U.S. Army Coastal Freighters - F, FS and T Boats

WWII Construction

A total of 318 coastal freighters, known as F (for Freight) or FS (for Freight Supply) boats, were built for the U.S. Army by 25 small shipbuilders, notably Higgins Industries, in New Orleans LA, and Wheeler Shipbuilding, in Whitestone NY.  Most were of steel but some were of wood.  The early models were only about 100 feet long, but the bulk of the fleet was 180 feet.  Many were operated by the Coast Guard - click here to read about them - and some were transferred to the Navy as AKLs.  After the war many were transferred overseas, but large numbers are unaccounted for.  Many in the Pacific Theater were probably abandoned: as with many other small ship types, it wasn't economical to bring them home.  If anyone knows of the whereabouts or final fate of an FS that's not already reported below, please e-mail me at timcolton@aol.com.

Shipbuilder Location Type # Design # Steel or Wood Length (ft.) Gross Tons Delivery Disposition
Equitable Equipment New Orleans LA F 1 216 S 99 180 11/42-12/42  
Equitable Equipment New Orleans LA F 2 216 S 99 180 11/42-12/42  
Equitable Equipment New Orleans LA F 3 216 S 99 180 11/42-12/42  
Equitable Equipment New Orleans LA F 4 225 S 102 180 3/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 5 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 6 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43 To the Philippines as "Governor Forbes"
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 7 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 8 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 9 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43 To the Philippines as "Governor Wood"
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 10 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 11 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 12 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43 To Surinam as "Albina"
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 13 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 14 216 S 99 180 5/43-9/43  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 15 216 S 99 180 7/43 To the Philippines as "Trede"
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 16 216 S 99 180 7/43  
Equitable Equipment New Orleans LA F 17 225 S 102 180 4/43 To Hong Kong as "Linda Muller"
Equitable Equipment New Orleans LA F 18 225 S 102 180 4/43 Sold private as "Equitable"
    FS 19           Number not used
    FS 20-28           Converted merchant vessels
Petrich Shipbuilding Tacoma WA FS 29 277 W 114 270 4/43-8/43  
Petrich Shipbuilding Tacoma WA FS 30 277 W 114 270 4/43-8/43 Sold private as "Sundown"
Petrich Shipbuilding Tacoma WA FS 31 277 W 114 270 4/43-8/43 To Panama as "J. W. Rodgers"
Petrich Shipbuilding Tacoma WA FS 32 277 W 114 270 4/43-8/43 Sold private as "Frances"
Petrich Shipbuilding Tacoma WA FS 33 277 W 114 270 4/43-8/43  
Petrich Shipbuilding Tacoma WA FS 34 277 W 114 270 4/43-8/43 To USCG 1945, returned to USA 1946 and retained as "Baker"
Chilman Shipyard Hoquiam WA FS 35 277 W 114 270 5/43-7/43  
Chilman Shipyard Hoquiam WA FS 36 277 W 114 270 5/43-7/43  
Northwestern Shipbuilding South Bellingham WA FS 37 277 W 114 270 1/43 Sold private as "Expansion"
Northwestern Shipbuilding South Bellingham WA FS 38 277 W 114 270 1/43 Sold private as "Coastal Forest", later "Magic Isle"
Northwestern Shipbuilding South Bellingham WA FS 39 277 W 114 270 1/43  
Northwestern Shipbuilding South Bellingham WA FS 40 277 W 114 270 1/43 Sold private as "Coastal Glacier"
Northwestern Shipbuilding South Bellingham WA FS 41 277 W 114 270 1/43  
Davis & Sons, M.M. Solomons MD FS 42 277 W 114 270 6/43-7/43 Sold private as "Rowe"
Davis & Sons, M.M. Solomons MD FS 43 277 W 114 270 6/43-7/43  
Davis & Sons, M.M. Solomons MD FS 44 277 W 114 270 6/43-7/43  
Davis & Sons, M.M. Solomons MD FS 45 277 W 114 270 6/43-7/43  
Martinolich Repair San Francisco CA FS 46 277 W 114 270 5/43-8/43  
Martinolich Repair San Francisco CA FS 47 277 W 114 270 5/43-8/43 Now a bed-and-breakfast in B.C.
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 48 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43 Sold private as "Birchfield"
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 49 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 50 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43 Sold private as "Tolstoi"
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 51 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43 To the Philippines as "Governor Roosevelt"
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 52 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 53 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 54 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43 To the Philippines as "Governor Stimson"
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 55 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Casey Boatbuilding Fairhaven MA FS 56 277 W 114 270 11/43  
    FS 57-62           Cancelled
Stonington Yacht Basin Stonington ME FS 63 277 W 114 270 4/43-6/43 Completed as JMP, later research vessel "Ranger II", then "Inland Seas", now restaurant "Bar St. Barnabe" in Carleton QC
