From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

William Frederick Hase, born in Milwaukee, Wis., 31 August 1874, was commissioned Second Lieutenant 9 July 1898 and served with the Coast Artillery in Virginia, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, California, and Washington, D.C. During World War I he served with the A.E.F. in France as Commanding Officer, 45th Regiment; Acting Chief of Staff, Headquarters G-1 and G-3; and Assistant G 4 Services of Supply, to July 1919. Following his return to the United States, General Hase was on duty in Kansas, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, California, and the Philippines, serving as Chief of Coast Artillery until his death in Washington, D.C., 20 January 1935. For his services in World War I, General Hase won the Distinguished Service Medal.

(AP - 146: dp. 9,950 (lt.); l. 522'10"; b. 71'6"; dr. 24'; s. 16 k.; cpl. 356; trp. 6,086; a. 4 5", 8 1.1", 16 20 mm.; cl. General G. O. Squier; T. C4-S-A1)

General W. F. Hase (AP-146) was launched under a Maritime Commission contract 15 December 1943 by Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, Calif.; sponsored by Mrs. John E. Wood, Jr.; acquired by the Navy and simultaneously placed in a ferry commission 22 April 1944 during transfer for conversion to a transport by Kaiser Co., Inc., Vancouver, Wash.; and placed in full commission at Portland, Oreg., 6 June 1944, Comdr. W. W. Keller in command.

After shakedown out of San Pedro, General W. F. Hase departed San Francisco 15 July 1944 with 3,000 troops and $29 million in military currency. After touching at Pearl Harbor, she debarked the fighting men at Eniwetok, returning to San Francisco 26 August with 2,100 soldiers. Between 20 September and 1 November the transport steamed out of Seattle, carrying more than 2,000 troops to Pearl Harbor and 2,800 thence to Manus, Admiralties, before returning to San Francisco with 2,500 veterans of the New Guinea campaign on board. Continuing to support the westward drive of naval forces in the Western Pacific, between 23 November and 20 April 1945, she made two round trips out of San Francisco, shuttling troops to New Guinea and the Philippines and bringing home veterans from New Caledonia and Manus.

During the next 12 months General W. F. Hase made six round-trip voyages, including two circumnavigations of the earth, while deploying troops to and from the United States. Departing San Pedro 9 May, she carried 2,600 troops to Melbourne, Australia, where she arrived 27 May. After steaming to Freemantle [sic; Fremantle], Australia, she reached Calcutta, India, 14 June and embarked 2,500 homebound soldiers. She then sailed for the United States via Ceylon and the Suez Canal and arrived Norfolk 20 July. She departed Norfolk 5 August for the Mediterranean; and as part of the "Magic-Carpet" Fleet, she embarked more than 3,000 troops at Marseilles, France, before returning to New York 27 August. Operating out of New York between 1 September and 27 December, she sailed twice to Calcutta and back with more than 6,000 troops. On 11 January 1946 she again departed New York for Calcutta; and, after embarking 2,900 troops 8 February, she steamed via Manila to the West Coast, arriving San Francisco 8 March. Between 1 and 15 April she carried 1,000 occupation troops to Yokohama, Japan; and on her final "Magic-Carpet" voyage she returned 2,800 veterans to Seattle 28 April.

General W. F. Hase steamed to San Francisco 3 to 4 May decommissioned there 6 June, and, simultaneously, was returned to WSA for use as a transport by the Army Transportation Service. She was reacquired by the Navy 1 March 1950 and assigned to duty with MSTS. Manned by a civilian crew, she operated out of San Francisco, carrying more than 75,000 troops and their combat cargo to the Far East in support of the struggle to repel Communist aggression in Korea. Between 1950 and 1953 she made 19 round-trip voyages to Japan and Korea, and she returned to San Francisco from her final Far East deployment 29 August 1953. Towed to San Diego in June 1954, she was placed out of service in reserve in July and remained inactive until returned to the Maritime Administration 8 January 1960. At present she is berthed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Calif.

General W. F. Hase received eight battle stars for Korean war service.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)