This is the troop ship that took many us to Viet Nam

This is the troop ship that took many of us to Viet Nam. Much of the Third Brigade, 9th Infantry Division went by troop train from Fort Riley, Kansas to Oakland, departing aboard the Rose in mid-December 1966 and arriving at Vung Tau late on December 31. We went ashore early the morning of New Year's Day 1967 and were trucked to Bearcat, the newly-constructed base camp for the 9th Infantry Division. Bearcat was approximately one-hour north and east of Saigon.

Overall length 609 feet
Extreme Beam    76 feet
Maximum Navigational    29 feet
Light Displacement      12,657 tons
Dead Weight     9,917 tons
Number of Propellers    two
Propulsion Type:        turbine electric drive
Waterline Length        573 feet
Waterline Beam 76 feet
Full Displacement       22,574 tons
Accommodations- Officers        510
Accommodations- Enlisted        1,685
SOURCE: US Navy - Naval Vessel Registry

A former name retained.
Maurice Rose, born 26 November 1899 at Middletown, Conn., enlisted as a private in the Colorado National Guard in June 1916; attended Officers Training Schoo1 at Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1917; and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Infantry 15 August. In May 1918 he sailed with the 333d Infantry for duty in France, where he participated in the St. Mihiel Offensive. After his return to the United States in January 1920, he served during the next two decades at various posts in the United States and at Corozal, C.Z. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor he became Chief of Staff of the 2d Armored Division in January 1942. Promoted to Brigadier General 2 June 1943, he assumed command of the 3d Armored Division in France 7 August 1944. He was promoted to Major General 5 September and was killed in action in Germany 31 March 1945.

Admiral Hugh Rodman (AP-126) (q. v.) was reacquired by the Navy from the Army Transport Service as General Maurice Rose 1 March 1950 and assigned to MSTS. Manned by a civilian crew, she operated out of New York in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean during the next 15 years. Steaming primarily between New York and Bremerhaven, Germany, she completed more than 150 round-trip voyages while carrying military dependents and European refugees and rotating combat-ready troops. In addition she deployed to the Mediterranean 17 times to support peace-keeping operations of the mighty 6th Fleet.

Following the gallant but abortive Hungarian Revolution in October 1956 General Maurice Rose completed three runs to Bremerhaven and back between 12 January and 27 March 1957 in support of the operation to transport Hungarian refugees to the United States. On three deployments to the Eastern Mediterranean between 1 April and 5 October, she supported units of the 6th Fleet during Communist-inspired political crises that threatened the pro-Western government of Jordan.

After completing nine voyages to Bremerhaven and back between 16 January and 4 August, General Maurice Rose departed New York 14 August for transport duty to Southeast Asia. In response to America's determination to defend the integrity and independence of South Vietnam from external Communist aggression, she sailed via Long Beach, Calif., and Pearl Harbor to Qui Nhon, South Vietnam, arriving 14 September, and debarking troops and supplies. Departing the 19th, she steamed via Okinawa and the West Coast and reached New York 18 October. During the first 8 months of 1966, she made eight round-trip runs to Europe and back. On 8 September she again departed New York for trooplift duty to South Vietnam. She operated in the Western Pacific, supporting the forces of freedom in Southeast Asia through the end of 1966. She returned to New York late in January 1967 for overhaul and was placed in ready reserve status.