General W. C. Langfitt (AP-151) was launched under Maritime Commission contract (MC #703) 17 July 1944 by the Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, California; sponsored by Mrs. William E. Lynd; acquired by the Navy and simultaneously commissioned 30 September 1944.
After shakedown, General W. C. Langfitt embarked marines and departed San Diego 10 November 1944 for Eniwetok and Saipan via Pearl Harbor. Returning to San Francisco 5 January 1945, she embarked troops and sailed 19 January for the Western Pacific where she shuttled troops to Finschhafen and Hollandia, New Guinea; Leyte, Philippines; Ulithi, Caroline Islands; and Kossol Roads, Palaus. Loaded with medical patients and returning veterans, she departed Hollandia for the United States 22 March and arrived San Francisco 10 April. On the 21st, the busy ship again sailed for the Western Pacific; and, after steaming via Pearl Harbor to the Admiralty Islands, the Philippines, and the Marshalls, she returned 2,302 passengers to San Francisco, arriving 11 June. Having contributed so much to the rising tide of victory in the Pacific, she sailed 15 June for Norfolk, reaching there 30 June.
General W. C. Langfitt departed 16 July for France, where on the 26th she embarked troops at Marseilles for redeployment to the Pacific. She departed 28 July and sailed via the Panama Canal to Hollandia and points in the Philippines. As a unit of the "Magic Carpet" fleet, she departed Leyte 18 September, arriving Seattle 3 October. The transport departed again for the Western Pacific 25 October; carried occupation troops to Nagoya, Japan; and steamed to the Philippines before returning to San Francisco 10 December. Between 22 December and 16 April 1946 General W. C. Langfitt made two more "Magic Carpet" voyages to the Philippines and back bringing home thousands of veterans. After returning to San Francisco 16 April, she steamed to New York where she arrived 20 May. She decommissioned there 6 June 1946 and was returned to WSA for use by the Army Transport Service.
In February 1949 the General W. C. Langfitt left Bremerhaven with European immigrants and arrived in Buenos Aires on 25 March 1949. On 22 May 1949 USAT General W. C. Langfitt left Naples with 826 displaced persons from Europe and arrived in Melbourne on 17 June 1949.[3] This voyage was one of almost 150 "Fifth Fleet" voyages by some 40 ships bringing refugees of World War II to Australia.[4]General W. C. Langfitt made two more such trips to Melbourne with 826 refugees on 22 September 1949, and with 1,282 on 14 January 1950.[4]
The fourth and final group taken to Australia by General W. C. Langfitt arrived in Fremantle on 18 February 1950 and consisted of 1,118 displaced persons of Polish descent. The group embarked on their voyage in Mombasa, Kenya in late January and early February 1950. This particular group of migrants, referred to as "The General Langfitt Group", was chronicled in the 1995 book The General Langfitt story: Polish refugees recount their experiences of exile, dispersal, and resettlement. The book tells the story of the group's exile in the Soviet Union and journeys that took them from that country to Iran, India, East Africa, and finally Australia.[5]
General W. C. Langfitt was reacquired by the Navy 1 March 1950 for assignment as an overseas transport under MSTS.[citation needed] She undertook the job of carrying troops, dependents, and even refugees to the far corners of the world, making round-the-world voyages in 1952 and 1953. Between 24 November 1954 and 30 April 1957 she made 32 voyages from New York to Bremerhaven, Germany, and back, carrying European refugees to the United States under the Refugees Relief Act.[citation needed] Following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, she operated with MSTS transport USNSGeneral Harry Taylor(T-AP-145) and brought over 45,000 Hungarian refugees to the United States. Since she was making the trips back to Europe empty she was used to carry American Field Service students to Europe during early summer of 1955.
USS General A. W. Greely (AP-141) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship named for U.S. Army general Adolphus Greely. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General A. W. Greeley in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General A. W. Greely (T-AP-141). She was later sold and converted to a container ship and operated under several names before being scrapped in 1986.
USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (T-AGM-10) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship in the United States Navy in World War II named in honor of U.S. Army Chief of Engineers Harry Taylor. She served for a time as army transport USAT General Harry Taylor, and was reacquired by the navy in 1950 as USNS General Harry Taylor (T-AP-145).
USS General C. C. Ballou (AP-157) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Charles Clarendon Ballou. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General C. C. Ballou in 1946. On 1 March 1950, she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General C. C. Ballou (T-AP-157). She was later sold for commercial operation under several names before being scrapped some time after 1981.
USS General D. E. Aultman (AP-156) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. The ship was crewed by the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the war. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Dwight Edward Aultman. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General D. E. Aultman in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General D. E. Aultman (T-AP-156). She was later sold for commercial operation under the name SS Portland, before being scrapped some time after October 1986.
USS General LeRoy Eltinge (AP-154) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the US Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of US Army general LeRoy Eltinge. She was transferred to the US Army as USAT General LeRoy Eltinge in 1946. On 20 July 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General LeRoy Eltinge (T-AP-154). She was later sold for commercial use and operated under the names SS Robert E. Lee and SS Robert Toombs, before being scrapped in 1980.
USS General R. M. Blatchford (AP-153) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Richard M. Blatchford. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General R. M. Blatchford in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General R. M. Blatchford (T-AP-153). She was later sold for commercial operation under the names SS Stonewall Jackson and Alex Stephens, before being scrapped in 1980.
USS General R. L. Howze (AP-134) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. The ship was crewed by the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the war. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Robert Lee Howze. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General R. L. Howze in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General R. L. Howze (T-AP-134). She was later sold for commercial operation under the name SS Austral Glen, before being scrapped in 1980.
USS General C. G. Morton (AP-138) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Charles Gould Morton. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General C. G. Morton in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General C. G. Morton (T-AP-138). She was later sold for commercial operation under the name SS Green Wave, before being scrapped in 1980.
USS General M. B. Stewart (AP-140) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Merch Bradt Stewart. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General M. B. Stewart in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General M. B. Stewart (T-AP-140). She was later sold for commercial operation under the name SS Albany, before being scrapped in July 1987.
USS General C. H. Muir (AP-142) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. The ship was crewed by the U.S. Coast Guard until decommissioning. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Charles Henry Muir. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General C. H. Muir in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General C. H. Muir (T-AP-142). She was later sold for commercial operation under the names SS Chicago and SS San Juan, and was scrapped some time after 1985.
USS General H. F. Hodges (AP-144) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. The ship was crewed by the U.S. Coast Guard until decommissioning. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Harry Foote Hodges. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General H. F. Hodges in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General H. F. Hodges (T-AP-144). She was later sold for commercial operation under the name SS James, before being scrapped in 1979.
USS General E. T. Collins (AP-147) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Edgar Thomas Collins. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General E. T. Collins in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General E. T. Collins (T-AP-147). She was later sold for commercial operation under the name SS New Orleans, before being eventually scrapped.
USS General M. L. Hersey (AP-148) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship of 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.
USS Admiral C. F. Hughes (AP-124) was a Admiral W. S. Benson-class transport named in honor of Charles Frederick Hughes, an admiral in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1927 to 1930. It was later renamed the ship USAT General Edwin D. Patrick after Edwin D. Patrick, an Army general who died in World War II.
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