USS Lancaster (AK-193)

History
United States
Name	Coastal Ringleader (1944–1945); Lancaster (1945);
Namesake	Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2124
Builder	Walter Butler Shipbuilders Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number	42
Laid down	1 July 1944
Launched	15 December 1944
Acquired	21 September 1945
Commissioned	21 September 1945
Decommissioned	23 November 1945
Stricken	date unknown
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-193; Code letters: NEOE; ;
Fate	Returned to Maritime Commission, 23 November 1945
United States
Name	Coastal Ringleader
Owner	Maritime Commission
Operator	Polarus SS Company (1945); New York and Puerto Rico SS Company (1946); United Fruit Company (1948);
Acquired	23 November 1945
In service	23 November 1945
Out of service	25 May 1948
Fate	Sold, 13 July 1956
Brazil
Name	Coastal Ringleader
Operator	Companhia Nacional de Navegacao Costerira, Patrimonio Nacional
Acquired	13 July 1956
In service	2 October 1956
Fate	Hulked 1975, deleted 1992
General characteristics
Class & type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Displacement	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard); 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load);
Length	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine ; 1,750 shp (1,300 kW);
Propulsion	1 × propeller
Speed	11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT ; 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated); 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated);
Complement	15 Officers; 70 Enlisted;
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50-caliber dual-purpose gun (DP); 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons;

Last updated August 24, 2025

USS Lancaster (AK-193) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed by the US Navy during the closing period of World War II. She was declared excess-to-needs and returned to the US Maritime Commission shortly after commissioning.

Construction

The fourth ship to be so named by the Navy, Lancaster was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2124, 1 July 1944, by Walter Butler Shipbuilding Inc., Superior, Wisconsin; launched the same year; acquired by the Navy 21 September 1945; and commissioned the same day.^[3]

Post-war decommissioning

The end of World War II reduced the need for cargo ships, and Lancaster decommissioned 23 November 1945, she was returned to the War Shipping Administration the same day with her name reverting to Coastal Ringleader.^[3]

Merchant service

Coastal Ringleader was used by several shipping companies from 1945 to 1948, when she was placed in the reserve fleet.^[2]

On 13 July 1956, she was sold to Companhia Nacional de Navegacao Costerira, Patrimonio Nacional, of Brazil, for $693,682, under the condition that she be used for coastal shipping. She was delivered on 2 October 1956.^[4]

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Online resources

"Lancaster III (AK-193)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Naval History and Heritage Command. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
"USS Lancaster (AK-193)". NavSource. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
"Coastal Ringleader". United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.

External links

Photo gallery of USS Lancaster (AK-193) at NavSource Naval History

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.

[FOOTNOTEC1_Cargo_Ships2009-1] 1 2 3 C1 Cargo Ships 2009.

[FOOTNOTENavsource2011-2] 1 2 Navsource 2011.

[FOOTNOTEDANFS2015-3] 1 2 DANFS 2015.

[FOOTNOTEMARAD-4] MARAD.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Alamosa-class cargo ships
Alamosa Alcona Amador Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Beltrami Blount Brevard Bullock Cabell Caledonia Charlevoix Chatham Chicot Claiborne Clarion Codington Colquitt Craighead Doddridge^* Duval^* Fairfield Faribault Fentress Flagler Gadsden Glacier Grainger Gwinnett Habersham Hennepin Herkimer Hidalgo Kenosha Lebanon Lehigh Lancaster Marengo Midland Minidoka Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Pembina Pemiscot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulare^* Washtenaw ^** / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^* Wexford ^† / Coastal Crusader Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Short Splice Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca
* = Canceled August 1945 ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader
List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

v t e Type C1-M ships
Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch
Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator
Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet
Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar

History

United States
Name	Coastal Ringleader (1944–1945) Lancaster (1945)
Namesake	Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2124^[1]
Builder	Walter Butler Shipbuilders Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number	42^[1]
Laid down	1 July 1944
Launched	15 December 1944
Acquired	21 September 1945
Commissioned	21 September 1945
Decommissioned	23 November 1945
Stricken	date unknown
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-193 Code letters: NEOE
Fate	Returned to Maritime Commission, 23 November 1945
United States
Name	Coastal Ringleader
Owner	Maritime Commission
Operator	Polarus SS Company (1945) New York and Puerto Rico SS Company (1946) United Fruit Company (1948)
Acquired	23 November 1945
In service	23 November 1945
Out of service	25 May 1948
Fate	Sold, 13 July 1956
Brazil
Name	Coastal Ringleader
Operator	Companhia Nacional de Navegacao Costerira, Patrimonio Nacional
Acquired	13 July 1956
In service	2 October 1956
Fate	Hulked 1975, deleted 1992
General characteristics ^[2]
Class & type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)^[1]
Displacement	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard) 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine 1,750 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × propeller
Speed	11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT 9,830 cu ft (278 m³) (refrigerated) 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m³) (non-refrigerated)
Complement	15 Officers 70 Enlisted
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50-caliber dual-purpose gun (DP) 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons