General H. L. Scott AP-136

General H. L. Scott

Hugh Lenox Scott was born at Danville, KY., 22 September 1853 and graduated from the Military Academy in 1876. He served with the cavalry at various western outposts, chiefly in Oklahoma and the Dakotas, and participated in the Indian campaigns until 1891. In 1897 he was a consultant to the Smithsonian Institution on Indian languages. After serving in various administrative posts in Cuba and the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, 1898 to 1906, Scott was promoted to Colonel and assumed duty as Superintendent of the Military Academy. Relieved in 1910, Scott made vital contributions as a mediator and a diplomat in Indian disputes. As Brigadier General, he served on the Mexican border 1913 to 1914 and helped resolve border difficulties with Mexico. Becoming Chief of Staff of the Army in November 1914, he laid the groundwork for American participation in World War I. General Scott was member of tho Commission to Russia in 1917 and served on the Western Front with British and French divisions. Retiring from the Army in 1919, Major General Scott died 30 April 1934 at Princeton, N.J.

(AP-136: dp. 9,950 (lt.); 1. 522'10", b. 71'6"; dr. 26'6"

s. 16.5 k. cpl. 425; trp. 3,82S, a. 4 5", 8 1.1", 16 20mm.

Cl General G. O. Squier; T. C4-S-A1)

General H. L. Scott (AP-136) was laid down 20 December 1942 under a Maritime Commission contract by Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, Calif., Launched 19 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Walter K Wilson; acquired by the Navy G March 1944; and commissioned 3 April at San Francisco, Captain John Trebes, USCG, in command.

After shakedown off San Diego, General H. L. Scott departed San Francisco 5 May with reinforcement troops embarked for the South Pacific. Arriving Noumea, New Caledonia, 21 May, she returned to San Francisco 7 June to continue transporting men and supplies to island bases in the Pacific. As American naval power drove nearer to the heart of the crumbling Japanese Empire, she made six voyages to the western Pacific between 10 June 1944 and 2 July 1940, carrying her passengers and cargo out of San Francisco to the Marshalls, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Phillippines. In addition, she operated for a time in the western Pacific as Pacific Fleet receiving ship. While at Ulithi, Carolines, 25 March, she embarked 1,004 officers and men from Franklin (CV-13), severely damaged 19 March off the coast of Japan.

General H. L. Scott departed San Francisco 7 July for New York, where she arrived 21 July. She sailed 3 August for the Mediterranean and embarked veteran troops at Naples and Leghorn, Italy, before returning to Boston 27 August. Between 2 September and October, she steamed via the Suez Canal to Calcutta, India, and Colombo, Ceylon, on "Magic-Carpet" duty to transport troops back to the United States. She arrived New York 28 October, sailed 10 November for China, and arrived Shanghai 11 December to support Nationalist forces during the protracted struggle for control of the Chinese mainland.

General H. L. Scott returned to Seattle 30 December. On 5 February 1946 she sailed for the Far East with occupation troops embarked. After touching at Jinsen Korea, and Shanghai, she returned to Seattle 20 March. She decommissioned 29 May and was returned to WSA 3 June.

She entered the National Defense Fleet and was berthed in Puget Sound until sold to Bethlehem Steel Corp. 31 July 1964. She was converted to a general cargo ship in 1965 and operates under the name Yorkmar.