From Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,
Vol. VI (1976), pp. 251-252
An original Army name commemorating the Allied offensive in September 1918.
During the campaign, troops of the United States First Army commanded by
General Pershing cut off and destroyed the German-held St. Mihiel salient.
(AP-32: dp. 8,550; l. 448'; b. 58'2";, dr. 28'; s. 15.5 k.; cpl. 253;
a. 1 5", 4 3")
St. Mihiel (AP-32), launched in October 1920 for the United States
Shipping Board by the American International Shipbuilding Corp. Hog Island,
Pa., was operated by the United States Army Transportation Corps until mid-1940.
Then transferred to the Navy, she was commissioned as St. Mihiel
(AP-32) on 22 July 1941, Comdr. Edward B. Rodgers in command.
Having operated as a transport between the west coast and Alaska, with occasional
runs to Hawaii prior to her transfer to the Navy, St. Mihiel performed
the same duty after commissioning. Into 1943, she called regularly at ports
on mainland Alaska and in the eastern Aleutians. In May 1943, she participated
in the occupation of Attu; then resumed more routine transport duties.
On 9 September 1943, two days later, she headed south to San Francisco.
On the 23d, she steamed west to Hawaii and from there began her last voyage
for the United States. Transiting the Panama Canal in mid-October, she steamed
on to Boston, where she was decommissioned on 16 November 1943 and returned
to the Army which used her as a hospital ship for the remainder of World
War II.
St. Mihiel received one battle star for her World War II service.