USS Kent Island

USS Kent Island (AG-78/AKS-26) was a Basilan-class miscellaneous auxiliary acquired by the U.S. Navy shortly before the end of World War II. She was used to transport personnel and cargo and was inactivated and disposed of shortly after the war.

Kent Island, circa in December 1945
History
United States
Name	Kent Island
Namesake	Kent Island
Builder	New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine
Laid down	19 November 1944 as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, (MCE hull 3092)
Launched	9 January 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs. Nan Hatch
Acquired	by the Navy 19 January 1945
Commissioned	1 August 1945 as USS Kent Island (AG-78)
Decommissioned	22 June 1946, at Orange, Texas
In service	19 January 1945 as USS Kent Island
Out of service	23 January 1945
Reclassified	AKS-26, 18 August 1951
Refit	Todd Shipbuilding Company, Hoboken, New Jersey
Stricken	1 April 1960
Fate	scrapped, 2 November 1960
General characteristics
Type	Basilan-class miscellaneous auxiliary
Displacement	5,766 tons light 14,200 tons full load
Length	441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam	56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft	23 ft (7.0 m)
Propulsion	reciprocating steam engine, single shaft, 1,950hp
Speed	12.5 knots
Complement	883 officers and enlisted
Armament	one single 5 in (130 mm)/38 dual purpose gun mount, twelve 20 mm single AA gun mounts

Constructed at Portland, Maine

Kent Island (AG-78) was launched 9 January 1945 by New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine, under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. Nan Hatch; transferred to the Navy 19 January 1945; commissioned the same day, ferried to Todd Shipbuilding Company, Hoboken, New Jersey; decommissioned 23 January 1945 for conversion to a barracks and issue ship; and recommissioned 1 August 1945.

World War II-related service

After shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay, Kent Island cleared Norfolk, Virginia, 31 August for duty with the Service Force Pacific Fleet. She arrived Pearl Harbor 9 October via San Diego, California, to commence operations in Hawaiian waters.

She sailed for Okinawa 17 October to receive Navy veterans for transportation to the United States, and returned San Francisco, California, 30 November. Kent Island cleared San Francisco 3 January 1946, transited the Panama Canal, and arrived Hampton Roads 26 January.

Inactivation

Following upkeep, she put into Orange, Texas, 15 March where she was placed out of commission in reserve 22 June 1946. She was redesignated AKS-26 on 18 August 1951 and struck from the Navy List 1 April 1960. Kent Island was sold to Southern Scrap Material Co. 2 November 1960 to be scrapped.

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 - AG-78 / AKS- 26 Kent Island