The Achelous-class repair ship was a class of ship built by the US Navy during World War II.
_underway,_in_the_1960s.jpg) USS Pandemus (ARL-18), a typical Achelous-class vessel.
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators |  United States Navy |
| Built | 1943–1945 |
| In commission | 1943–1971 |
| Completed | 39 |
| Active | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Repair ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 328 ft (100 m) |
| Beam | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft | 14 ft (4 m) |
| Propulsion | Diesel engines, twin screws, 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) |
| Speed | 11.62 kn (21.5 km/h) |
| Complement | 255 |
| Armament | 40 mm mounts, 20 mm mounts, numbers variable. |
As the United States gained experience in amphibious operations, it was realized that some sort of mobile repair facility would be useful for repairing the damage that frequently occurred to smaller vessels such as LCVP's (Landing Craft Vehicle/Personnel). The Auxiliary Repair Light (ARL) ship was designed to meet this need, and the Achelous class was the only class to receive this designation.
Description
edit
Achelous-class vessels were based on the same hull as LST's (Landing Ship, Tank) which at the time were being produced in large numbers. This hull was thought to be ideal for a ship specializing in the repair of light craft, since it was not overly large and had a shallow draught which would enable it to maneuver into small harbors, rivers and inlets where it could service damaged boats and effect other repairs on location.
The conversion from an LST to an Achelous-class ARL was done mainly by converting the large interior tank deck into a number of different shops and storerooms. Two large cargo booms were added forward, and a large 60-ton A-frame boom added amidships. The wheelhouse/chart room deck was expanded, and a conning tower added. The first nine units of the class sealed the bow doors of the LST hull.
The ship's company consisted of the usual LST crew of deck, engineering and communications departments but in addition it had a supply department, plus a repair department consisting of machinery and engine repair, carpentry, electronics repair, and hull repair divisions, giving a ship's complement of approximately 250 officers and men in total. After the first nine units were built, the later units had a revised armament as well as retaining the opening bow doors.
Operational history
editDuring World War II, the Achelous-class vessels worked mostly on repairing damaged landing craft, but many continued in service after the war, working again on landing craft during the Korean War and on river craft during the Vietnam War.
In all, 39 Achelous-class repair ships were built between 1943 and 1945.
Ships in Class
edit| Hull no. | Ship | Keel laid | Launched | Commission | Decomm | Fate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARL-1 | Achelous | 15 August 1942 | 25 November 1942 | 2 April 1943 | 1 January 1947 | Sold for scrapping | Originally ordered as LST-10 |
| ARL-2 | Amycus | 17 January 1943 | 2 April 1943 | 30 July 1943 | 15 November 1946 | laid up Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, 15 November 1946, sold for scrapping, 13 August 1971 | Originally ordered as LST-489 |
| ARL-3 | Agenor | 24 January 1943 | 3 April 1943 | 20 August 1943 | 15 November 1946 | transferred to France, through Mutual Defense Assistance Program, 2 March 1951; transferred to the Republic of China, 1957 | Originally ordered as LST-490 |
| ARL-4 | Adonis | 31 March 1943 | 14 June 1943 | 6 August 1943 | 11 October 1946 | Sold to private interest, 14 October 1960 | Originally ordered as LST-83 |
| ARL-5 | ARL-5 | 8 March 1943 | 28 May 1943 | 21 July 1943 | 19 July 1943 | Transferred to the Royal Navy, 29 July 1943, Sold to Argentina, 20 August 1947; Sold 1967 | Originally ordered as LST-81 |
