>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1976) Vol. 6, pp.117-118.





ROAMER





AF-19

Displacement:  2,550 t.

Length:  318’6”

Beam:  42’7”

Draft:  18’5”

Speed:  13 k.

Complement:  41

Armament:  1 4”; 2 20mm; 4 .50 cal. machine guns

Class:  BRIDGE





	The second ROAMER (AF-19) was built in 1935 as ROAMER; 

by the Maskinbygger Machine & Iron Works, Elsinore, Denmark; 

was taken over by the United States after the fall of 

Denmark; operated by the War Shipping Administration in the 

Caribbean and South Pacific; acquired by the Navy from the 

WSA under bareboat charter 22 July 1942; and commissioned at 

Auckland 30 August 1942, Comdr. Maximillian B. De Leshe in 

command.



	The storeship arrived at New Caledonia on 15 September, 

returned to Auckland, New Zealand, 8 October, and reached 

Espiritu Santo 27 December.  She continued runs from 

Auckland to the New Hebrides, and to Guadalcanal, until 

April 1944.  She then stopped at Pago Pago, Tongatabu, 

Funafuti, Wallis, Tutuila, and Efate.



	Returning to Noumea on 2 May, she touched at Suva, 

Funafuti, Tutuila, and Tongatabu before returning to 

Auckland.  She then proceeded north again to Tutuila, 

Tongatabu, and Guadalcanal.  Returning to Auckland on 

2 November, she continued to make runs north from New 

Zealand for the rest of the war.  On 5 September 1945, she 

departed Auckland for Pearl Harbor and San Francisco.



	Returning to the South Pacific in February 1946, ROAMER 

touched at Tutuila, Noumea, Guadalcanal, and Guam, then 

proceeded on to Tokyo arriving 16 April.  Departing Japan 6 

days later, ROAMER arrived at San Francisco on 7 May 1946, 

decommissioned and was redelivered to WSA on 14 June 1946 

and was struck from the Navy list on 3 July 1946.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com