USNS George W. Goethals (T-AP-182)

USNS "George W. Goethals" (T-AP-182) was a troop transport that served with the United States Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) during the 1950s. Prior to her MSTS service, she served as US Army transport USAT "George W. Goethals" during World War II.

"George W. Goethals" was laid down under Maritime Commission contract 7 January 1941 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Company of Pascagoula, Mississippi; launched as "Pascagoula" 23 January 1942; delivered to the Army 18 September 1942; and renamed "George W. Goethals".

World War II

During World War II "George W. Goethals" operated as an Army transport out of New York, Boston, and Gulf Coast ports to ports in North Africa, France, and the United Kingdom. After the war, she continued transatlantic runs carrying military dependents between the United States and Europe.

Postwar Navy service

Acquired by the US Navy 1 March 1950, the transport was assigned to MSTS. Manned by a civilian crew, "George W. Goethals" continued trooplift and passenger voyages out of New York.

During the Korean conflict she helped to maintain American military strength in Europe and the Middle East. Transporting troops and military cargo, she steamed to England, Germany, North Africa, Italy, Greece, and Turkey during European and Mediterranean deployments. In addition, she rotated troops to American bases in the Caribbean. In 1953, for example, she completed 12 round-trip voyages out of New York to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Canal Zone.

Between 1955 and 1959 "George W. Goethals" continued a busy, far-ranging deployment schedule. During this period she deployed 18 times to ports in Western Europe and three times to the Mediterranean, and she completed 30 round trips to the Caribbean. Placed in a ready reserve status from 15 December 1958 to 21 February 1959, she made a run to Bremerhaven and back during February and March. In the next 6 months, she deployed to the Caribbean seven times.

Inactivation

After returning to New York 29 September 1959, she was inactivated. Transferred to the Maritime Administration 20 November 1960 she entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet, and was berthed in the Hudson River at Jones Point, New York. She was scrapped in 1971.

References

* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/ap182.htm USAT "George W. Goethals"] - DANFS Online.
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22182.htm T-AP-182 "George W. Goethals"] , Navsource Online.