Government service .281941.E2.80.941946.29 SS Munargo (1921)

1 government service (1941—1946)

1.1 navy service (1941—1943)
1.2 army service (1943—1946)

1.2.1 hospital ship
1.2.2 army transport

government service (1941—1946)

on 27 march 1941 munargo, managed united fruit company, deliered munargo steamship company war shipping administration war department purchase @ pier #4, army base brooklyn core of reconstituted new york port of embarkation. war department plans establish bases in greenland, known code name bluie @ risk when navy notified army ships not spared ships required 2 month layover. acquired munargo being transferred navy purpose solution.

navy service (1941—1943)

the army transferred munargo navy on 6 june 1941 commissioned uss munargo on 4 june 1941 comdr. harold f. ely in command. army s greenland force had been scheduled depart 19 may 1941 repairs required munargo delayed departure until 19 june when munargo , usat chateau thierry 469 officers , men of force departed new york bound argentia, newfoundland refuel , await news of ice conditions. ships departed argentia 30 june , arrived off narsarssuak, greenland establish bluie west 1 major army , navy base in greenland.

following conversion @ brooklyn, new york, munargo attached naval transportation service @ brooklyn in december 1941. on 16 december embarked troops , sailed bermuda, arriving st. george’s harbor 2 days later. departed 19 december san juan, puerto rico, troops , civilian passengers, , thence steamed trinidad take aboard suspected german agents transportation new york, arriving 5 january 1942.

for first 3-1⁄2 months of 1942, munargo carried troops between new york , reykjavík, iceland. on 17 april embarked british troops on iceland, carried them gourock, scotland. on 31 may ship 1 of three, other being thomas h. barry , siboney departing new york engaged in experimental double bunking in many troops shared bunk , got 2 meals day mess facilities operating 24 hours day in order maximize troop build in britain. after voyage involving british toops, returned boston, massachusetts, 27 june disembark british officers, spent 4 months in new york.

munargo left new york 30 december troops, cargo, , u.s. currency trinidad , brazil, sailed through panama canal san francisco, california, arriving 18 march 1943. on 17 may reached noumea, new caledonia troops, returning california reload, , once again arriving in noumea 18 july. sailed @ once samoa, hawaii, guantánamo bay, , u.s. east coast munargo decommissioned @ brooklyn 18 october 1943, , returned war department.

army service (1943—1946)
hospital ship

partial index of nypoe ship conversion plans usahs thistle.

the army had been hesitant withdraw troop carrying capacity conversion designated, convention protected hospital ships in june 1943, under pressure of , experience north african campaign surgeon general , joint chiefs of staff decided protected hospital ships normal means of evacuation helpless patients forward area hospitals. these ships not floating hospitals initial treatment navy hospital ships transports clear forward area army hospitals rear areas or united states , smaller, slower troop ships selected , converted replacement through new construction available.

under supervision of maintenance , repair branch of water division @ new york port of embarkation converted munargo hospital ship new name thistle patient capacity of 455 making first voyage north africa on 8 april 1944. operating charleston, south carolina, made 9 voyages of mercy mediterranean. ordered pacific ocean in september 1945, called @ leyte , returned west coast in december. decommissioned hospital ship in march 1946.

army transport

immediate postwar pressure brought transport war brides, including infants, , military dependents transportation had been suspended duration of war. available ships still in wartime condition , largely unsuitable civilian, particularly children, passengers. pressure transport dependents reached congressional level , in response, though congress withdrew resolution forcing army comply, 30 vessels, majority army troop or hospital ships designated partial conversion more suitable transports, including provision of cribs, high chairs, play pens, , baby baths , special laundry facilities.

thistle redesignated united states army transport, repainted convention hospital ship white , usat thistle engaged in relocating army dependents , personnel until lay in 1948. ship active in role when on 17 january 1948 usat thistle reported in pacific stars , stripes having arrived morning in yokohama 220 dependents, 38 enlisted men, 3 officers, 11 school teachers , ten dacs (department of army civilians) after seventeen-day voyage seattle.

she took load of army air force men , dependents stationed in alaska.

usat thistle in 1948, seattle yokohama, japan- courtesy of elizabeth terry

one of last trips thistle took seattle, washington usa yokohama, japan. aboard elizabeth terry, department of army civilian. scan 8 x 10 black , white photograph of thistle had in album. wrote on of photo, trip february 10th through 26th of 1948.