| ARL-6 | ARL-6 | 25 March 1943 | 9 June 1943 | 26 July 1943 | 2 August 1943 | Transferred to the Royal Navy, 2 August 1943, Sold to Argentina, 20 August 1947; Sold into merchant service, 1968 | Originally ordered as LST-82 |
| ARL-7 | Atlas | 3 June 1943 | 19 October 1943 | 15 November 1943 | 13 September 1946 | Sold for scrapping, 18 September 1973 | Originally ordered as LST-231, Recommissioned: 1 June 1951 through 13 April 1956 |
| ARL-8 | Egeria | 19 June 1943 | 23 November 1943 | 30 March 1944 | 1 January 1947 | Sold for scrapping, 18 September 1973 | Originally ordered as "LST-136" |
| ARL-9 | Endymion | 23 August 1943 | 17 December 1943 | 9 May 1944 | 30 November 1946 | Sold for commercial service, 1 September 1973 | Originally ordered as LST-513 |
| ARL-10 | Coronis | 3 May 1944 | 8 June 1944 | 28 November 1944 | 29 July 1946 | Sold for commercial service, c. 1965 | Originally ordered as LST-1003 |
| ARL-11 | Creon | 24 August 1944 | 28 November 1944 | 8 June 1949 | Unknown | Originally ordered as LST-1036 | |
| ARL-12 | Poseidon | 10 July 1944 | 24 August 1944 | 13 February 1945 | 30 November 1946 | Unknown | Originally ordered as LST-1037 |
| ARL-13 | Menelaus | 17 November 1944 | 20 December 1944 | 29 May 1945 | 5 June 1947 | Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Group, Sold for commercial service, 28 October 1960 | Originally ordered as LST-971 |
| ARL-14 | Minos | 16 June 1944 | 15 September 1944 | 26 September 1944 | 18 June 1946 | Sold for scrapping, 18 October 1960 | Originally ordered as LST-644, Recommissioned: 22 September 1950 through 19 August 1955 |
| ARL-15 | Minotaur | 20 June 1944 | 20 September 1944 | 30 September 1944 | 26 February 1947 | Loaned to the Republic of Korea (1955), Fate: Unknown | Originally ordered as LST-645 |
| ARL-16 | Myrmidon | 25 August 1944 | 28 September 1944 | 9 March 1945 | 7 July 1947 | Sold, 21 December 1960 | Originally ordered as LST-948 |
| ARL-17 | Numitor | 19 September 1944 | 18 October 1944 | 3 April 1945 | 1 July 1947 | Sold, and converted to a drydock | Originally ordered as LST-954 |
| ARL-18 | Pandemus | 20 July 1944 | 10 October 1944 | 23 February 1945 | 23 September 1946 | Sunk as a target, 1969 | Originally ordered as LST-650, Recommissioned: 14 December 1951 through 30 September 1968 |
| ARL-19 | Patroclus | 22 September 1944 | 22 October 1944 | 17 April 1945 | 2 October 1946 | Transferred to Turkey, 15 November 1952, Scrapped, September 1993 | Originally ordered as LST-955 |
| ARL-20 | Pentheus | 29 September 1944 | 22 December 1944 | 7 June 1945 | 20 April 1946 | Sold, 13 June 1960 | Originally ordered as "LST-1115" |
| ARL-21 | Proserpine | 2 October 1944 | 28 December 1944 | 31 May 1945 | 18 January 1947 | Sold, 26 September 1960 | Originally ordered as LST-1116, Recommissioned: 27 October 1950 through 24 May 1956 |
| ARL-22 | Romulus | 17 October 1944 | 15 November 1944 | 10 May 1945 | 12 May 1947 | Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Transferred to the Philippine Navy, November 1961, fate: unknown | Originally ordered as LST-962 |
| ARL-23 | Satyr | 16 August 1944 | 13 November 1944 | 27 November 1944 | 1 August 1947 | Transferred to South Vietnam, 30 September 1971, Transferred to the Philippines, 1975, scrapped, 2004 | Originally ordered as LST-852, Recommissioned: 8 September 1950 through 17 April 1956 and 15 February 1968 through 30 September 1971 |
| ARL-24 | Sphinx | 20 October 1944 | 7 March 1945 | 10 May 1945 | 26 May 1947 | Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group, Towed for scrapping, 1 December 2007 | Originally ordered as LST-963
Recommissioned: 3 November 1950 through 31 January 1956, Recommissioned: 16 December 1967 through 30 September 1971 and 26 July 1985 through 16 June 1989 |
