USS Poinsett (AK-205) probably running builder's trials in the Great Lakes c. September, 1944
History
United States
Name	Poinsett
Namesake	Poinsett County, Arkansas
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2159[1]
Builder	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Yard number	325[1]
Laid down	6 November 1943
Launched	22 May 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Robert L. Rote
Acquired	22 January 1945
Commissioned	7 February 1945
Decommissioned	25 January 1946
Stricken	12 March 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-205 Code letters: NXNK
Honors and awards	one battle star for World War II service
Fate	Sold 25 February 1947, Bergenske Dampakibaselskab (Bergen Line)
History
Norway
Name	Carina
Owner	Bergenske Dampakibaselskab (Bergen Line)
Acquired	25 February 1947
Fate	Sold
History
South Korea
Name	Masan
Namesake	City of Masan
Fate	Scrapped, 1979
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard) 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine 1,750 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × propeller
Speed	11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated) 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement	15 Officers 70 Enlisted
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun (DP) 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons

USS Poinsett (AK-205) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship acquired by the US Navy just prior to the end of World War II. She carried supplies and ammunition to the Pacific Ocean battle areas and was awarded one battle star for her operations in the Borneo area.

Construction

Poinsett was laid down under US Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2158, by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, 6 November 1943; launched 22 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Robert L. Rote; acquired by the Navy 22 January 1945; and commissioned at Houston, Texas, 7 February 1945.^[3]

Service history

World War II service

After shakedown off Galveston, Texas, Poinsett loaded ammunition at Theodore, Alabama, and departed for the Panama Canal 21 March. She steamed to Ulithi thence to Zamboanga, Philippine Islands, arriving 11 May.^[3]

After issuing ammunition there, she proceeded to Tawi Tawi, Sulu Archipelago, and joined the main forces for the invasion of Balikpapan (1 July). On 10 July she departed Borneo for Morotai and the Philippines, whence she sailed southeast to Manus. There, while loading fleet issue clothing and small stores, she received word of the war’s end.^[3]

Post-war decommissioning

Poinsett then proceeded to Manila and Guiuan, Samar, to discharge her cargo. She departed 19 November for the Panama Canal and Norfolk, Virginia, for inactivation. Decommissioned 25 January 1946, she was returned to MARCOM, 29 January 1946, and her name was struck from the Navy List, 12 March 1946.^[3]

Merchant service

On 25 February 1947, MARCOM sold Poinsett to Bergenske Dampakibaselskab (Bergen Line), of, Norway, for $693,862. She was reflagged for Norway and her name was changed to Carina.^[2][4]

She was subsequently sold to the Government of South Korea and renamed Masan.^[3] She was scrapped in 1979, in South Korea.^[2]

Honors and awards

Poinsett received one battle star for World War II service:^[2]

• Borneo Campaign (1 to 10 July 1945)