From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A county in Georgia.

(AK - 186: dp. 2,382 (lt.); l. 338'6"; b. 50'; dr. 21'; s. 12 k.; cpl. 85; a. 1 3"; cl. Alamosa)

Habersham (AK-186), a motor cargo ship, was launched 7 June 1944 by the Walter Butler Shipbuilding, Inc., Superior, Wis., under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. Carl Gray, Jr.; acquired 26 April 1945; and commissioned 12 May 1945, Comdr. M. A. MacPhee in command.

Following shakedown training off Galveston, the cargo ship sailed 2 June for Gulfport, Miss., to take on cargo and departed 4 days later to join the Pacific Fleet, then pressing ever closer to Japan. Habersham arrived Pearl Harbor via the Canal Zone 30 June, unloaded her cargo and returned to San Francisco with passengers and cargo 12 July. She then loaded cargo and sailed 21 July for Eniwetok Island where she arrived 7 August.

Habersham was at Eniwetok when the surrender of Japan was announced, and departed 9 September to carry cargo for occupation forces in Japan. Arriving Tokyo Bay 17 September, she unloaded cargo and departed for Guam and San Francisco 27 November. She arrived 12 January 1946 and sailed for the East Coast 11 February, arriving Norfolk 6 March. Habersham decommissioned at Baltimore 9 April 1946 and was returned to the Maritime Commission. Sold into merchant service, she became Rosa Thorden and in 1952 Pusan for Korean Shipping Corporation.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)