USS Briareus

Last updated

USS Briareus (AR-12) underway near the New York Naval Shipyard (USA), on 16 November 1943 (19-N-55822).jpg
USS Briareus (AR-12) underway near New York Navy Yard, 16 November 1943, a day after commissioning
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
Name
  • SS Hawaiian Planter (1941–16 February 1943)
  • USS Briareus 16 February 1943–9 September 1955)
  • Briareus (9 September 1955–1 January 1977)
Namesake Briareus
Builder Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company
Launched14 February 1941
Acquired16 February 1943
Commissioned15 November 1943
Decommissioned15 October 1946
Recommissioned22 September 1951
Decommissioned9 September 1955
Stricken1 January 1977
FateSold, delivered for scrapping 14 December 1980
General characteristics
Class and typeDelta-class repair ship
Tonnage7,798  GRT as SS Hawaiian Planter [1]
Displacement8,975 long tons (9,119 t)
Length
  • 468 ft 3 in (142.7 m) as SS Hawaiian Planter [1]
  • 490 ft 6 in (149.5 m) [2]
Beam
  • 69 ft 7 in (21.2 m) as SS Hawaiian Planter [1]
  • 69 ft 6 in (21.2 m) [2]
Draft
  • 29 ft 5 in (9.0 m) as SS Hawaiian Planter [1]
  • 26 ft 9 in (8.2 m) [2]
Speed18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement903
Armament

USS Briareus was originally the cargo ship SS Hawaiian Planter laid down as a Maritime Commission type C3 Mod. at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company for the Matson Line and delivered 15 May 1941. [3] [2] After a brief pre-war commercial service and allocation to the Army for transport the ship was purchased by the United States Navy in February 1943 and converted to a repair ship. [2]

Contents

Commercial service

Hawaiian Planter in Port Melbourne, Victoria, 1941 Hawaiin Planter (1941).png
Hawaiian Planter in Port Melbourne, Victoria, 1941

Matson intended the ship to join Hawaiian Shipper and Hawaiian Merchant in the U.S. Pacific coast and Australia route. [4]

On 8 October 1941 the Hawaiian Planter departed the U.S. mainland with a load of drummed aviation fuel under United States Army charter operating in an attempt to build up supplies for bomber missions in the event of war at Singapore and in Australian territory at Rockhampton, Darwin, Port Moresby and Rabaul. On 3 December she departed Honolulu with intent to drop 1,020 drums at Rabaul, 7,140 drums at Port Moresby, 6,000 at Rockhampton and 8,160 at Darwin. The start of war in the Pacific forced a stop in Pago Pago while commanders decided where the cargo should go. The ship was diverted to Sydney with the cargo of fuel six days after the planes and cargoes of the Pensacola Convoy. Those cargoes, along with those of other ships diverted there, were vital in the early buildup of U.S. Army Forces in Australia (USAFIA). On 2 January 1942 Hawaiian Planter departed with cargo for Java in the effort to build forces there. [5]

Until acquisition by the Navy the ship was allocated by the War Shipping Administration for Army shipping requirements. [1] [6] Hawaiian Planter was one of two freighters, the other being Hawaiian Merchant, that with seven troop ships made the first full division movement in one convoy departing San Francisco for Australia 22 April 1942 with the 32nd Infantry Division under escort by the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) reaching Adelaide on 14 May. [7]

Hawaiian Planter was purchased by the Navy on 16 February 1943 and renamed Briareus, then designated a Delta-class repair ship AR-12. She was converted to naval service by the Bethlehem Steel Company at Brooklyn, New York and commissioned on 15 November 1943. [2]

World War II, 1943–1946

She conducted her shakedown cruise during the middle of December and then put into Norfolk, Virginia, on the 20th. Briareus remained in Norfolk until 3 January 1944 at which time she put to sea for the Panama Canal. The repair ship arrived in Cristóbal, Canal Zone, on 8 January and transited the canal on the 9th. She continued her voyage west that same day. The ship entered Pearl Harbor on 23 January. There, she began repair work and, over the following month, made repairs on 18 ships. On 25 February, Briareus stood out of Pearl Harbor on her way to the southwestern Pacific. She made port at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides on 11 March. There, she relieved Dixie (AD-14) as senior repair ship. During the six months that Briareus spent at Espiritu Santo, she made a variety of repairs on a wide assortment of ships ranging in size from landing craft to the battleship California (BB-44). [2]

