USS Allioth

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USS Allioth (AK-109).jpg
Broadside view of USS Allioth (AK-109), off San Francisco, 19 November 1943
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameJames Rowan
Owner War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator Pope & Talbot, Inc.
Orderedas a Type EC2-S-C1 hull, MCE hull 1730 [1]
Builder Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard #2, Richmond, California
Cost$738,276
Yard number1730
Way number10
Laid down30 July 1943
Launched20 August 1943
Sponsored byMiss Cora Clonts
In service31 August 1943
Identification
Fatetransferred to the US Navy, 3 October 1943
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameAllioth
NamesakeThe star Allioth
Acquired5 October 1943
Commissioned25 October 1943
Decommissioned18 May 1946
Reclassified
  • Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX), March 1945
  • Aviation Supply Issue Ship (AVS), 3 May 1945
RefitGrumium-class Aviation Supply Issue Ship, at Alameda, California, March 1945
Stricken22 May 1947
Identification
FateSold for scrapping, 27 August 1964
General characteristics [3]
Class & type
Tonnage
Displacement
  • 4,023 long tons (4,088 t) (standard)
  • 14,550 long tons (14,780 t) (full load)
Length441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed12.5  kn (23.2  km/h; 14.4  mph)
Capacity
  • 7,800 t (7,700 long tons) DWT
  • 444,206 cu ft (12,578.5 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement206
Armament

USS Allioth (AK-109/IX-204/AVS-4) was a Crater-class cargo ship and aviation supply ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named after Alioth, a star in constellation Ursa Major. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

Contents

Construction

Allioth was laid down under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 1730, on 30 July 1943, as the Liberty ship, James Rowan, was laid down by the Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard #2, Richmond, California. She was launched on 20 August 1943, and sponsored by Miss Cora Clonts.

James Rowan was delivered to Pope & Talbot, Inc., on 31 August 1943, for civilian use. [2]

Service history

James Rowan was acquired by the US Navy, on 3 October 1943; renamed Allioth and designated AK-109, on 6 October 1943; and commissioned at Portland, Oregon, on 25 October 1943. [4]

Upon her arrival at Pearl Harbor, on 5 December 1943, the cargo ship was assigned to Service Squadron 8 (ServRon 8). During the next 11 months, she operated as a mobile supply source for the US Army. Her duties consisted of loading cargo and dispensing it to troops as needed. Among the ports from which she operated were Funafuti, Ellice Islands; Makin and Tarawa, Gilbert Islands; Kwajalein and Eniwetok, Marshall Islands; and Peleliu and Angaur, Palau Islands. [4]

Under attack by Japanese aircraft

Allioth sailed from Peleliu, on 14 November 1944, bound for Pearl Harbor. On the afternoon of 20 November, two Japanese airplanes attacked her, dropping several bombs but scoring no hits. [4]

Later that evening, one aircraft returned and dropped a bomb which exploded near the ship. Ten crewmen were slightly wounded, and the ship suffered minor structural damage from shrapnel. She continued her journey and arrived safely in Hawaiian waters on 11 December 1944. [4]

Conversion to "aviation supply issue ship"

Two days later, the ship resumed her voyage toward the West Coast of the United States, and she entered a shipyard at Alameda, California, on 24 December, for overhaul and conversion to an Aviation Supply Issue Ship. The alterations were completed in early March 1945, and Allioth received the new designation IX-204. [4]

Servicing aircraft at Ulithi

On 10 March, the vessel got underway for Pearl Harbor. After taking on more cargo there, she resumed her westward voyage, dropped anchor at Ulithi, on 8 April, and began supplying various units with airplane parts. On 3 May, her designation was changed to AVS-4. [4]

Supporting aircraft in the Philippines

When the fleet moved from Ulithi, Allioth headed for the Philippine Islands, arriving at Leyte Gulf, on 27 May. In early June, the ship sailed to Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, to load more spare parts. She returned to Leyte, on 29 June, and resumed her supply duties. [4]

Supporting aircraft in the Ryukyu Islands

Allioth moved to Okinawa, in mid-September 1945, and remained there into the next year, supporting various airplane squadrons operating in the Ryukyu Islands. On 18 January 1946, the ship got underway to return to the United States. Allioth arrived back at Alameda, on 16 February, and began discharging cargo. Her crew also began stripping the ship of excess equipment in preparation for her deactivation. [4]

Fate

Allioth returned to Pearl Harbor, on 15 April, and was placed out of commission there on 18 May 1946. [4] She was transferred to MARCOM on 13 May 1947, and laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, at Suisun Bay, California. [5]

Her name was struck from the Navy List on 22 May 1947. Under MARCOM, the ship resumed her first name, James Rowan. [4] On 27 August 1964, she was sold to Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation, for $50,719.13. On 13 October 1964, she was withdrawn from the fleet. [5]

Awards

Allioth's crew was eligible for the following medals: [3]

References

Bibliography

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