| ARL-26 | Stentor | 21 September 1944 | 11 November 1944 | 22 December 1944 | 9 January 1945 | Sold for scrap, 23 January 1961 | Originally ordered as LST-858, Recommissioned: 28 April 1945 through 1 December 1947 |
| ARL-27 | Tantalus | 10 October 1944 | 2 January 1945 | 13 January 1945 | 18 January 1947 | Released to the Foreign Liquidation Commission for further transfer to the United Nations Relief, and Rehabilitation Administration for disposal, fate unknown. | Originally ordered as LST-1117 |
| ARL-28 | Typhon | 17 October 1944 | 5 January 1945 | 18 January 1945 | 29 March 1947[1] | Sold to private interest, 23 February 1961 | Originally ordered as LST-1118 |
| ARL-29 | Amphitrite | 6 November 1944 | 1 February 1945 | 28 June 1945 | 1 January 1947 | Sold, 16 April 1962 | Originally ordered as LST-1124 |
| ARL-30 | Askari | 8 December 1944 | 2 March 1945 | 15 March 1945 | 9 April 1945 | Sold to Indonesian Navy, 1971 | Originally ordered as LST-1131, Recommissioned: 23 July 1945 through 1 September 1971 |
| ARL-31 | Bellerophon | 12 December 1944 | 7 March 1945 | 19 March 1945 | 1 September 1947 | Sold for scrapping, 20 June 1980 | Originally ordered as LST-1132 |
| ARL-32 | Bellona | 27 December 1944 | 26 March 1945 | 28 July 1945 | 5 June 1946 | Grounded, 1 December 1945, Declared unsalvageable & destroyed with explosives, 14 May 1946 | Originally ordered as LST-1136 |
| ARL-33 | Chimaera | 30 March 1945 | 7 August 1945 | 8 March 1948 | Unknown, Final Disposition, sold, 20 March 1962 to NASSCO, Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA | Originally ordered as LST-1137 | |
| ARL-35 | Daedalus | 31 January 1945 | 27 April 1945 | 19 October 1945 | 23 October 1947 | Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Group, Sold, 28 October 1960 | Originally ordered as LST-1143 |
| ARL-36 | Gordius | 5 February 1945 | 7 May 1945 | 18 May 1945 | 11 June 1945 | Transferred to Iran, 7 September 1968, fate: unknown | Originally ordered as LST-1145, Recommissioned: 14 September 1945 through 21 December 1955 |
| ARL-37 | Indra | 12 February 1945 | 21 May 1945 | 2 October 1945 | 6 October 1947 | Transferred to North Carolina, January 1992, Sunk as an artificial reef, 4 August 1992 | Originally ordered as LST-1147, Recommissioned: 16 December 1967 through 1 May 1970 |
| ARL-38 | Krishna | 23 February 1945 | 25 May 1945 | 3 December 1945 | 15 September 1971 | Sold to the Republic of the Philippines, 30 October 1971 | Originally ordered as LST-1149 |
| ARL-39 | Quirinus | 3 March 1945 | 4 June 1945 | 15 June 1945 | 27 March 1947 | Transferred to Venezuela, June 1962, Scuttled. Used as a target ship | Originally ordered as LST-1151 |
| ARL-40 | Remus | 28 July 1942 | 10 October 1942 | 21 January 1943 | 15 July 1946 | sold for scrapping, 16 December 1947 | Originally ordered as LST-453 |
| ARL-41 | Achilles | 3 August 1942 | 17 October 1942 | 30 January 1943 | 19 July 1946 | transferred to the Republic of China, 8 September 1947, run aground and abandoned, 1949, captured 1949, by People's Liberation Army Navy, fate: unknown | Originally ordered as LST-455 |
| ARL-42 | Aeolus | Originally ordered as LST-310, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945 | |||||
| ARL-43 | Cerberus | Originally ordered as LST-316, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945 | |||||
| ARL-44 | Conus | Originally ordered as LST-317, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945 | |||||
| ARL-45 | Feronia | Originally ordered as LST-332, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945 | |||||
| ARL-46 | Chandra | Originally ordered as LST-350, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945 | |||||
| ARL-47 | Minerva | Originally ordered as LST-374, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 11 September 1945 |
References
edit- What is an ARL? – USS Askari (ARL-30) Association
- Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940–1945
- US Navy, ships World War 2, page 119