Samar Log October 1 , 1945 - March 6, 1946

For five months [Oct 1, 1945 – March 5, 1946], she remained at Shanghai to provide necessary services to ships supporting American forces there to oversee a peaceful turnover of power from Japanese to Chinese hands.

Samar Log September, 1945

At Okinawa on 22 September, she reported for duty to ComSerDiv 101 and then proceeded to China. On the 30th, she arrived in the Yangtze; and, on 1 October she moored in the Whangpoo (Hwang Pu) at Shanghai. Within hours of her arrival, Within hours of her arrival, she had six vessels alongside under repair.

V-J DAY THANKSGIVING DIVINE SERVICES U.S.S. Samar (ARG-11)

V-J DAY THANKSGIVING DIVINE SERVICES
[Held aboard U.S.S. SAMAR August 16, 1945]

Reading of Proclamation of Peace - Lee J. DELWORTH, Lieut.Comdr., U.S.N., Executive Officer

National Anthem - SAMAR Band.

Call to Worship

Doxology - Sung. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. ---AMEN

Prayer - E.S.B. SZWAKOP, MM2C

"America" - Played by Band and Sung.

MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE
[words to four verses here]

Address - A.M. HARVEY, Comdr., U.S.N., Commanding Officer.

Scripture - J.E. YERKES, MM3c

Scriptural Comment - G.R.ABERNATHY, LIEUT., U.S.N.R., CHAPLAIN.

Navy Hymn. "ETERNAL FATHER STRONG TO SAVE"

Eternal Father strong to save,
whose arm doth bind the restless move,
Who bidd'st the might ocean deep,
its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we ry to thee for
those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power, our
brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go,
Thus ever let there rise to thee glad
hymns of praise from land and sea.
------AMEN.

Benediction.

"God Bless America" - SAMAR Band

Samar Log July, 1945

Following shakedown, Samar sailed for the Panama Canal Zone.

Arriving at Coco Solo on 28 July [1945], she transited the canal and departed Balboa on the 29th. En route to Pearl Harbor, she received word of the Japanese surrender but continued on across the Pacific.

The Samar Was a Liberty Ship

During the early years of World War 2, enemy minefields, aerial and U-boat attacks seriously crippled the Allied cause, by sinking a vast number of merchant ships carrying vital military equipment, supplies and Troops. In order to build ships faster than the enemy could sink them, the United States of America under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, organised an emergency Shipbuilding programme which between 1941 and 1945 produced over 2,700 Liberty ships. “The Cargo-carrying key to victory”

The first of these Liberty ships, the SS “Patrick Henry” was launched at the Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore on September 27th 1941. By the time the programme ended in 1945, Eighteen shipyards on the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts had participated in the effort.

The Liberty ship design was based on the British plans modified to conform to American Practices and to make full use of mass production methods. The ship being 441 feet 6 inches in Length, with a beam of 56 feet 10 ¾ inches, a draft of 27 feet 9 ¼ inches, and could hold about 8500 long tons of cargo. Power coming from a triple expansion steam engine developing 2500 HP at 76 RPM for a top speed of 11 knots. Two oil-fired boilers generate steam at 220 psi and 450 degrees.

About 2,500 Liberty ships of the over 2,700 built, survived WW2 but now only the “John Brown" survives. This magnificent ship serves as a reminder of the hard work, sacrifice and Patriotism which so enabled the cause of freedom.

The last Liberty Ship delivered by Beth-Fairfield shipyard was the USS.Samar, a Navy crewed vessel which became commissioned on 31st October 1944 [sic]. “Samar” was the 384th “Liberty” delivered.

U.S.S. Samar Invitation to Commissioning on June 5, 1945

The Captain, Officers and Crew
of the
U. S. S. Samar
request the honor of your presence at the
Commissioning Ceremonies
at
The Bethlehen Steel Company
Key Highway Plant, Baltimore, Maryland
on
the 5 day of June
nineteen hundred and forty-five
at 3:30 P.M. o'clock

CONFIDENTIAL

Please present this card

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U.S.S. Samar II

The second Samar (ARG-11), a Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship, was laid down on 21 September 1944 by Bethlehem-Fairfield, Sparrow's Point, Md., under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2683); launched on 19 October 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Elsie M. Alexander, delivered to the Navy on 31 October 1944, converted to an internal combustion engine repair ship (ARG) by the Bethlehem Steel Co., Key Highway Plant, Baltimore, Md. and commissioned on 5 June 1945, Comdr. Andrew M. Harvey in command.

The Samar was a Liberty ship