The USS General C. H. Muir was built in 1944 by Kaiser Co. Inc. in Richmond, California and named after U.S. Army General Charles Henry Muir.
She was a transport ship for the US Navy during WWII, then used by the US Coast Guard for a short period, then transferred to the US Army as USAT General C. H. Muir in 1946. On March 1, 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General C. H. Muir (T-AP-142), transporting thousands of refugees of WWII to the Americas and Australia. In late 1952, she carried reinforcements to the UN troops fighting in Korea. She made another similar voyage before being placed in the National Reserve Fleet in 1955. In 1968, the ship was sold and converted into a container vessel named the SS Chicago. In 1975, the American company that owned her sold her to Puerto Rico where she was renamed the SS San Juan. She operated until 1985 and was later scrapped.
The SS General CH Muir carried Janis Vinakmens, his wife and 3 children to the USA from Bremerhaven on August 14th, 1949. They were bound for Elk Point, South Dakota.
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I was the Chaplain’s assistant aboard the Muir when it shuttled between Staten Island in NYC and Bremerhaven, Germany, in 1952 and early 1953, but don’t recall it ever being positioned in the Far East during that time.
Hello I found that my father was on this ship Bremen to New York May 1951. December 1988 my father, mother and I toured Germany (My sister was an exchange student in Denmark at the time we would celebrate her birthday up there). During that trip I heard stories of the DP past as my father returned to areas he knew as a DP. September 1989 he was on the US Precision Helicopter Team that took the World Precision Helicopter championships (First seven places defeating the Soviets)
my family and i came to new york from bremerhaven germany on the ss general muir. we left germany on feb 11, 1951 and arrived in new york on feb. 19th. the weather was so stormy we actually had to don lifejackets and wait on deck for fear the ship would go down. i was only 5 but i remember seeing the white cliffs of dover as we sailed threw the english channel and then the icebergs in the north atlantic. when we disembarked, the red cross, i believe, gave us coffee and doughnuts– my first american food.
vidajelensmith@mac.com
I was only 11 years old when my mother and father, 2 of my 6 brothers and my sister came to the United States of America and landed in New Orleans on June 13th, 1951. I loved that great big ship. Daily we had life jacket excercises and the storm in the middle of the Atlantic was very firece. We went daily on deck and watched the fish jump up and down. When we neared New Orleans harbor, we could see Cuba which was only 100 miles away. I guess we were closer to Florida when we spotted Cuba. We saw many rice fields which grew in water next to Mississippi. Anyway I thought about the Great General C.H. Muir and I am very happy I was able to make a copy of our huge ship. I have many fond memories of that big ship..
I to was on this trip &ship
We are searching for information on travel from Germany to Ellis Island on the Muir in May of 1951 for which we were aboard. Father, Mother, my sister and me [5 years and 4 years old]; we were all DP’s. We are seeking information on this crossing; can you provide information, links and especially any photographs.
Thank you.
I was a passenger on this ship with my family in March of 1952. I was 5 years old and my siblings were 2,17,and 15. My father was 42 and mother was 37. The 6 of us were sponsored by the Friends in Paullina Iowa. That was our destination after leaving Ellis Island. I would like to hear from anyone who may also have been a passenger.
I, too, was a passenger on the General C. H. Muir sailing from Bremerhaven to New York. The ship left Bremerhaven April 16, 1952 and arrived in New York April 26, 1952.
My father was on the General Muir as a refugee from Czechoslovakia on the same trip. I actually have in my archives the on-board newsletters that he helped publish. Including the ships itinerary and messages from all of the principal crew members.
.Fall of 1949 Bremerhaven to NY
My parents came over from Hungary but spent 1.5 yrs in camp in Austria, arrived in New York march 13, 1951 Ellis Island, their names are listed there. The ship General Muir brought many others as well.
My father and grandmother were on General Muir, arrived on March 13, 1951 also, bound for Chicago. DP from Soltur, Yugoslavia.
My mom arrived on Ellis Island aboard this ship with her mother, sisters, and niece. They traveled from Bremerhaven, Germany in 1952. I’d love to see any notes anyone may have of that journey, or a ship’s log if one is available. My family eventually ended up in Bismarck, ND as sponsored refugees who years earlier had fled the former USSR.
My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely lady in Ann Arbor, Michigan where I discovered common roots with her post-WWII story. Her parents, as did mine, emigrated to the U.S. on the Gen. C. H. Muir. Her arrival pre-dated ours by some months, (our arrival in NYC was December 13, 1950). She is of Latvian origin and ours Hungarian. Our sponsor trails led to Michigan and to such beautiful locations as Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, and now the vicinity of Ann Arbor. Life has such mysteries to fathom and of course, pursue.