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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS General J. H. McRae (T-AP-149)
ex
 USAT General J. H. McRae (1946 - 1950)
 USS General J. H. McRae (AP-149) (1944 - 1946)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - India - Foxtrot
 NJIF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
General G. O. Squier Class Transport
  • Laid down, date unknown, as a Maritime Commission type (C4-S-A1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 666) at Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard No. 3, Richmond, CA.
  • Launched, 26 April 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, 16 June 1944
  • Commissioned USS General J. H. McRae (AP-149), 8 August 1944, at Richmond, CA., CDR. Terrence R. Cowie in command
  • During World War II USS J. H. McRae served in both the Asiatic-Pacific and the Europe-Africa-Middle East theaters of operation
  • Decommissioned, 27 February 1946, at New York, N.Y.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946
  • Transferred to the War Shipping Administration for use by the US Army Transportation Service
  • Loaned to the War Department, 27 February 1946, commissioned USAT General J. H. McRae
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 30 June 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Re-acquired by the Navy, 1 March 1950
  • Assigned to the Military Sea Transport Service (MSTS) and placed in service as a USNS General J. H. McRae (T-AP-149)
  • During the Korean War USNS General J.H. McRae participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    6 to 7 May 1951     		Second Korean Winter
    29 to 30 March 1952
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    22 to 26 August 1951     		Third Korean Winter
    25 to 26 March 1953

  • During the Korean War era USNS J.H. McRae was also assigned to Occupation duties in the European Theater for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    16 March to 9 April 1951
    5 to 15 June 1951
    19 to 30 July 1951
    23 September to 3 October 1951
    5 to 11 November 1951
    1 December 1951 to 13 January 1952
    25 February to 6 March 1952
    2 to 16 May 1952
    15 to 17 January 1953

  • Placed out of service, 29 October 1954, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 24 February 1960, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • USNS General J. H. McRae earned four battle stars for Korean war service
  • Merchant Service
    Title transferred, 16 July 1968 to Hudson Waterways Corp./McRae Shipping Corp. (MARAD exchange program), renamed SS Transhawaii
    Converted to a Container ship, 12 March 1970
    Sold to Puerto Rico Maritime Authority, 5 March 1975, renamed SS Aguadilla
    Sold to Merchant Terminal Corp., 25 September 1982, renamed SS Amco Voyager
    Sold to American Coastal Lines, 11 February 1984
    Sold to Steamco Co., June 1985
    Sold to Janet Navigation Inc., 19 November 1985, renamed SS Voyager
    Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in Taiwan, 2 October 1986
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,950 t.(lt) 17,250 t.(fl)
    Length 522' 10"
    Beam 71' 6"
    Draft 26' 6"
    Speed 16.5kts.
    Complement
    Officers 34
    Enlisted 391
    Troop Capacity
    Officers 229
    Enlisted 3,114
    Cargo Capacity 1,900 DWT
    non-refrigerated 70,000 Cu ft.
    Armament
    four single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 1.1" gun mounts (replaced by two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 13,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
    three 400Kw 240V D.C. Ship' Service Generators
    single propeller, 9,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS General J. H. McRae (AP-149)
    General J. H. McRae 77k
    Namesake

    Major General James H. McRae, born 24 December 1863 at Lumber City, Ga., was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1886. He was awarded Silver Stars for gallantry in the Spanish-American War and in the Philippine Instruction; and received the Distinguished Service Medal as Commander of the 78th Division in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I. Later service included command of the V Corps, the Philippine Department at Manila, the IX Corps and the II Corps. General McRae died 1 May 1940 at Berkeley, Calif.
    Photo: Library of Congress    		 Bill Gonyo
    General J H McRae 155k USS General J. H. McRae (AP-149) at Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, CA. prior to commissioning, circa April - June 1944. Photo was presented to Ernest Peres, who helped build General J H McRae at Kaiser Co., Richmond, CA., submitted by his daughter, Wanda DeMartile.
    General J H McRae 48k USS General J. H. McRae (AP-149) moored at Williamson, Victoria, Australia, 20 March 1945. The ship is loading a contingent of RAAF troops bound for Madang Harbor, New Guinea. General McRae sailed via the Admiralty and Caroline Islands to the Marianas, reaching Saipan 10 April 1945.
    Australian War Memorial, Photo No. 302607    		 Mike Green
    USAT General J. H. McRae
    General J H McRae 115k USAT General J. H. McRae departing San Francisco with US Army occupation forces for Japan, 1946. Tommy Trampp
    General J H McRae 368k USAT General J. H. McRae date and location unknown. Mr. Kujawiak immigrated from Germany to the United States with his family aboard General J. H. McRae in August of 1949. Note attached baggage check.
    US Army photo    		 Andrew Kujawiak
    General J H McRae
    092214909    		 68k USAT General J. H. McRae moored pierside at an Army Port of Embarkation most likely in San Francisco Bay, circa 1946-1947. David Wright
    USNS General J. H. McRae (T-AP-149)
    General J H McRae 132k The 56th Army Band plays "The Saint Louis Blues" to Ethiopian, Dutch and Greek troops as they arrive aboard USNS General J. H. McRae (T-AP-149), at a Korean port to join the United Nations' Command, 8 May 1951.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-428655, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Merchant Service
    General J H McRae 277k SS Transhawaii working cargo at Bremerhaven, Germany, August 1970. Photos by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    General J H McRae 184k
    USS / USNS General J. H. McRae (AP-149 / T-AP-149)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Cowie, Terrence Richie8 August 1944 - 27 February 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 11 March 2022