FREDERICK FUNSTON
AP 178
Constructed by Army contract and delivered in Seattle on 28 Oct 1942. Named in honor of Maj Gen Frederick Funston. Transferred to the Navy on 8 Apr 1944 as an "attack" transport (APA 89). Returned to the Army Apr 1946. |
SEATTLE TO YOKOHAMA
- 1955 -
ABOARD THE USNS FUNSTON
THE STORY OF THE
U. S. NAVAL SHIP FREDRICK FUNSTON
(A typical experience by "GI" and military family)
THE USNS FREDRICK FUNSTON, operated by the Navy's Military Sea Transport Service, was built in 1942, by the Seattle-Tacoma Ship-Building Corporation, Tacoma, Washington.
In December, 1942, she sailed for Guadalcanal via Honolulu, and in early 1943 made a voyage from San Francisco to Australia. She then went to New York via the Panama Canal where she was transferred to the Navy in 1943, as an Attack Transport.
She served in the European Theater until December, 1944, and then went to the Pacific for operations. In August, 1996, she joined an Army Transportation Corps fleet operating out of Seattle and in March, 1950, was transferred to MSTS. The Funston has been on the Far East and Alaskan runs as a troop and dependent carrier.
The Funston was named in honor of Major General Fredrick Funston, who served as a colonel in the Spanish-American War, and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
A C-3 type ship, the Funston has an overall length of 492 feet, a width of 70 feet, and a gross weight of 11,969 tons. Her cruising speed is 16 1/2 knots.
Many modern facilities are found on the Funston, including a store, hospital, well equipped galleys, new navigational devices, and life saving gear. The Funston has up-to-date recreational facilities and provides an opportunity for all to follow religious and educational pursuits while at sea.
The crew of the Funston are civil service employees, and members of the military department of the U.S. Navy personnel.
The booklet which contained all the wonderful pictures and text seen on this page was provided by The Family of T'/Sgt Theodore E. "Ted" Roberts, USAF, who sailed from Seattle,Washington on March 2, 1955 aboard the "Funston", and after 14 days, arrived in Yokohama on March 17, 1955. Sgt Roberts had flown to Japan in Novermber 1954. With Mrs Roberts on the Funston was her 3 sons (age 5, 12 and 14), one of which was Richard P "Duff" Roberts, Binghamton, NY, who actually provided the booklet for scanning.
The Roberts family spent 3 days on a train to arrive at Ft Lawton, WA, where several hundred came down with food poisoning just before sailing - and then 14 days on the Funston. Such was the ability of a military wife and mother of those times.
Dick attended Narimasu American High School in Tokyo during 1955 to 1957 - CLASS of 1959. He is actively searching for his classmates, having already located 25 % of them, and is dedicated to locate the rest for one grand reunion soon. Dick can be reached at: