The USS Karnes was named for Karnes County, Texas
Built by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oregon
Commissioned Dec. 3, 1944, at Astoria, Oregon

66,167 miles traveled (nautical)
78,500 engine miles steamed
203 days under way
201 days not under way
3,357,162 gallons of fuel consumed
13,518 passengers carried
720 tons food consumed
1,278,060 meals served in general mess
10 crossings of the Date Line
9 major operations performed
955 teeth filled
2,879 shots given
30,000 APC pills issued
565 casualties carried
102,500,000 penicillin units given
11 men enlisted or re-enlisted for USN
$433,273.00 payroll to Jan. 1, 1946 (money drawn onboard)
113 church services
1,876 books checked out of library
8,300 paper-bound books issued

The ship went to the following places:
Astoria, Oregon
Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands
Bremerton, WA
Saipan Island, Mariannas Islands
Seattle, WA
Guam, Mariannas Islands
San Francisco, CA
Ulithi, Caroline Islands
Richmond, CA
Okinawa, Nansei Shoto
Pittsburgh, CA
Manila, P.I.
San Pedro, CA
Subic Bay, P.I.
San Diego, CA
Lingayen Gulf, P.I.
Long Beach, CA
Sasebo, Kyushu
Pearl Harbor, Oahu
Tientsin, Gulf of Pohai, China
Honolulu, Oahu
Panama Canal
Nawiliwili, Kauai
Newport News, VA
Hilo, Hawaii
Norfolk, VA
Maalaea Bay, Maui

The ship was in the following waters:
Pacific Ocean
Luzon Strait
South China Sea
Straits of Juan de Fuca
Philippine Sea
Atlantic Ocean
East China Sea
Chesapeake Bay
Yellow Sea
Elizabeth River
San Bernardino Straits
James River
Sibuyan Sea

R. D. Weakley, Lt. jg USNR, Navigator and Compiler

T. W. Rice, Lt. Comdr., USNR, Executive Officer

~~~

(We arrived at Okinawa about two weeks after the invasion. Several of the 7th Beach Battalion men who were not on the Karnes participated in the actual invasion. They were transferred to different units after the decommissioning of the 7th. Our Commanding Officer Leever of the 7th in Normandy was killed at Okinawa. The troops we carried to Okinama were Army. We only stayed there a short time. We loaded wounded and returned to Pearl Harbor. I was on the Karnes the entire time she was in commission except at the very end. The Karnes was decommissioned in April 1946. She was up the James River in the Ghost Fleet until sold for scrap. ~ Julius Shoulars)

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