USS General M. L. Hersey (AP-148)

USS "General M. L. Hersey" (AP-148) 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 Mark Leslie Hersey. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT "General M. L. Hersey" in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS "General M. L. Hersey" (T-AP-148). She was later sold for commercial use, and operated under the names SS "Pittsburgh" and SS "St. Louis".

Operational history

"General M. L. Hersey" (AP-148) was launched under a Maritime Commission contract (MC #665) 1 April 1944 by Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, California; sponsored by Mrs. Alice Hersey Wicks, General Hersey's daughter; acquired by the Navy 31 May 1944; and commissioned 29 July 1944; Captain James W. Smith in command.

After shakedown off San Pedro, "General M. L. Hersey" sailed from San Francisco 5 September 1944 with troops and cargo for garrisons in the Southwest Pacific. She reached Milne Bay, New Guinea, 21 September and subsequently carried troops and supplies to the Admiralty Islands, the Russell Islands, and the Solomon Islands, before departing Guadalcanal for the United States 6 October. Arriving San Francisco 19 October, she brought home more than 3,000 veterans of the bitter Pacific fighting. Between 7 November 1944 and 14 August 1945 the transport made four round-trip voyages from San Francisco and, Seattle to the Western Pacific, carrying troops to New Guinea, the Philippines, the Palaus, and the Marianas during the final amphibious offensive against Japan, At Leyte in November "General M. L. Hersey" endured frequent air attacks.

Following the surrender, the veteran ship departed Seattle 31 August; and, steaming via the Philippines, she arrived Yokohama 24 September with occupation troops. There she embarked 3,052 troops and departed 5 days later as a unit of Operation "Magic-Carpet", a giant sea-lift designed to return hundreds of thousands of American fighting men to the United States as quickly as possible. Between 3 December and 3 March 1946 she steamed twice to the Far East where she embarked returning veterans at Yokohama and Manila and transported them to San Pedro and San Francisco. Departing San Francisco 23 March, she then steamed via Manila and Singapore to Calcutta, India, and Colombo, Ceylon, where she embarked "Magic-Carpet" troops. She departed Colombo 28 April, sailed via the Suez Canal, and arrived New York 21 May. She decommissioned at New York 1 June and was turned over to WSA 6 June for eventual use as a transport by the Army Transportation Service.

Rebuilt by the Army to 12,545 tons, she was on duty for the International Refugee Organization (IRO) and initially based out of New Orleans (but later based out of New York). [cite news | url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00D17FC3D5C127A93CBAB178AD85F448585F9| title = Shipping News and Notes; 5 Army Transportation Corps Ships to Be Shifted From New Orleans to New York | format = fee | work = The New York Times | date = 1949-09-20 | accessdate = 2007-11-20 | page = 127 ]

On 14 January 1947, during a return voyage from Bremerhaven, USAT "General M. L. Hersey" responded to distress calls issued by SS "Tecumseh Park" which was thought to be in danger of foundering Mi to km|840|mile|km off Halifax. [cite news | url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0811FF345B157A93C7A8178AD85F438485F9 | title = SHIP 'BREAKING UP' IN TERRIFIC STORM; Army Transport Standing By Stricken Canadian Craft 840 Miles Off Halifax | format = fee | work = The New York Times | date = 1947-01-15 | accessdate = 2007-11-20 | page = 10 ] "General M. L. Hersey" had stood by for two days before "Tecumseh Park" got underway on her own. [cite news | url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0813FE395A1B7B93C0AB178AD85F438485F9 | title = SHIP DECLINED OFFER OF TRANSPORT'S HELP | format = fee | work = The New York Times | date = 1947-01-22 | accessdate = 2007-11-20 | page = 47 ]

On 16 November 1949 USAT "General M. L. Hersey" left Naples with 1,283 displaced persons from Europe and arrived in Melbourne on 6 December 1949. [cite web | url = http://www.immigrantships.net/v5/1900v5/generalhersey19491206.html | title = Immigrant Ships, Transcribers Guild, General Hersey | publisher = ImmigrantShips.net | date = 2002-10-25 | accessdate = 2007-11-20 ] This voyage was one of almost 150 "Fifth Fleet" voyages by some 40 ships bringing refugees of World War II to Australia.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 = 2007-11-20 ] "General M. L. Hersey" made two more such trips herself, arriving in Melbourne, again, with 1,336 refugees on 27 April 1950, and in Fremantle with 1,370 passengers on 2 November 1950.

In the midst of her “Fifth Fleet” voyages to Australia, the transport was reacquired by the Navy 1 March 1950. "General M. L. Hersey" was placed in service and assigned to MSTS under a civilian crew. Continuing to operate out of New York, she resumed carrying European refugees to the United States in support of the IRO.

On 07:32 on 4 November 1951, while ferrying elements of the 43rd Infantry Division to Bremerhaven, USNS "General M. L. Hersey" struck Argentine cruise ship MS "Maipo" amidships in thick fog over a calm North Sea. "Maipo" sank some three hours after the collision off Wangerooge. All 238 people aboard "Maipo" were able to be rescued, and no one aboard "General M. L. Hersey" was injured. [cite news | url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70715FB3A5A127B93C7A9178AD95F458585F9 | title = U.S. Troopship in Collision; Liner Sinks, All Hands Safe; ALL SAFE IN SHIP CRASH | format = fee | author = Associated Press | work = The New York Times | date = 1951-11-05 | accessdate = 2007-11-20 | page = 1 ]

During 1952 and 1953 she made four round-trips from San Francisco to the Far East in support of the Korean War. She was placed out of service 11 June 1954 and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego. Later transferred to the Maritime Administration, on 3 September 1959 she entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, California.

The transport was sold to Sea-Land Service, Inc. on 16 August 1968 and renamed SS "Pittsburgh". She was renamed SS "St. Louis" in September 1969, and converted to a container ship 10 January 1970. There is conflicting information about the fate of "St. Louis". According to one source, she sank in 1971, yet, another source reports she was scrapped in 1988.

"General M. L. Hersey" received one battle star for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean War service.

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