USS Poinsett (AK-205)
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| Career (USA) |  100x35px |
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| Name: | USS Poinsett |
| Namesake: | a county in Arkansas |
| Builder: | Leatham D. Smith Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin |
| Laid down: | 6 November 1943, as a type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2159 |
| Launched: | 22 May 1944 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Robert L. Rote |
| Acquired: | by the U.S. Navy, 22 January 1945 |
| Commissioned: | 7 February 1945 as USS Poinsett (AK-205) at Houston, Texas |
| Decommissioned: | 25 January 1946, at Norfolk, Virginia |
| Struck: | 12 March 1946 |
| Honors and awards: | one battle star for World War II service |
| Fate: | sold in 1947 for commercial service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Alamosa-class cargo ship |
| Tonnage: | 2,382 tons |
| Tons burthen: | 7,435 tons |
| Length: | 388' 8" |
| Beam: | 50' |
| Draft: | 21' 1" |
| Propulsion: | diesel engine, single screw, 1,700shp |
| Speed: | 11.5 knots |
| Complement: | 85 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount; six single 20mm AA gun mounts |
USS Poinsett (AK-205) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship acquired by the U.S. Navy just prior to the end of World War II. She carried supplies and ammunition to the Pacific Ocean battle areas and was awarded one battle star for her operations in the Borneo area.
Contents
Service history
Construction
Poinsett (AK–205) was laid down as MC hull 2159 by Leatham D. Smith Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. 6 November 1943; launched 22 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Robert L. Rote; acquired by the Navy 22 January 1945; and commissioned at Houston, Texas, 7 February 1945, Lt. Comdr. Robert M. Baughman, USNR, in command.
World War II service
After shakedown off Galveston, Texas, Poinsett loaded ammunition at Theodore, Alabama, and departed for the Panama Canal 21 March. She steamed to Ulithi thence to Zamboanga, Philippine Islands, arriving 11 May.
After issuing ammunition there, she proceeded to Tawi Tawi, Sulu Archipelago, and joined the main forces for the invasion of Balikpapan (1 July). On 10 July she departed Borneo for Morotai and the Philippines, whence she sailed southeast to Manus. There, while loading fleet issue clothing and small stores, she received word of the war’s end. Poinsett then proceeded to Manila and Guiuan, Samar, to discharge her cargo. She departed 19 November for the Panama Canal and Norfolk, Virginia, for inactivation. Decommissioned 25 January 1946, she was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission, 29 January 1946, and her name was struck from the Navy List, 12 March 1946.
Honors and awards
Poinsett received one battle star for World War II service:
- Borneo operations Balikpapan operation, 1 to 10 July 1945
References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - USS Poinsett (AK-205)
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- Pages with broken file links
- Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- Alamosa class cargo ships
- Ships built in Wisconsin
- 1944 ships
- World War II auxiliary ships of the United States
- Ammunition ships of the United States Navy
- United States Navy Arkansas-related ships
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