USS Habersham (AK-186) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that served the US Navy during the final months of World War II. She was named for Habersham County, Georgia.

History
United States
NameHabersham
NamesakeHabersham County, Georgia
Orderedas type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2117[1]
BuilderWalter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number35[1]
Laid down1944
Launched7 June 1944
Sponsored byMrs. Carl Gray, Jr.
Acquired26 April 1945
Commissioned12 May 1945
Decommissioned9 April 1946
Stricken17 April 1946
Identification
FateSold, 6 February 1947
Sweden
NameRosa Thordén
OwnerThordén Lines AB
Acquired6 February 1947
FateSold 1952
South Korea
Name
  • Pusan (1952–1974)
  • Busan (1974–1976)
NamesakeCity of Pusan, South Korea
OwnerKorean Shipping Corporation
Acquired1952
FateSold 1976
South Korea
NameBusan
OwnerAh Jin Shipping Ltd
Acquired1976
FateSold 1976
South Korea
NameSam Dae
OwnerSammisa Shipping Co., Ltd.
Acquired1976
Fate1978
South Korea
NameSam Dae
OwnerTai Young Shipping Co., Ltd.
Acquired1978
FateScrapped in Inchon, South Korea in 1979
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeAlamosa-class cargo ship
TypeC1-M-AV1
Tonnage5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement
  • 2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard)
  • 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam50 ft (15 m)
Draft21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power
Propulsion1 × propeller
Speed11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity
  • 3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT
  • 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated)
  • 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement
  • 15 Officers
  • 70 Enlisted
Armament

Construction

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Habersham was launched 7 June 1944, by the Walter Butler Shipbuilding Company in Superior, Wisconsin, under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2117. She was sponsored by Mrs. Carl Gray, Jr. and acquired by the US Navy on 26 April 1945, and commissioned 12 May 1945.[3]

Service history

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World War II service

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Following shakedown training off Galveston, Texas the ship sailed 2 June 1945, for Gulfport, Mississippi, to take on cargo and departed four days later to join the Pacific Fleet. Habersham arrived at Pearl Harbor via the Canal Zone 30 June, unloaded her cargo, and returned to San Francisco with passengers and cargo 12 July. She then loaded cargo and sailed 21 July for Eniwetok, arriving on 7 August.[3]

Post-war decommissioning

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Habersham was at Eniwetok when the surrender of Japan was announced, and departed 9 September to carry cargo for occupation forces in Japan. Arriving Tokyo Bay, 17 September, she unloaded cargo and departed for Guam and San Francisco 27 November. She arrived 12 January 1946 and sailed for the East Coast on 11 February, arriving Norfolk, Virginia 6 March. Habersham decommissioned at Baltimore, Maryland 9 April 1946 and was returned to the Maritime Commission.[3]

Merchant

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Sold to the Thordén Lines AB, for $693,862,[4] for merchant service, she became Rosa Thordén. In 1952, she was sold to the Korean Shipping Corporation, and renamed Pusan. She was again renamed in 1974, to Busan, and then sold to Ah Jin Shipping Ltd., in 1976. She was sold again in 1976, to Sammisa Shipping Co, Ltd., and renamed Sam Dae. She was finally sold to Tai Young Shipping Co, Ltd., in 1978. On 14 April 1979 she was damaged by fire and scrapped later that year in Inchon, South Korea.[5]

Notes

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Citations

Bibliography

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Online resources

  • "Habersham (Ak-186)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 17 November 2016.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  • "USS Habersham (Ak-186)". Navsource.org. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  • "Habersham (Ak-186)". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  • Swiggum, S.; Kohli, M. (6 June 2009). "Thordén Rederierna / Thordén Lines AB / Finnish North America Line, 1926–1963". TheShipsList. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
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  • Photo gallery of USS Habersham (AK-186) at NavSource Naval History