Leaving Aristaeus in charge of the repair work at Espiritu Santo, Briareus left the New Hebrides on 22 September. The ship arrived at Manus in the Admiralty Islands on 26 September and reported for duty to the Commander, Service Squadron (ServRon) 10. At Manus, the repair ship worked preparing damaged ships of all varieties for the upcoming invasion of the Philippines at Leyte. In addition, she made temporary repairs on some more badly damaged ships that had to return to the more extensive repair facilities in the United States. Early in November while Briareus was still at Manus, the ammunition ship Mount Hood (AE-11) exploded in the harbor. Briareus, some seven miles distant at the time, suffered no damage, but three of her crewmen detailed to ammunition delivery, disappeared in the disaster. The repair ship spent much of the remainder of November repairing motor minesweepers (YMS) damaged by fragments in the explosion. [2]

She resumed her normal duties in December 1944 and January 1945 but in February orders sent her to a new location. On 18 February, the ship stood out of Seeadler Harbor and shaped a course for the Solomon Islands. She arrived in at Port Purvis on Florida Island in the Solomons, located across Ironbottom Sound and Sealark Channel from Guadalcanal, on 21 February 1945. At Port Purvis, she concentrated almost entirely upon the repair of tank landing ships (LST). Briareus remained at Purvis Bay only about three weeks. On 15 March, she got underway for the New Hebrides. The repair ship's stay at Espiritu Santo to perform repairs on a force of transports and attack cargo ships proved even briefer than her sojourn in the Solomons. On 1 April, she headed back to Manus in the Admiralty Islands. En route, however, her destination was changed to Ulithi Atoll in the Western Carolines. Briareus arrived in the lagoon at Ulithi later that month and began repairing ships damaged in the Okinawa campaign as well as many damaged by storms off the southern coasts of the Japanese home islands. [2]

The repair ship remained at Ulithi until 3 July when she received orders to, and got underway for, Leyte in the Philippines. She reported for duty to Commander, ServRon 10, at Leyte on 5 July. Originally, she was slated to perform repairs on ships staging for the invasion of Japan, and she spent the rest of July working on transports and amphibious craft, but the imminence of the Japanese capitulation, however, caused a shift of emphasis to the minecraft necessary to sweep in advance of the occupation forces. She also made voyage repairs on ships headed back to the United States. Briareus remained at Leyte until 14 September when she got underway for Okinawa. The repair ship arrived in Buckner Bay on the 18th and resumed repair duty. The Okinawa assignment lasted until December when she headed back to the United States. By early 1946, the ship was in Norfolk, Virginia, assigned to the Service Force, Atlantic Fleet. On 20 May 1946, Briareus reported to the Commander, Norfolk Group, 16th (Atlantic Reserve) Fleet, to begin inactivation. Decommissioned on 15 October 1946, she was berthed at Norfolk. [2]

Atlantic Fleet, 1951–1955

Briareus was brought out of reserve and was recommissioned at Norfolk on 22 September 1951 with Captain W. J. O'Brien . The ship conducted sea trials out of Norfolk on 23 October. Returning to port that same day, she remained at Norfolk until 13 November when she got underway for Boston, Massachusetts. Briareus arrived at her destination on 15 November and entered the Boston Naval Shipyard for two months of repairs. On 24 January 1952, the repair ship headed back to Norfolk where she began an assignment of just over three years with the Service Force, Atlantic Fleet. In addition to her repair work in Norfolk, she pursued the routine of periodic fleet and single-ship exercises in the Virginia Capes operating area. She also served briefly at such ports as Charleston in South Carolina and Port Everglades and Mayport in Florida. [2]

In reserve and disposal, 1955–1980

On 26 May 1955, Briareus entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for an overhaul. On 9 September 1955, she was decommissioned and berthed once more with the Norfolk Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, which she served as an accommodation and depot ship. That occupation continued until 7 June 1972 at which time she was transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in its James River Group, National Defense Reserve Fleet. She was surveyed late in 1976, and her name was struck from the Navy List on 1 January 1977. [2] On 3 May 1978 the ship was withdrawn by the Navy from the James River reserve fleet to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for stripping. On 19 November 1980 the stripped vessel was sold to the Jacobson Metal Company in Chesapeake, Virginia, for $411,601 for scrapping and delivered to the buyer on 14 December 1980. [8]

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Altamaha</i> (CVE-18) Escort aircraft carrier in the U. S. Navy during World War II

USS Altamaha (AVG-18/ACV-18/CVE-18) was an escort aircraft carrier in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for the Altamaha River in Georgia.

USS <i>Denver</i> (CL-58) Light cruiser of the United States Navy

USS Denver (CL-58) was a Cleveland-class light cruiser. Denver launched on 4 April 1942 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey; sponsored by Miss L. J. Stapleton, daughter of the Mayor of Denver; and commissioned on 15 October 1942, Captain Robert Carney in command. It was the second ship named for the city of Denver, Colorado.

USS <i>Arided</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Arided (AK-73), a Crater-class cargo ship, is the only ship of the US Navy to have this name. She was named after Arided, the other name of Deneb, the alpha star of constellation Cygnus.