Stonington Yacht Basin Stonington ME FS 64 277 W 114 270 4/43-6/43 Completed as JMP, later research vessel "Yellowfin", now "Pacific Yellowfin"
    FS 65-69           Cancelled
Stowman Shipyard Dorchester NJ FS 70 277 W 114 270 5/43 Completed as JMP
    FS 71-72           Cancelled
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 73 216 S 99 180 8/43-11/43  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 74 216 S 99 180 8/43-11/43  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 75 216 S 99 180 8/43-11/43  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 76 216 S 99 180 8/43-11/43 To Nicaragua as "Explorer"
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 77 216 S 99 180 8/43-11/43  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 78 216 S 99 180 8/43-11/43  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 79 216 S 99 180 8/43-11/43  
    FS 80-84           Converted merchant vessels
    FS 85-88           Cancelled
    FS 89-90           Converted merchant vessels
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 91 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43 To the Philippines as "Princesa de Beliran"
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 92 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 93 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 94 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 95 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43 To the Philippines as "Governor Murphy"
Birchfield Boiler Tacoma WA F 96 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
    FS 97-101           Converted merchant vessels
Cambridge Shipbuilding Cambridge MD FS 102 247 W 140 450 11/43-3/44 To the Netherlands Antilles as "Willemstad"
Cambridge Shipbuilding Cambridge MD FS 103 247 W 140 450 11/43-3/44  
Cambridge Shipbuilding Cambridge MD FS 104 247 W 140 450 11/43-3/44  
Cambridge Shipbuilding Cambridge MD FS 105 247 W 140 450 7/44-10/44  
Cambridge Shipbuilding Cambridge MD FS 106 247 W 140 450 7/44-10/44 To the Bahamas as FS 106
Minneford Yacht Yard City Island NY FS 107 247 W 140 450 10/43  
Minneford Yacht Yard City Island NY FS 108 247 W 140 450 3/44-4/44  
Minneford Yacht Yard City Island NY FS 109 247 W 140 450 3/44-4/44 To Argentina as "Babymar"
Grays Harbor Shipbuilding  Aberdeen WA FS 110 247 W 140 450 6/43 "COL Quackenbush"
Stonington Yacht Basin Stonington ME FS 111 247 W 140 450 3/44 Sold private as "W. J. Townsend"
Stonington Yacht Basin Stonington ME FS 112 247 W 140 450 8/44 To Honduras as "La Una"
Warren Fish Pensacola FL FS 113 247 W 140 450 10/43 To Honduras as "Jimenao"
Warren Fish Pensacola FL FS 114 247 W 140 450 4/44 To Nicaragua as "Selena"
Calumet Shipyard Chicago IL F 115 216 S 99 180 7/43-10/43  
Calumet Shipyard Chicago IL F 116 216 S 99 180 7/43-10/43  
Calumet Shipyard Chicago IL F 117 216 S 99 180 7/43-10/43  
Calumet Shipyard Chicago IL F 118 216 S 99 180 7/43-10/43  
Calumet Shipyard Chicago IL F 119 216 S 99 180 7/43-10/43  
Calumet Shipyard Chicago IL F 120 216 S 99 180 7/43-10/43  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 121 216 S 99 180 11/43-1/44  
Kewaunee Shipbuilding Kewaunee WI F 122 216 S 99 180 11/43-1/44  
    FS 123-125           Converted merchant vessels
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 126 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 127 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 128 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 129 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI F 130 216 S 99 180 9/43-11/43  
    FS 131-133           Converted merchant vessels
    FS 134           Number not used
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 135 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 Sold private as "Viki"
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 136 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 To Costa Rica as "Dopey"
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 137 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44  
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 138 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44  
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 139 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44  
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 140 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 141 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 142 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 143 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 144 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 145 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 146 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned, to China 1946
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 147 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 148 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 149 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 150 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 151 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA FS 152 330 S 180 512 9/43-3/44 USCG-manned
Higgins Industries