9th; then departed the next day for the United States, arrivingSan Francisco 27 October. Sailing for theFar East 5 November, she reached Qui Nhon the 23d and resumed duty as a troop transport. Between 30 November and 13 December she rotated ROK troops fromVung Tau , South Vietnam, to Inchon and back.Atlantic Ocean operations
She departed Vietnam from the United States 13 December; and, steaming via Pearl Harbor and the
Panama Canal , she arrived New York13 January 1966 . "Geiger" resumed transatlantic service to Bremerhaven 1 February, and during the next 6 months made six runs between the United States and Europe. Departing Bremerhaven 8 August, she steamed via the Panama Canal and San Francisco to resume troop-carrying duty in the Far East. During 1967 "Geiger" shuttled between San Francisco and Vietnam carrying U.S. troops to bolster Allied forces fighting for freedom insoutheast Asia .References
ee also
*
List of United States Navy ships External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=201891 USS Geiger - AP 197 - Unit Pages]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22197.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - T-AP-197 Geiger]
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