The Cape James was launched in 1944 from Martinolich
Shipyard on a fog shrouded oct
morning in San Francisco Bay. She was the Little
Ship FP 47. She was then used as a signal ship transmitting
news stories from reporters following the Southwest
Pacific landings in WW2. They boarded her in Hollandia,
New Guinea and followed the action through the Philippines
and Borneo. You can even see the photo on the wheelhouse
of the Signal Corps emblem and two Rising Sun Flags
for two aircraft downed. Remember General McArthur’s
speech “I WILL RETURN” Look closely
to identify the general on the top deck??
After that she became the Mt. Edgecumbe and was used
up the coast to Alaska as an Indian affairs ship.
Here things are not so clear, but the next chapter
was to include fishing off the Grand Banks of New
Foundland . She was converted into a trawler and then
a packer by the time she started her fishing days
on the coastal waters of British Columbia.
The Cape James will have earned her retirement in
the sunny climates of the Caribbean, and ports south
of her northern working days, but till then we would
like to offer her as a bed and breakfast. Enjoy the
links and pictures.
The
Story of the Little Radio Ship, the FP47
The FP47 was a much small ship, at just 125 ft long
and it was built originally for the Alaska freight
and passenger traffic. This ship was taken to Sydney
in Australia at the same time as the "Apache" where
it also was completely rebuilt and re-outfitted.
Two diesel generators were installed in the FP47
as power units for all of the electronic equipment
which included two American army Morse
Code transmitters (click to listen to a Morse
Code transmitters) at 500 watts each.
The official radio code for the FP47 was "Bedpan".
The original delivery date for both the "Apache" and
the FP47 was planned for late November 1944. However,
the events of the war speeded up and the FP47 hurriedly
sailed from Sydney Harbour with the "Apache" right
at the end of September. Both ships, with their electronic
equipment still untested, arrived at General MacArthur's
forward headquarters in Hollandia, New Guinea, on
October 10, just 2 days before sailing time for the
return invasion of the Philippines. Two days later,
the whole invasion fleet left Hollandia for the Philippines,
with the "Apache" trailing behind, and the smaller
FP47 trailing behind the "Apache". The entire flotilla
arrived in Manila Harbor exactly one week later.
The purpose for the radio ship, the FP47, was to be
a subordinate radio ship to the "Apache". The Morse
Code transmitters sent war news and despatches to
the "Apache" for onward transmission to the United
States. The FP47 was a communication vessel for use
by newspaper and radio correspondents.
The FP47 saw duty in the coastal areas of the Philippines
and other islands in the western Pacific, usually
in conjunction with the "Apache", but not always.
After the conclusion of hostilities, the FP47 was
sent back to the Philippines, were it carried radio
traffic in Morse Code apparently in conjunction
with land based stations that had been re-established.
Click here to listen to a sample of sea battle on
a WWII ship. ______________________________________________________________________
"The Story of the Little Radio Ship" extract
from extract courtesy of http://www.offshore-radio.de/fleet/first5.htm#FP47
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