USS Coasters Harbor

USS Coasters Harbor (AG-74) was a Basilan-class miscellaneous auxiliary acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was configured as a repair ship and sent to the Pacific Ocean just as the war ended. She was retained to participate in atomic testing at Bikini Atoll.

History
United States
Name	Coasters Harbor
Namesake	An island in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island
Builder	New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine
Laid down	4 October 1944 as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, (MCE 3073)
Launched	17 November 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. M. M. Naples
Acquired	by the Navy 26 November 1944
Commissioned	29 July 1945 as USS Coasters Harbor (AG-74)
Decommissioned	3 July 1947, at San Diego, California
In service	26 November 1944
Out of service	30 November 1944
Reclassified	AKS-22, 18 August 1951
Refit	Todd Shipbuilding Company, Brooklyn, New York
Stricken	1 April 1960
Fate	sold for scrapping, 5 December 1960
General characteristics
Type	Basilan-class miscellaneous auxiliary
Displacement	5,766 tons light 14,350 tons full load
Length	441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam	66 ft 11 in (20.40 m)
Draft	23 ft (7.0 m)
Propulsion	reciprocating steam engine, single shaft, 1,950hp.
Speed	12 knots
Complement	891 officers and enlisted
Armament	one single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount; four single 40 mm AA gun mounts

Constructed in Portland, Maine

Coasters Harbor was launched 17 November 1944 by New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine, under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. M. M. Naples; transferred to the Navy 26 November 1944; commissioned the same day, ferried to Todd Shipbuilding Company, Brooklyn, New York; decommissioned 30 November 1944 for conversion to an electronics repair ship; and was recommissioned 29 July 1945.

World War II-related service

Sailing from Norfolk, Virginia, 29 August, Coasters Harbor reached San Diego, California, 19 September and Sasebo, Japan, 31 October. She remained there servicing vessels of the occupation force until 5 March 1946.

Atomic testing at Bikini Atoll

Coasters Harbor sailed westward to take part in Operation Crossroads. Following the atomic weapons tests Coasters Harbor returned to the U.S. West Coast, arriving at San Pedro, California, 14 September.

Post-war decommissioning

She was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego, California, 3 July 1947. She was redesignated AKS-22, 18 August 1951 and stricken from the Navy List on 1 April 1960.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - USS Coasters Harbor (AG-74)