USS Hooper Island

Last updated
USS Hooper Island (ARG-17) underway at sea, in the 1950s.jpg
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameHooper Island
Namesake Hooper's Island
BuilderBethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc
Laid down16 September 1944
Launched30 October 1944
Commissioned13 July 1945
Decommissioned15 July 1959
In service1945
Out of service1959
Stricken1 July 1960
FateSold for scrapping, 2 November 1960
Notes
  • Hull number: ARG-17
  • Ship International Radio Callsign: NKFP
General characteristics
Class and type Luzon-class repair ship
Displacement5,159 t.(lt) 14,350 t.(limiting)
Length441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft23 ft (7.0 m)
Complement30 officers, 471 enlisted
Armament

USS Hooper Island (ARG-17) was a Luzon-class repair ship designated for internal combustion engine repair in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1948 and from 1952 to 1959. She was sold for scrapping in 1960.

Contents

History

Hooper Island, the ex-Liberty ship SS Bert McDowell, was launched 30 October 1944, by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards Inc. at their yard in Fairfield, Maryland, under a Maritime Commission contract, sponsored by Mrs. Hattie Singer, and commissioned on 13 July 1945.

After shakedown off the Virginia coast, Hooper Island departed 1 September 1945, for the western Pacific and reached Sasebo, Japan, 9 November, to provide repair services to the Pacific Fleet. She remained there on repair duty until 31 October 1946, when she sailed for Qingdao, China, to perform similar services in support of US operations to stabilize China. Hooper Island completed her deployment 14 August 1947, when she sailed for San Francisco, arriving there 5 September. She remained there until she was decommissioned at Alameda, California, 24 January 1948 and joined the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

Korean War

With the outbreak of the Korean War, and the need for additional vessels to halt Communist aggression, Hooper Island was recommissioned 12 April 1952. After shakedown and repair duty on the west coast, Hooper Island sailed from Long Beach, California on 3 December 1952 bound for the trouble-filled waters of the Far East. From December 1952 until December 1955 she made three deployments to the Western Pacific in support of the 7th Fleet, thereby playing a major role in America's determination to stop the spread of communism. From August 1954 to July 1955 she supported units of the fleet when they evacuated almost 300,000 citizens of North Vietnam (scheduled to be handed over to Communist authority) to the South. Vietnamese President Diem responded to this humanitarian operation known as "Passage to Freedom" by saying: "In the name of all that you have helped, in the name of those who far away are hoping, in the name of all my compatriots whom you have brought south of the 17th parallel... with all my heart I thank you."

Post-war

Hooper Island resumed her repair services at Long Beach, California, 5 December 1955 then shifted to San Diego on 30 April 1956. After repair services at San Diego she arrived Seattle to undergo an overhaul. While in Seattle she performed repair services for two icebreakers engaged in Operation Deep-Freeze in the Antarctic. She resumed her duties at San Diego 28 October and remained there until early 1958. On 15 March, Hooper Island sailed for repair operations in the Marshall Islands, returning to San Diego 19 July where she decommissioned and once again joined the Reserve Fleet 15 July 1959, where she remained until struck from the Navy List 1 July 1960. On 2 November 1960, she was sold for scrap and was removed from Suisun Bay on 5 November 1970.

Awards

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Hopewell</i> (DD-681) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Hopewell (DD-681) was a Fletcher-class destroyer in service the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1970. She was finally sunk as a target in 1972.

USS <i>Luzerne County</i> U.S. Naval ship built during World War II

USS Luzerne County (LST-902) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Leyte</i> (ARG-8) Repair ship of the United States Navy

USS Leyte (ARG-8), later USS Maui (ARG-8), was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1972.

USS <i>Culebra Island</i>

USS Culebra Island (ARG-7) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship in the service of the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Cebu</i>

USS Cebu (ARG-6) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Cebu, an island in the Philippines, it was the second ship of the Navy to bear this name.

USS <i>Holland</i> (AS-3) Tender of the United States Navy

USS Holland (AS-3) was a submarine tender that served in the United States Navy before and during World War II. Holland was launched by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington on 12 April 1926, sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Saunders Chase, daughter of Admiral J. V. Chase, and commissioned on 1 June. Stationed at San Diego, California, tending submarine divisions there with periodic tours to Panama to service submarines based at the Canal Zone pre-World War two. Later serving in the Pacific theatre, by close of hostilities having given 55 instances of refit to submarines, provided repair and service to 20 surface craft and completed various jobs on shore installations.

USS <i>Kermit Roosevelt</i> Luzon-class ship

USS Kermit Roosevelt (ARG-16) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the only U.S. Naval vessel to be named for Kermit Roosevelt I, the second son of President Theodore Roosevelt and a soldier who served in two world wars.

USS <i>Gypsy</i> (ARS(D)-1)

USS Gypsy was the lead ship of her class of salvage lifting vessels serving in the United States Navy. Originally designated LSM-549, she was launched by Brown Shipbuilding Corporation, Houston, Texas, on 7 December 1945, and commissioned on 18 March 1946 at Houston.

USS <i>Piedmont</i> Tender of the United States Navy

USS Piedmont (AD–17) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built during World War II for the United States Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty. She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. For her work in battle areas, the ship was awarded four battle stars for her Korean War efforts and one for Vietnam War service.

USS <i>Mindanao</i> (ARG-3) US Navy Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship in service 1943-1947

USS Mindanao (ARG-3) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947. She was sunk as an artificial reef in 1980.

USS <i>Luzon</i> (ARG-2)

USS Luzon (ARG-2) was an internal combustion engine repair ship in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947 and from 1950 to 1960. She was the lead ship in a class of twelve ships and was scrapped in 1974.

USS Romulus (ARL-22) was laid down as a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship but converted to one of 39 Achelous-class repair ships that were used for repairing landing craft during World War II. Named for Romulus, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Oahu</i> (ARG-5) United States Navy vessel

USS Oahu (ARG-5) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during World War II. Named for the Island of Oahu, third largest island in the Hawaiian chain, it was the second US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Mona Island</i> US Navy Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship

USS Mona Island (ARG-9) was Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was sunk as an artificial reef in 1975.

USS <i>Jennings County</i>

USS Jennings County (LST-846) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Jennings County, Indiana, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Laertes</i>

USS Laertes (AR-20) was a Xanthus class repair ship in the service of the United States Navy from 1945 to 1972.

USS <i>Tutuila</i> (ARG-4)

USS Tutuila (ARG-4) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during World War II, The Korean War, and The Vietnam War as well as several smaller actions. Named for the Island of Tutuila, the largest and main island of American Samoa, it was the second US Naval vessel to bear the name. After serving for nearly 30 years Tutuila was sold to the Republic of China in 1972.

USS <i>Samar</i> (ARG-11)

USS Samar (ARG-11) was a Luzon class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during the final days of World War II, and in the post-war period. Named for the Samar Island in the Philippines, it was the second U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Palawan</i>

USS Palawan (ARG-10) was a Luzon class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947. She was sunk as an artificial reef in 1977.

USS <i>Chourre</i>

USS Chourre (ARV-1) was a Chourre-class aircraft repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War.

References

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.