I found an email which I had misfiled with further information provided by my friend. Would someone know if there are rosters or company pictures existing for any of the following: 1. 298th Engineers Company C - Camp Rucker (possible dates May '43-end of July '43 2. 320th Engineers Company C - Camp located at Indiantown Gap, Carlisle, PA (Mar.-Apr. '44-Aug.44 3. Is there an exact date when ASTP was discontinued? 4. USS America - (aka SS America) I checked under Troopships - _http://troopships.pier90.org/crossings/1944.htm_ (http://troopships.pier90.org/crossings/1944.htm) (July-Dec. '44 crossings) While the USS America is not listed, there is a ship with an unknown name that seems to match what I was told. The USS America (that's what he called it) was a luxury liner that was stripped down to transport troops. Bunks were placed in any spot where they would fit and were stacked 4 high in cabins, bunks in swimming pools, etc. There was another ship called the Amerika but the name was changed so it wouldn't conflict with a new luxury liner (the America) being built. The new liner was the SS America. See: _http://www.flare.net/users/e9ee52a/S.S.%20America.htm_ (http://www.flare.net/users/e9ee52a/S.S.%20America.htm) She sailed out of Boston sometime in early Aug. Is there anyone on this list who may have been on that ship. My friend told me they were unescorted and arrived in Liverpool where they were placed on trains and then sent to a camp south of London in the countryside. Thank you, Adrienne

Capr Rucker is now Fort Rucker in South Alabama, they train the helicopter pilots, among other things. When a luxury liner was taken and used to ferry troops, it was not names a 'USS', it would of been just 'SS' or "HMS", so if you looking for a ship that was previoulsy a liner, it still would be 'SS ?' the first SS Mary and SS Elizabeth were both taken and used for troops. Carlisle Barracks in PA is still the home of most Army history - maybe Ellis H can help with the end of ASTP. delilah ----- Original Message ----- From: <INZP@aol.com> To: <WORLDWAR2-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 9:25 AM Subject: [WORLD WAR II] Camp Rucker, Camp Indiantown Gap, Carlisle, PA +ASTP +USS America |I found an email which I had misfiled with further information provided by | my friend. | | Would someone know if there are rosters or company pictures existing for any | of the following: | | 1. 298th Engineers Company C - Camp Rucker (possible dates May '43-end of | July '43 | | 2. 320th Engineers Company C - Camp located at Indiantown Gap, Carlisle, | PA (Mar.-Apr. | '44-Aug.44 | | 3. Is there an exact date when ASTP was discontinued? | | 4. USS America - (aka SS America) | I checked under Troopships - | _http://troopships.pier90.org/crossings/1944.htm_ | (http://troopships.pier90.org/crossings/1944.htm) (July-Dec. '44 crossings) | While the USS America is not listed, there is a ship with an unknown name | that seems to match what I was told. The USS America (that's what he called | it) was a luxury liner that was stripped down to transport troops. Bunks were | placed in any spot where they would fit and were stacked 4 high in cabins, | bunks in swimming pools, etc. There was another ship called the Amerika but | the name was changed so it wouldn't conflict with a new luxury liner (the | America) being built. | The new liner was the SS America. See: | _http://www.flare.net/users/e9ee52a/S.S.%20America.htm_ (http://www.flare.net/users/e9ee52a/S.S.%20America.htm) | She sailed out of Boston sometime in early Aug. | | Is there anyone on this list who may have been on that ship. My friend told | me they were unescorted and arrived in Liverpool where they were placed on | trains and then sent to a camp south of London in the countryside. | | Thank you, | | Adrienne | | | | | | | | | | ==== WORLDWAR2 Mailing List ==== | http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Military:_20th_Century/WORLDWAR2.html | This is the link to our archives. You may search or browse. Also, subscribe or unsubscribe and contact admin. We are an international list. Please remember to tell us what country your ancestor was from and what country you are in now if different. This helps us help you. If you give dates please help us understand the date you are referring to. For example: 4 Nov 1944 or Nov 4, 1944. | | ============================== | View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find | marriage announcements and more. Learn more: | http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx |

Slight correction Delila - some, if not all, the British ships taken over as troopships were given the prefix HMT ( His Majesty's Transport). The RMS Queen Mary thus became HMT Queen Mary. Ditto the RMS Queen Elizabeth. The "RMS" was Royal Mail Steamer. British (& commonwealth)ships were not all steam ships - diesel powered vessels were MV (Motor Vessel), not SS (Steam Ship). The "S" in Naval vessels was for just "Ship" ie. USS was United States Ship & HMS was His Majesty's Ship. Don't know about US troopships, don't think there was a change of prefix. Regards, From Oz, Dave Delilah wrote: > ...... When a luxury liner was taken and used to ferry > troops, it was not names a 'USS', it would of been just 'SS' or "HMS", so if > you looking for a ship that was previoulsy a liner, it still would be 'SS ?' > the first SS Mary and SS Elizabeth were both taken and used for troops....... > > delilah > > > >

There is not a specific date on which ASTP ended. It was introduced in February 1942. On February 10, 1944, Army Chief of Staff, General of the Army George C. Marshall, issued a memo recommending the dissolution of the Program. It started almost overnight. The complement of 150,000 men was to be reduced to 30,000 by April 30, 1944. Ellis Hosbach Bethel Park, PA