USS Capella (AK-13)

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USS Capella (AK-13).jpg
USS Capella (AK-13) Photographed pierside, probably between 1922 and 1924
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
Name
  • Comerant
  • Capella
Namesake Capella (star)
Builder American International Shipbuilding Corporation, Hog Island, Pennsylvania
Laid down1 July 1919
Launched3 March 1920
Completed17 April 1920, 77th in the series, and was given the ID number 4215-W
Acquired20 November 1921
Commissioned8 December 1921, as USS Capella (AK-13)
Recommissioned10 November 1938
Decommissioned
  • 1 September 1924
  • 30 November 1945
Stricken19 December 1945
Identification Hull symbol:AK-13
FateSold for scrapping, 2 October 1947, to H.H. Buncher for scrapping by Boston Metals, Baltimore, MD.
General characteristics [1]
Type Design 1022 ship
Displacement
  • 4,037 t (3,973 long tons) (standard)
  • 11,500 t (11,300 long tons) (full load)
Length401 ft (122 m)
Beam54 ft 1 in (16.48 m)
Draft24 ft 5 in (7.44 m)
Installed power2,500  shp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion
Speed11  kn (13 mph; 20 km/h)
Capacity4,960 DWT
Complement18 officers 253 enlisted
Armament

USS Capella (AK-13) was a cargo ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Capella, the star.

Contents

Built in Pennsylvania

Capella was built in 1920 as Comerant by American International Shipbuilding Corporation, Hog Island, Pennsylvania, under a Shipping Board contract; acquired by the Navy 20 November 1921; and commissioned 8 December 1921.

Relief supplies to Japan

Capella arrived at San Diego, California, 19 March 1922 to carry cargo along the west coast until July, when she returned to the east coast for similar duty in the next 4 months. Back in California waters in November, Capella sailed to Japan in October 1923 to bring food and medical supplies, donated by American citizens, as well as water for the relief of earthquake-desolated Yokohama.

Placed in reserve

The cargo ship resumed west coast operations until February 1924 when she returned to Norfolk, Virginia. Capella was decommissioned and placed in reserve there 1 September 1924. She was recommissioned 10 November 1938, and resumed supply runs along the east and west coast in alternate periods, on occasion penetrating Alaskan waters.

Pre-WWII and WWII service

During July and August 1940 Capella assisted in the tow of the Navy's 10,700 ton New Orleans floating drydock from Balboa, Panama Canal Zone to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Capella and USS Navajo (AT-64) conducted an in-line, tandem tow with logistics support from USS Platte (AO-24). The duration of the operation was 44 days and covered 4,771 nautical miles at an average speed of 4.5 knots. [2]

As war threatened and the United States began the buildup of Western Hemisphere bases acquired from the British, Capella was recalled to the east coast late in September 1940. The veteran cargo ship supported bases from the Panama Canal Zone to Newfoundland with cargoes brought from Atlantic ports until 1944. In June she cleared on the first of four transatlantic convoy crossings to Scotland, and North and West Africa, all so safely guarded as to be made without incident.

On 9 April 1942, Capella was hit by a friendly torpedo fired from PT-59, causing eight injuries, but no deaths.

Post WWII and decommissioning

Capella returned to Caribbean cargo duty in June 1945, and on 30 November 1945 was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia. She was transferred to the War Shipping Administration in July 1946.

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References

  1. ↑ "USS Capella (AK-13)". Navsource.org. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  2. ↑ U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, Volume 67, September 1941, pages 1241–61
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