2 Replies Latest reply on Feb 4, 2016 9:25 AM by Rebecca Collier

    Would the NARA have the roster of a troop transport ship from WWII, the USS Fremont?

    Wayfarer
    Stephen Baxter Feb 3, 2016 11:47 PM

      This is somewhat a part of the 592nd JASCO question.

      I was on the Fold3.com website searching for 592nd JASCO and came upon the following WWII War Diary for the USS FREMONT

      it was dated Oct 1, 1944 and stated the vessel was attached to ComTransDiv-32, Task Group 32.2, under ComGroupOne, PhibsPac, Third Fleet.

      It listed what groups were on the ship, including 81st Infantry Division, HQ, Artillery, 592nd JASCO, 483rd Anti-aircraft Automatic Weapons company and many other groups.

       

      I was wondering if there would be a list of service personnel on this ship.  They were doing training at Guadalcanal before a Philippines invasion.  Any thoughts on finding a listing??

      Thanks!

        • Re: Would the NARA have the roster of a troop transport ship from WWII, the USS Fremont?
          Adventurer
          Alex Daverede Expert Feb 4, 2016 8:59 AM (in response to Stephen Baxter)

          Stephen,

           

          While commissioned naval ships such as the USS Fremont (APA-44) maintained formal rosters of the ship's crew members that are considered permanent records and were sent to the the Navy's Bureau of Personnel (and ultimately to the National Archives), the rosters of embarked units were not dealt with in the same fashion in most cases.  If there were no rosters in the war diary, then I suspect that the records may have been destroyed as temporary records, possibly even during the war or shortly thereafter.

           

          That being said, a roster may have been maintained by the Commanding Officer of Troops, who would be the senior officer of the embarked troops on board the Fremont.  If this particular voyage had the Headquarters of the 81st Infantry Division, then a roster may be among that unit's records--perhaps in the records of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company.

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          • Re: Would the NARA have the roster of a troop transport ship from WWII, the USS Fremont?
            Rebecca Collier Ranger
            Rebecca Collier Expert Feb 4, 2016 9:25 AM (in response to Stephen Baxter)

            Mr. Baxter,

             

            Copies of most of the monthly rosters from 1912-43 and 1947-59 for Army units are in the custody of the National Archives in St. Louis, MO. Please contact them for access to these records. The address is the National Archives in St. Louis, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO  63138-1002 and the email address is stl.archives@nara.gov. Rosters for units serving in World War II from 1944-46 were destroyed in accordance with Army disposition authorities.

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