Pictures of WWII Army Communication and News Ships

The US Army signal corps had a fleet of ships installed with radio equipment in the Pacific in WWII. This flotilla included schooners, ketches, and barges. At first, this World War II Signal Corps fleet served just as relay ships. They soon became forward-command-post communication sites, army command and administrative network stations, and communications supply depots.

See Signal Corps Brochures for details about these ships and how they were used by the Army to facilitate communications. See WWII Comm Equipment for photos of army communication equipment, both used in the signal corps fleet and on land.

Pictures from the personal scrapbooks of Lt. Colonel O. Howard Davidsmeyer, Sr.

Signal Corps SWPa - SC - 44 18073

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Far from Home.
A soldier onboard Army Communications Ship in WWII.

Regarding this photo I received the following email 02-05-2003:

My father served on a WWII army communications ship, the TP-249, the USS Joanna. He landed on Milne Bay in August 1944. The ship was owned by the 7 UP Bottling Company and requisitioned by the Army. We do not have any photos, they were lost over the years. My father did see the photos on your website and thinks he recognizes his ship. [...] The ship had a 20 mm gun on the fantail, which is not apparent in the photo.
— Jerry Viracola

More information (and larger picture) of the
Army Communcations Ship TP249 Geoanna

Pictures of WWII Army Communication and News Ships

Related Army Communication Ship links: