General stores issue ship
Encyclopedia
General stores issue ship is a type of ship used by the United States Navy
during World War II and for some time afterwards.
The task of the general stores issue ship was to sail into non-combat, or rear, areas and disburse general stores, such as canned goods, toilet paper, office supplies, etc., to ships and stations.
Commanding officer
s and supply officer
s of ships and stations would sign requisitions for what they required, and a small boat, such as a LCVP
, would make the trip to the general stores issue ship to have the requisitions filled.
General stores issue ships would provision in the States before sailing to the non-combat areas. However, rather than sail back to the States to reprovision, they would often remain at their location and provision from general cargo ships sent from the States to replenish their stores.
For example, the USS Pollux (AKS-4)
, homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, during the 1960s, maintained an inventory or 25,000 line items, supplying Seventh Fleet units with numerous items, augmented by other supply vessels delivering specialty materials, including foods, ammunition, and fuels. During a typical underway replenishment of a naval grouping (usually a squadron), Pollux would deliver supplies, via cargo nets and highline, while steaming at typically 15 knots, alongside receiving ships. Overall material could include hundreds of items, at a typical weight total to 120 tons to an aircraft carrier, 25-35 tons to a cruiser, 6-10 tons to a destroyer, as well as commensurate amounts to auxiliary ships (troop carriers, repair vessels, etc.). Along with the emphasis of underway replenishment (UNREP's), also delivered supplies to ships in various ports as well (INREP's). Estimated that Pollux alone supplied as much as one-sixth of Seventh Fleet's general logistical needs.
(AKS-9).
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II and for some time afterwards.
The task of the general stores issue ship was to sail into non-combat, or rear, areas and disburse general stores, such as canned goods, toilet paper, office supplies, etc., to ships and stations.
Commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
s and supply officer
Supply Officer
Supply Officer was a specialisation in the British Royal Navy which has recently been superseded by the Logistics Officer, recognising the need to align with the nomenclature and function of similar cadres in the British Army and Royal Air Force...
s of ships and stations would sign requisitions for what they required, and a small boat, such as a LCVP
LCVP
The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana, United States, based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes...
, would make the trip to the general stores issue ship to have the requisitions filled.
General stores issue ships would provision in the States before sailing to the non-combat areas. However, rather than sail back to the States to reprovision, they would often remain at their location and provision from general cargo ships sent from the States to replenish their stores.
For example, the USS Pollux (AKS-4)
USS Pollux (AKS-4)
USS Pollux was a Castor-class general stores issue ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering and disbursing goods and equipment to locations in the war zone....
, homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, during the 1960s, maintained an inventory or 25,000 line items, supplying Seventh Fleet units with numerous items, augmented by other supply vessels delivering specialty materials, including foods, ammunition, and fuels. During a typical underway replenishment of a naval grouping (usually a squadron), Pollux would deliver supplies, via cargo nets and highline, while steaming at typically 15 knots, alongside receiving ships. Overall material could include hundreds of items, at a typical weight total to 120 tons to an aircraft carrier, 25-35 tons to a cruiser, 6-10 tons to a destroyer, as well as commensurate amounts to auxiliary ships (troop carriers, repair vessels, etc.). Along with the emphasis of underway replenishment (UNREP's), also delivered supplies to ships in various ports as well (INREP's). Estimated that Pollux alone supplied as much as one-sixth of Seventh Fleet's general logistical needs.
Example of use
An example of use of the requisition system used by the general stores issue ship can be found in the narrative of the VolansUSS Volans (AKS-9)
USS Volans was an Acubens-class general stores issue ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering and disbursing goods and equipment to locations in the war zone....
(AKS-9).