DAVID C. SHANKS

AP   180

 

BUILT:  1943  BEAM:  69'-6"  DRAFT:  27'-4" 
LENGTH:  489'   CARGO [cu ft]:  153,252   PASS [troop ship]:  1,935  
PROP: Turbine   RADIUS [miles]: 16,700 TONS:  12,097
TYPE:   C3 SPEED [knots]:  16.5 DEPENDENTS TO JAPAN: Yes

Original name was GULFPORT but never operated as such.   Named in honor of Major General David Carey Shanks, who was Commanding General of the Port of Hoboken during WW I, and who also commanded the 16th Division. 

She was accepted by the Army 24 Apr 1943 at Pascagoula, Mississippi.

In 1946 she was altered slightly for use as a combination vessel for carrying 430 dependents and 678 troops.

Ref:  http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22180.htm 

 

 

Photo provided by Rick Glascock

* * *

An "extract" of a family history type letter to her son's [Bill and Sam] from one of the 1st dependents to go to the Pacific after WW II, aboard the David Shanks.

Mom writes ...departed July 13, 1946 and arrived on Okinawa July 27th.

"We had 30 wives and about 32 children. Most were going to Okinawa but some families were going on to Clark Field. We didn't see any land from San Francisco to Okinawa, but we saw lots of flying fish. All the children got heat rash, as it was hot and humid and there was no air conditioning. We stayed on deck as much as we could. They showed movies on deck at night and we all sang songs following the bouncing ball on screen. We finally saw land in the afternoon and several B 29s came out and flew over saluting us. Everyone waved! We got near the island and just sat there for hours. The Captain eventually got permission to go into Port Naha. We went in real slow. I understand the port hadn't been dredged and ours was the first big ship to go into the port after combat and there were still ships from the war on the bottom.

Our ship was the David Shanks, an Army contract ship, not the troop carrier type. This was MATS [MSTS] or something and was painted white and looked like a cruise ship. In the meantime the forces on the island were busy. Having a list of families on board they had those men present down on the dock. We sailed in about dark and it was all lit up with spotlights.

We were the first Army and Air Corps dependents to arrive as the Peace Treaty was signed only eleven months before. Servicemen were standing as far as I could see from the deck. After we docked they would announce a man's name and rank and say, report to the deck for your family. There were lots of hugs and kisses. Army photographers took pictures and ours was quite awful. The wind was blowing my hair and dress; the spotlights were glaring in my face. Everyone cheered as each family came down the gangplank. It was wonderful like nothing before or since. Dad had lost some weight and his summer khaki uniform was sweated through, as he had waited so long in the heat. Dad had a jeep with a top. We loaded bag and baggage and headed for Kadena Base about 20 to 25 miles away.

There were guards posted ever so often along the way. They would wave their flashlights for us to stop, introduce themselves and tell me how glad they were that the wives and kids were coming and usually say they had a four year old back home. Our car came on the same ship and we returned to Naha to get it the next afternoon. We then drove up to the squadron area on the Bishigawa and I met Sam's fellow officers. One took our picture with Sammy drinking a coke and Dad holding Bill, me smiling in the middle.

Home was a Quonset hut in Area A on Kadena Airbase. It had beautiful pine trees around it and a deep ravine depression on the backside, away from the street. Rain drained off to the sea. It had some rattan chairs, a handmade table and chair set, some army cots...

Wilhemina Andrew, wife C.W.O. Sam Houston Andrew Jr."

 

First Dependents to Okinawa departed from Fort Mason, San Francisco July 13, 1946.

Arrived Port Naha,Okinawa, July 27, 1946, SS David C. Shanks.

Partial list of 30 Wives and 32 Children.

  NAME RELATION DEPENDENT OF
       
1. Kendrick, Lillian B Wife Kendrick, Wm L, Lt Col
2. Hall, Almira K Wife Hall, F. B. Jr, Col
  Hall, Fredrick B Son "
  Hall, Alice K Dau "
3. Friedman, Mildred Y Wife Friedman, Charles E, Capt
4. Stetson, Catherine Wife Stetson, Loring Z Jr, Col
  Stetson, Craig L Son "
5. Sefton, Betty L Wife Sefton, James L, Capt
  Sefton, Bonnie Jean Dau "
6. Courtney, Jean S Wife Courtney, Harold D, Lt Col
  Courtney, Dian Dau "
7. Kimball, Dahrl Jeanne Wife Kimball, Charles T, Capt
8 Morningstar, Marjorie Wife Morningstar, Chas J, 2nd Lt
  Morningstar, India Dau "
9. Rodewald, Bell S Wife Rodewald, Frederick A, Capt
  Rodewald, Frederick Son "
  Rodewald, Randolph Son "
10. Schremp, Patricka B Wife Schremp, John E, Major
  Schremp, John K Son "
  Schremp, Carol Dau "
11. Behn, Nancy Wife Behn, Milton A, Capt
  Behn, Jacqueline L Dau "
12. Wolfe, Edith B Wife Wolfe, Donald C, 1st Lt
  Wolfe, Donna Dau "
13. Coil, Trellis M Wife Coil Fred L, Capt
  Coil, Judith a Dau "
  Coil, Marc P Son "
14. Stewart, Marian F Wife Stewart, Wm R Jr, Capt
  Stewart, Wm F Son "
  Stewart, Suzanne F Dau "
15. Hayden, Mildred H Wife Hayden, Frederick, Brig Gen
16. Dany, Kathleen H Wife Dany George M, Col
  Dany, Diane Dau "
  Dany, Kathleen Dau "
  Dany, George Jr Son "
17. Wadsworth, Bernice S Wife Wadsworth, Joseph L, Capt
  Wadsworth, Jeanne A Dau "
18. Paschall, Mary Irene Wife Paschall, James V, 2n Lt
  Paschall, James Son "
  Paschall, Stephen Son "
19. Patton, Venclie Wife Patton, Byron A, Lt Col
20. Kelly, Vera A Wife Kelly, Aidan C, Lt Col
21. Herrmann, Georgia Wife Herrmann, Jacob, Major
22. Worley, Marianne J Wife Worley, Wm A, Capt
  Worley, Wm A III Son "
  Worley, Joan M Dau "
23. Carroll, Tessin B Wife Carroll, Samuel, CWO
  Carroll, Mikey Son "
  Carroll, Nancy O Dau "
24. Andrew, Wilhelmina Wife Andrew, Sam H Jr, CWO
  Andrew, Sam Houston III Son "
  Andrew, Albert W Son "
25. Stitt, Althea W Wife Stitt, Kenneth W, Capt
26. Fitzpatrick, Estelle G Wife Fitzpatrick, Newton G, 1st Lt
  Fitzpatrick, James G Son "
27. Cain, Madeleine Wife Cain, W J, Colonel
  Cain, Mary Jo Dau "
  Cain, Sheila Dau "
  Cain, William Son "