USS <i>Lassen</i> (AE-3) Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Lassen (AE-3) was built as MS Shooting Star under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract, was delivered to the U.S. Navy after sea trials, and became an ammunition cargo ship during World War II. Like many Naval ships of this category that carried large amounts of explosive cargo, she was named for a volcano. In this case, the ship was named for Lassen Peak, a volcano in northern California that erupted heavily in 1914–17.

USS <i>Fuller</i> (APA-7)

USS Fuller (AP-14/APA-7) was a Heywood-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1941 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1957.

USS <i>Albireo</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

The USS Albireo (AK-90) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II and manned by a US Coast Guard crew. She was the only ship of the Navy to have borne this name. She is named after Albireo, a star in the constellation of Cygnus.

USS <i>Zebra</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Zebra (AKN-5) was an Indus-class net cargo ship in the service of the United States Navy in World War II. The ship was originally the Matthew Lyon, an EC2-S-C1 Liberty ship, operated for the War Shipping Administration (WSA) as a cargo vessel by an agent until severely damaged by torpedo in August 1943. While at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides awaiting likely scrapping the Navy acquired the vessel under bareboat charter to be used as a net cargo ship transporting reclaimed anti-submarine netting.

USS <i>Alcyone</i> WWII US attack cargo ship

USS Alcyone (AKA-7) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship named after Alcyone, the brightest star in the star cluster Pleiades. She served as a commissioned ship for five years and one month.

USS <i>Alchiba</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Alchiba (AKA-6) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship of the United States Navy, named after Alchiba, a star in the constellation Corvus. She served as a commissioned ship for 4 years and 7 months.

USS <i>Patuxent</i> (AO-44) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Patuxent (AO-44) was a Kennebec-class oiler in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Patuxent River in Maryland.

USS <i>Saranac</i> (AO-74) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Saranac (AO-74), originally named the SS Cowpens, was a Type T2-SE-A1 Suamico-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy, and the fourth ship of the Navy to bear the name.

USS <i>Barnwell</i>

USS Barnwell (APA/LPA-132) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947. She was sunk as a target in 1986.

USS <i>Wharton</i>

USS Wharton (AP-7) was a troop transport in the service of the United States Navy during World War II. The ship was originally an Emergency Fleet Corporation Design 1029 type built for the United States Shipping Board. The ship was laid down as Manmasco but renamed and launched as Sea Girt then completed September 1921 as Southern Cross. The ship was first allocated by the United States Shipping Board to the Munson Steamship Line until purchased by the line in 1925. Munson operated the Southern Cross in the South American trade from 1921 until 1938 when the ship was sold at a Marshall's sale and taken over by the United States Maritime Commission which paid the full mortgage claim.

USS <i>Pocomoke</i> (AV-9) Tender of the United States Navy

USS Pocomoke (AV-9) was a Pocomoke-class seaplane tender, originally built as the SS Exchequer and acquired by the U.S. Navy as the military build-up occurred in the United States just prior to World War II. She operated principally in the Pacific Theatre of the war and serviced military seaplanes. At war’s end, she returned to the United States with two battle stars.

USS Atascosa (AO-66) was an Atascosa-class fleet oiler acquired by the United States Navy for use in World War II. She had the dangerous task of supplying fuel and ammunition to ships in and near, combat areas in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

USS <i>Rutilicus</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Rutilicus (AK-113) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

USS Zaurak (AK-117) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS Volans (AKS-9) was an Acubens-class general stores issue ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering and disbursing goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Loeser</i> Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS Loeser was a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Arthur E. Loeser (1903–1942).

USS <i>George F. Elliott</i> (AP-105) American cargo liner ship

USS George F. Elliott (AP-105) was a cargo liner built for the Mississippi Shipping Company as SS Delbrasil for operation between New Orleans and the east coast of South America in 1939 by its operator, Delta Line. The ship entered that service and operated until taken over by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 28 April 1942 for operation by Delta Line acting as WSA's agent. On 25 August 1943 WSA allocated the ship to the Navy for conversion to a troop transport commissioned and operated by the Navy for the duration of the war. Ownership of the ship was transferred from Mississippi Shipping to WSA on 4 February 1944 while under Navy operation and was retained until sale to American South African Lines on 22 December 1948. The ship was renamed African Endeavor until returned as a trade in to the Maritime Commission on 22 September 1960 for layup in the James River reserve fleet and later sold to Boston Metals for scrapping.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lloyds 1943–44.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DANFS: Briareus.
  3. ↑ Colton 2008.
  4. ↑ Cairns Post 1941.
  5. ↑ Williford 2010, pp. 117, 261.
  6. ↑ Grover 1987, p. 48.
  7. ↑ Red Arrows.
  8. ↑ Maritime Administration.

References cited

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.