USS General W. G. Haan (AP-158)

USS "General W. G. Haan" (AP-158) was a sclass|General G. O. Squier|transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general William George Haan. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT "General W. G. Haan" in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS "General W. G. Haan" (T-AP-158). She was later sold for commercial operation under several names before being scrapped in 1987.

Operational history

"General W. G. Haan" (AP-158) was launched 20 March 1945 under Maritime Commission contract (MC #715) by Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, California; sponsored by Miss Helen Coxhead; acquired by the Navy and simultaneously commissioned 2 August 1945, Comdr. J. V. Rylander in command.

"General W. G. Haan" conducted shakedown training out of San Diego until after the surrender of Japan. Departing 4 September 1945 for the southwest Pacific, the transport touched at Eniwetok, Leyte, and Manila before returning to Seattle with homecoming veterans 22 October. Subsequently, the ship made two voyages to Japan and the Philippines, bringing occupation troops and embarking returning servicemen. She returned to San Francisco after her last passage, and departed 30 April 1946 for the East Coast via the Panama Canal. Arriving Baltimore 25 May, "General W. G. Haan" decommissioned there 7 June 1946 and was returned to WSA for further transfer to the Army Transport Service.

On 2 October 1949, USAT "General W. G. Haan" departed Naples with 1303 displaced persons from Eastern Europe for resettlement in Australia [cite web | url = http://www.immigrantships.net/v5/1900v5/generalhaan19491115.html | title = Immigrant Ships, Transcribers Guild, General Haan | publisher = ImmigrantShips.net | date = 2002-10-25 | accessdate = 2007-11-09 ] arriving 15 November 1949 at Melbourne.cite web | url = http://www.fifthfleet.net/pb/wp_6a2460ca/wp_6a2460ca.html | title = Ships of the Fifth Fleet | first = Ann | last = Tündern-Smith | work = FifthFleet.net | date = 2006-12-31 | accessdate = 2007-11-09 ] She completed another voyage to Melbourne on 20 February 1950 with 1301 more refugees.

Reacquired by the Navy 1 March 1950, "General W. G. Haan" was assigned to MSTS under a civilian crew. Until 1953 she operated under the International Refugee Organization and carried displaced East Europeans from northern European ports to the United States. In 1952 "General W. G. Haan" also made two support voyages to the American bases at Thule, Greenland, and Goose Bay, Labrador. Following this demanding duty, the ship made several voyages to Europe in support of American units. She continued this steaming schedule until March 1955 when she was placed in Reduced Operational Status at New York.

In December 1956 "General W. G. Haan" resumed duty as a refugee transport. Steaming from New York to Bremerhaven, Germany, she embarked refugees from the Hungarian Revolution and brought them to New York. On 7 January 1957 she was again placed in Reduced Operational Status. "General W. G. Haan" was subsequently placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Orange, Texas, and was returned to the' Maritime Administration 22 October 1958. She entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet at nearby Beaumont, where she remained until sold for commercial use in 1968cite web | url = http://www.coltoncompany.com/shipbldg/ussbldrs/wwii/merchantshipbuilders/permanentenumber3.htm | title = Kaiser Company, Inc., Richmond No. 3 Yard, Richmond CA | publisher = Colton Company | date = | accessdate = 2007-11-09 ] to Hudson Waterways Corporation of New York. She was rebuilt as a 13,489 gross ton container ship by Maryland Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. in Baltimore.cite web | url = http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsG.html | title = Ship Descriptions - G | work = The Ships List | date = | accessdate = 2007-11-09 ] Renamed "Transoregon", she began service in December 1969. In 1975 she was sold to the Puerto Rico Maritime Shipping Authority and renamed "Mayaguez". She was sold in 1982 to Merchant Terminal Corporation of New York and renamed "Amco Trader". In 1985 she remained laid up in New York. She was scrapped at Taiwan in 1987.

References

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External links

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* [http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/b/4/3/doc/b43741.shtml Picture of "General W. G. Haan"] at the State Library of Victoria