View source for USS Giansar

{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Giansar (AK-111).jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Giansar'' (AK-111) (broadside view) at anchor off San Francisco, 8 November 1943.

}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}}
|Ship name=*''Thomas Ewing''
*''Giansar''
|Ship namesake=*[[Thomas Ewing]]
*[[Lambda Draconis|Giansar]]
|Ship ordered=as a type (EC2-S-C1) hull, [[Maritime Commission|MCE]] hull 625, SS ''Thomas Ewing''
|Ship builder=[[Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation]], [[Portland, Oregon]]
|Ship laid down=27 December 1942
|Ship launched=19 January 1943
|Ship acquired=5 October 1943
|Ship sponsor=Mrs. Harry A. Dick
|Ship commissioned=29 October 1943
|Ship decommissioned=28 November 1945
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship identification=[[Hull classification symbol#Support type|Hull symbol]]:AK-111
|Ship struck=19 December 1945
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honors=
|Ship fate=Sold for scrapping to Bethlehem Steel Corp, 31 July 1961, scrapping completed, 24 April 1963
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Header caption=<ref name="navsource">{{cite web | url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/130111.htm | title=USS Giansar (AK-111) | publisher=Navsource.org | access-date=17 May 2015}}</ref>
|Ship class={{sclass|Crater|cargo ship}}
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement={{Crater cargo displacement}}
|Ship length={{Crater cargo length}}
|Ship beam={{Crater cargo beam}}
|Ship draft={{Crater cargo draft}}
|Ship power={{Crater cargo power B&W}}
|Ship propulsion=
*1 × Iron Fireman [[Triple-expansion engines#Multiple expansion engines|triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine]]
*1 × [[Drive shaft#Marine drive shafts|shaft]]|Ship speed={{Crater cargo speed}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=254
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament={{Crater cargo armament}}
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Giansar'' (AK-111)''' was a {{sclass|Crater|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 a former name of the star [[Lambda Draconis|λ Draconis]] in the constellation [[Draco_(constellation)|Draco]] now spelled ''Giausar''.

''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.

''Giansar'' sailed from [[Los Angeles]], California 10 November 1943 to deliver aircraft to [[Pago Pago, American Samoa|Pago Pago]], [[American Samoa|Samoa]], and general cargo to [[Funafuti]] atoll, [[Ellice Islands]]. She then proceeded with 500 pound bombs to [[Namomea]] in the [[Gilbert Islands|Gilberts]]. After transport of [[landing craft]] from [[Apamama]] to [[Tarawa Atoll|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]].

''Giansar'' departed Pearl Harbor 21 May 1944 and put in at [[San Francisco]] 8 days later with salvaged aviation material and 123 passengers. In a round trip voyage from San Francisco (9 June – 28 September), she transported vehicles, supplies and other cargo to Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, [[Saipan]] and [[Guam]]. A similar voyage was made (31 October 1944 – 9 February 1945) for delivery of provisions to Hawaii, [[Ulithi]] and Guam. She returned to Los Angeles 9 February with 130 [[sailor]]s.

''Giansar'' departed Los Angeles on her last logistic cruise 1 March 1945. Proceeding via Hawaii and the [[Marshall Islands|Marshalls]], she unloaded cargo at Ulithi, thence to [[San Pedro Bay (Philippines)|San Pedro Bay]] in the [[Philippines]] where she arrived 25 May 1945. She remained there 3 months, discharging foodstuffs, store stock and medical supplies are required. After a voyage to Ulithi and return (13–25 August), she departed San Pedro Bay 28 August for return to [[Seattle]], Washington, 28 September 1945.

''Giansar'' arrived at San Francisco 18 October, departing 2 days later for [[Norfolk, Virginia]]. She moored at [[Hampton Roads, Virginia]] 8 November and decommissioned at Norfolk 28 November 1945. She was returned to the Maritime Commission in the same day. Her name was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] 19 December 1945.

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/g/giansar.html}}

==External links==
* {{navsource|09/13/130111|Giansar}}

{{Crater class cargo ship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Giansar (AK-111)}}
[[Category:Crater-class cargo ships]]
[[Category:World War II auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]