USS Beagle (IX-112)

For other ships going by the same name, see USS Beagle.

USS Beagle (IX-112), was an Armadillo class tanker designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel. She was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the beagle, a breed of small, short-coated hunting hound.

History
United States
Name	David Rittenhouse Beagle
Namesake	David Rittenhouse The Beagle
Ordered	as a Type T1-S-C3 hull, MCE hull 1901
Builder	California Shipbuilding Corporation, Terminal Island, Los Angeles, California
Laid down	27 September 1943
Launched	29 October 1943
Commissioned	20 November 1943
Decommissioned	13 June 1946
Renamed	Beagle, 27 October 1943
Stricken	3 July 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: IX-112 Code letters: NJFL
Honors and awards	1 × battle star
Fate	Returned to MARCOM, 13 June 1946, laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, Virginia Sold, 14 July 1948
United States
Name	Edison Skipper
Owner	Edison Tanker Corporation, Inc., New York City
Acquired	14 July 1948
Fate	Sold, December 1954
Liberia
Name	George S. George Sideratos Maria G.L.
Acquired	December 1954
Fate	Scrapped, 1964
General characteristics
Class and type	Armadillo class tanker
Type	Type T1-S-C3
Displacement	14,500 long tons (14,700 t)
Length	441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam	56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draught	28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power	2 × header-type steam boilers 2,500 shp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine 1 × propeller
Speed	11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Complement	79 officers and men
Armament	1 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual purpose (DP) gun 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber DP gun 8 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannon anti-aircraft gun mounts

Construction

Her keel was laid down 27 September 1943, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull No. 1901, as the Type T1 tanker David Rittenhouse, by California Shipbuilding Corporation, Terminal Island, Los Angeles, California; launched on 29 October 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Victor Dalton; renamed Beagle and designated IX-111 on 27 October 1943; delivered to the Navy 20 November 1943, and commissioned the same day.

Service history

Following shakedown early in 1944, the tanker moved to the western Pacific. There she transported fuel among the various island groups. Between 13 October and 9 November, Beagle operated in the vicinity of Leyte providing support for the invasion of that island. After that operation, Beagle resumed her more routine fuel supply missions between bases in the Pacific.

Post-war service

After the war ended, she continued those duties in support of American occupation forces in the Far East. The ship headed back to the United States from Eniwetok on 11 March 1946. She transited the Panama Canal on 16 April, and arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, on 30 April. Beagle was decommissioned at Norfolk on 13 June 1946, and was turned over to MARCOM for disposal. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 3 JuIy 1946.

Merchant service

On 14 July 1948, to the Edison Tanker Corporation, Inc., of New York City, the vessel was renamed Edison Skipper. She saw later merchant service under the names George S., Georgios Sideratos, and Maria G.L., before she was scrapped in 1964.

Awards

Beagle earned one battle star for her World War II service.

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Online resources

• "Beagle II (IX-112)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "California Shipbuilding, Los Angeles CA". ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
• "USS Beagle (IX-112)". Navsource.org. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
• "DAVID RITTENHOUSE". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 4 March 2017.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Beagle (IX-112) at NavSource Naval History