USNS Gen. Maurice Rose 1950's

[338thRCT]

Here are some pictures from a souvenir booklet that was purchased by a GI on his way to Germany in the 1950's.

[338thRCT]

[338thRCT]

[338thRCT]

[12thengr]

And after I dump my duffle bag, where is it exactly that I stay?

[topdcnut]

5th rack up, start climbing polywog !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RustyCanteen]

I like the porthole stenciling "Do not open".

 

In case anyone is unfamiliar with the chain hanging down, it's used to secure the port hole cover open.

[12thengr]

HA! I can see the CEILING! There is only 3 racks up! Unhelpful squid.

[topdcnut]

OOps my mistake picture shows 4, neither of us can count. Spoke with a former soldier who took a ship to Germany that berthed 5 high.

[Steve B.]

This ship was named for the commander of the 3rd Armored Division in WWII. He was KIA in 1945 by as German tanker after he and his escort ran into a German tank column in the dark. I have a deck of playing cards from the ship.

[El Bibliotecario]

I took two rides on the ROSE. The ship had eight compartments, C1 throu C8. Being in the middle of the ship, the pitching was mimimized. The latrines were at the front and rear of the ship one floor up from the troop deck. When visiting one it was amusing to wait until whatever end of the ship you were in pitched upward, then scurry up the ladder--it made one feel like Rocketman. Conversely, if one waited until the downward pitch, climbing the ladder was like walking on Jupiter.

 

The sleeping accomodations were just as crowded as the photos show--I seem to recall it could carry 800 troops. Even with everyone's duffel bag stacked on the hatch cover in the compartment, it was a tight fit. As best I recall, the ROSE was built in 1945, as an assault transport, or somesuch, meant to haul troops to strange islands whereupon they would do the hollywood bit clambering down cargo nets into landing craft. At the time I wondered how on earth there would be room for combat troops with rifles, packs, field gear, etc.

 

The two trips convinced me that seasickness is largely in ones head. On the trip to Germany, I never got sick, but a lot of other did. On the return trip, most of the passengers were returning for discharge and were in a good mood; I don't recall anyone getting sick. What I do recall was while standing with my buddy gazing from the rear of the ship while someone on an upper floor pitched his GI uniform into the wake one piece at a time.

 

At the time the ship was crewed largely by civilians, although there were a few sailors. At one time a twelve-year old ensign showed up to inspect our compartment. These compartments could be rigged for either troops or cargo; apparently on the last trip the ROSE had carried POVs, because Enslgn Pulver was upset that we had tire tracks on the floor.

 

Curiously enough there were two civilian passengers in my compartment. These were GIs who had elected to be discharged in Europe, had apparently spent some time touring and bumming around, and who were now exercising their option of getting free transportation back to CONUS. They wore civilian clothes and each morning when it was detail time disappeared for parts unknown.

 

In retrospect my trips on the ROSE were a priceles experience but one I'd prefer not to repeat.

[BEAR]

As a dependent I rode the Gen. Rose from Southampton, UK to Bremerhaven, Germany in 1966. Sick as a dog for two days. In 1962 I rode the Gen. Patch from Southampton, UK to NYC. I was sick for 3 days. I do remember that they had great food (when I could keep it down). A porter would go through the officer and dependent passage ways ringing a musical instrument announcing that meals were served. I still get seasick on open water. The only time I never got sick was on board the Queen Elizabeth in 1964 from NYC to Southhampton.

Used to get car sick too but never air sick ... go figure!

[unterhund]

As with the previous member who has posted on this thread, I also traveled on the Rose as a dependent. Aboard her, my mother, sister, and I sailed to Germany in July of 1962 to join my father. Dad was a career infantryman who had gone six months ahead of us to his posting in Wurzburg, and later Aschaffenburg, as an officer in the 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division ("Cottonbalers"). He ultimately commanded the 2nd Battalion of that regiment. I was 7 years old when we crossed the Atlantic, and the trip was very exciting, especially the life boat drills. What a great time and setting for a little boy to spend the next three years--West Germany during the Cold War. I was often surrounded by soldiers, nearly all of them saluting my Dad, as APCs and tanks clattered by. The Cuban Missile Crisis and JFK's assassination occurred while we were in Germany and were two of many times when Dad got up in the night, laced up his boots and joined his men on alert, not returning from the field for weeks. Thanks for posting the pictures from the brochure, they really gave me a rush of nostalgia.