Sharps AG-139

Sharps

(AG-139: dp. 500; 1. 177'; b. 33~; dr. 10'; s. 12.4 k.;
cpl. 26; cl. Camano)

Sharps (AG-139) was built in 1944 by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Decatur, Ala., operated by the Army as a freight supply ship (FS-385) in the Pacific until being transferred to the Navy at Guam in March 1947. She was converted to Navy use and commissioned there on 3 August 1947.

One of a group of small Army cargo ships transferred to the Navy for use among the Pacific islands Sharps provided logistic support to the Trust Territories of the Marshall and Caroline Islands. In August 1949, Sharps sailed to Pearl Harbor for an overhaul. From there, she steamed to American Samoa. She arrived there on 4 November 1949 and served as station ship for the next 10 months. She returned to Pearl Harbor and served as an ammunition disposal ship until she was overhauled in late 1951.

When the yard work was completed, Sharps stood out of Pearl Harbor and sailed for Sasebo, Japan. She operated out of that port from 3 November 1951 until 17 May 1952, supporting the United Nation's forces in Inchon and Pohang, Korea. Sharps returned to Guam and central Pacific operations until her home port was again changed to Sasebo on 9 August 1954. She operated in Japanese waters until November 1955 when she sailed for Pearl Harbor, en route to the United States.

Sharps arrived at Astoria, Oregon, on 13 December 1955. In March 1956, she moved to Seattle; and, on 3

April, she was leased to South Korea as Kun San (AKL-9o8).

Sharps received three battle stars for Korean War service.