USS Giansar (AK-111)

USS Giansar (AK-111) (broadside view) at anchor off San Francisco, 8 November 1943.
History
United States
Name:	Thomas Ewing Giansar
Namesake:	Thomas Ewing Giansar
Ordered:	as a type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 625, SS Thomas Ewing
Builder:	Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland, Oregon
Laid down:	27 December 1942
Launched:	19 January 1943
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Harry A. Dick
Acquired:	5 October 1943
Commissioned:	29 October 1943
Decommissioned:	28 November 1945
Struck:	19 December 1945
Identification:	Hull symbol:AK-111
Fate:	sold for scrapping to Bethlehem Steel Corp, 31 July 1961
Status:	scrapping completed, 24 April 1963
General characteristics
Class and type:	Crater-class cargo ship
Displacement:	4,023 long tons (4,088 t) (standard) 14,550 long tons (14,780 t) (full load)
Length:	441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam:	56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft:	28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power:	2 × Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450° 2,500 shp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion:	1 × Iron Fireman triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine 1 × shaft
Speed:	12.5 kn (14.4 mph; 23.2 km/h)
Complement:	254
Armament:	1 × 5 in (130 mm)/38 caliber dual purpose gun 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun 2 × 40 mm (1.6 in) 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun mounts 6 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons anti-aircraft gun mounts

USS Giansar (AK-111) was a Crater-class cargo ship originally laid down as the liberty ship SS Thomas Ewing. The ship was taken over by the United States Navy and renamed in 1943. After being decommissioned in 1945, Giansar was returned to the Maritime Commission. She was scrapped in 1963. The ship's original name honored Thomas Ewing, an American politician from Virginia. The name Giansar is after the star in the constellation Draconis.

Giansar was launched under Maritime Commission contract 19 January 1943 by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon. She was sponsored by Mrs. Harry A. Dick and acquired by the US Navy on 5 October 1943. Giansar was commissioned on 29 October 1943, with Lieutenant Commander C. J. King, USNR in command.

Giansar sailed from Los Angeles, California 10 November 1943 to deliver aircraft to Pago Pago, Samoa, and general cargo to Funafuti atoll, Ellice Islands. She then proceeded with 500 pound bombs to Namomea in the Gilberts. After transport of landing craft from Apamama to Tarawa, she returned to Pearl Harbor 1 February 1944. She departed 10 February with tanks, guns, trucks and gasoline for Majuro, returning 12 March with more than 125 passengers. She made a similar voyage (13 March – 19 May) carrying general cargo and mail to Majuro and Kwajalein.