USS General John Pope (AP-110)

USS "General John Pope" (AP-110) was a troop transport that served with the United States Navy in World War II. After the war she was transferred to the Army and redesignated USAT "General John Pope". She later served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars as a civilian-manned Military Sea Transportation Service vessel, as USNS "General John Pope" (T-AP-110).

"General John Pope" was launched under a Maritime Commission contract 21 March 1943 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Kearny, New Jersey; acquired by the Navy 2 July 1943; placed in ferry commission the same day for transfer to Baltimore for conversion to a transport by Maryland Drydock Company, and commissioned in full 5 August 1943, Captain George D. Lyon in command.

World War II

After shakedown "General John Pope" sailed for Newport News 5 September 1943 with over 6,000 troops and civilians bound for Greenock, Scotland; and, after disembarking her passengers there, returned to Norfolk, Virginia 25 September. From 6 October to 19 November she made a troop-carrying voyage to Brisbane, Australia; and, after touching Townsville and Milne Bay, put in at San Francisco on the latter date. Underway again 10 December with over 5,000 troops for the Pacific fighting, "General John Pope" debarked them at Noumea 23 December and returned via Pago Pago to San Francisco 10 January 1944 with 2,500 veterans.

In the months that followed, "General John Pope" sailed in support of the giant amphibious offensive on New Guinea's northern coast, spearheaded by Rear Admiral Barbey's famed VII Amphibious Force. On a 3 month round-trip voyage out of San Francisco, beginning 23 January, she took troops to Guadalcanal, Auckland, and Noumea, and brought 1,300 men back to San Francisco 9 March. "General John Pope" then embarked another full complement of troops, including the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment, and sailed 6 April for Noumea and Oro Bay, New Guinea.

Returning via Noumea to embark casualties, the ship reached San Francisco 18 May 1944. During the summer of 1944 ,the far-ranging transport made two round-trip voyages from San Francisco: on the first she got underway 27 May for New Guinean ports, Guadalcanal, and the Russell Islands, debarking 3,800 men of the famous 1st Marine Division at San Diego, California before returning to San Francisco; and on the second she departed 26 July for Honolulu and returned 8 August.

In the early fall, another voyage out of San Francisco 14 August brought "General John Pope" on a troop rotation run to New Guinean ports; and subsequently, after embarking 5,000 Army troops at San Pedro, California, she sailed via Melbourne for Bombay. Nearly 4,000 fighting men, mainly troops of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, were embarked and delivered safely to Melbourne and Wellington before the ship moored again at San Pedro 16 January 1945.

The spring of 1945 saw a round-trip troop-carrying voyage begin in San Francisco 26 March, which took her to Manila, Leyte, and Biak before returning 21 May. "General John Pope" next stood out from the Golden Gate once more 2 June 1945, this time bound for Marseilles, where 5,242 troops were embarked and taken to Manila.

After hostilities

The transport returned to Seattle 17 August following this long voyage, but she was underway again 11 days later via Ulithi, Cebu, and Leyte for Yokohama, returning to San Francisco 8 October with over 5,000 veterans.

From 19 October 1945 to 7 May 1946, four more "Magic-Carpet" and troop rotation voyages were made, two from San Francisco and two from Seattle, to the Philippines and Yokohama. Finally, missions accomplished, "General John Pope" departed San Francisco 15 May bound for New York, where she decommissioned 12 June 1946 and was returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA). She was then transferred to the Army where she served as USAT "General John Pope".

Korean War

Reinstated on the Navy List 20 July 1950, "General John Pope" was assigned to MSTS 1 August. During the Korean War she carried American troops to Japan and Korea to take part in the giant effort to hold back the Communist invasion. Following the war, "General John Pope" continued to sail to Japanese and Korean ports on troop rotation duties, finally being placed in reduced operational status at Seattle 14 May 1955. The veteran transport was returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Olympia, Washington, 5 September 1958.

Vietnam War

"General John Pope" reactivated 17 August 1965 to serve again as a civilian-manned ship of MSTS, operating from San Francisco. She carried troops to bases in the Pacific and Far East, supporting the anti-communist struggle in Vietnam. She also carried the 9th Infantry Division to Vietnam.

"General John Pope" was placed out of commission once again on 1 May 1970, transferred to MARAD and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. She was struck from the Naval Register on 26 October 1990, and as of May 2007 was still awaiting disposal there.

Awards

"General John Pope" received six battle stars for Korean War service.

References

* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/ap110.htm "General John Pope" AP-110] - DANFS Online.
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22110.htm USS/USAT/USNS "General John Pope" (AP-110/T-AP-110)] , Navsource Online.