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Achelous-class repair ship

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USS Pandemus (ARL-18), a typical Achelous-class vessel.
Class overview
Operators United States Navy
Built1943–1945
In commission1943–1971
Completed39
Active0
General characteristics
TypeRepair ship
Displacement
  • 1,781–2,220 tons
  • 3960-4,100 tons laden.
Length328 ft (100 m)
Beam50 ft (15 m)
Draft14 ft (4 m)
PropulsionDiesel engines, twin screws, 1,800 hp (1,300 kW)
Speed11.62 kn (21.5 km/h)
Complement255
Armament40 mm mounts, 20 mm mounts, numbers variable.

The Achelous-class repair ship was a class of ship built by the US Navy during World War II.

As the United States gained experience in amphibious operations, it was realized that some sort of mobile repair facility would be useful for repairing the damage that frequently occurred to smaller vessels such as LCVP's (Landing Craft Vehicle/Personnel). The Auxiliary Repair Light (ARL) ship was designed to meet this need, and the Achelous class was the only class to receive this designation.

Description

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View from the conning tower of the USS Typhon (ARL-28)

Achelous-class vessels were based on the same hull as LST's (Landing Ship, Tank) which at the time were being produced in large numbers. This hull was thought to be ideal for a ship specializing in the repair of light craft, since it was not overly large and had a shallow draught which would enable it to maneuver into small harbors, rivers and inlets where it could service damaged boats and effect other repairs on location.

The conversion from an LST to an Achelous-class ARL was done mainly by converting the large interior tank deck into a number of different shops and storerooms. Two large cargo booms were added forward, and a large 60-ton A-frame boom added amidships. The wheelhouse/chart room deck was expanded, and a conning tower added. The first nine units of the class sealed the bow doors of the LST hull.

The ship's company consisted of the usual LST crew of deck, engineering and communications departments but in addition it had a supply department, plus a repair department consisting of machinery and engine repair, carpentry, electronics repair, and hull repair divisions, giving a ship's complement of approximately 250 officers and men in total. After the first nine units were built, the later units had a revised armament as well as retaining the opening bow doors.

Operational history

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During World War II, the Achelous-class vessels worked mostly on repairing damaged landing craft, but many continued in service after the war, working again on landing craft during the Korean War and on river craft during the Vietnam War.

In all, 39 Achelous-class repair ships were built between 1943 and 1945.

Ships in Class

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Hull no. Ship Keel laid Launched Commission Decomm Fate Notes
ARL-1 Achelous 15 August 1942 25 November 1942 2 April 1943 1 January 1947 Sold for scrapping Originally ordered as LST-10
ARL-2 Amycus 17 January 1943 2 April 1943 30 July 1943 15 November 1946 laid up Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, 15 November 1946, sold for scrapping, 13 August 1971 Originally ordered as LST-489
ARL-3 Agenor 24 January 1943 3 April 1943 20 August 1943 15 November 1946 transferred to France, through Mutual Defense Assistance Program, 2 March 1951; transferred to the Republic of China, 1957 Originally ordered as LST-490
ARL-4 Adonis 31 March 1943 14 June 1943 6 August 1943 11 October 1946 Sold to private interest, 14 October 1960 Originally ordered as LST-83
ARL-5 ARL-5 8 March 1943 28 May 1943 21 July 1943 19 July 1943 Transferred to the Royal Navy, 29 July 1943, Sold to Argentina, 20 August 1947; Sold 1967 Originally ordered as LST-81
ARL-6 ARL-6 25 March 1943 9 June 1943 26 July 1943 2 August 1943 Transferred to the Royal Navy, 2 August 1943, Sold to Argentina, 20 August 1947; Sold into merchant service, 1968 Originally ordered as LST-82
ARL-7 Atlas 3 June 1943 19 October 1943 15 November 1943 13 September 1946 Sold for scrapping, 18 September 1973 Originally ordered as LST-231, Recommissioned: 1 June 1951 through 13 April 1956
ARL-8 Egeria 19 June 1943 23 November 1943 30 March 1944 1 January 1947 Sold for scrapping, 18 September 1973 Originally ordered as "LST-136"
ARL-9 Endymion 23 August 1943 17 December 1943 9 May 1944 30 November 1946 Sold for commercial service, 1 September 1973 Originally ordered as LST-513
ARL-10 Coronis 3 May 1944 8 June 1944 28 November 1944 29 July 1946 Sold for commercial service, c. 1965 Originally ordered as LST-1003
ARL-11 Creon 24 August 1944 28 November 1944 8 June 1949 Unknown Originally ordered as LST-1036
ARL-12 Poseidon 10 July 1944 24 August 1944 13 February 1945 30 November 1946 Unknown Originally ordered as LST-1037
ARL-13 Menelaus 17 November 1944 20 December 1944 29 May 1945 5 June 1947 Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Group, Sold for commercial service, 28 October 1960 Originally ordered as LST-971
ARL-14 Minos 16 June 1944 15 September 1944 26 September 1944 18 June 1946 Sold for scrapping, 18 October 1960 Originally ordered as LST-644, Recommissioned: 22 September 1950 through 19 August 1955
ARL-15 Minotaur 20 June 1944 20 September 1944 30 September 1944 26 February 1947 Loaned to the Republic of Korea (1955), Fate: Unknown Originally ordered as LST-645
ARL-16 Myrmidon 25 August 1944 28 September 1944 9 March 1945 7 July 1947 Sold, 21 December 1960 Originally ordered as LST-948
ARL-17 Numitor 19 September 1944 18 October 1944 3 April 1945 1 July 1947 Sold, and converted to a drydock Originally ordered as LST-954
ARL-18 Pandemus 20 July 1944 10 October 1944 23 February 1945 23 September 1946 Sunk as a target, 1969 Originally ordered as LST-650, Recommissioned: 14 December 1951 through 30 September 1968
ARL-19 Patroclus 22 September 1944 22 October 1944 17 April 1945 2 October 1946 Transferred to Turkey, 15 November 1952, Scrapped, September 1993 Originally ordered as LST-955
ARL-20 Pentheus 29 September 1944 22 December 1944 7 June 1945 20 April 1946 Sold, 13 June 1960 Originally ordered as "LST-1115"
ARL-21 Proserpine 2 October 1944 28 December 1944 31 May 1945 18 January 1947 Sold, 26 September 1960 Originally ordered as LST-1116, Recommissioned: 27 October 1950 through 24 May 1956
ARL-22 Romulus 17 October 1944 15 November 1944 10 May 1945 12 May 1947 Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Transferred to the Philippine Navy, November 1961, fate: unknown Originally ordered as LST-962
ARL-23 Satyr 16 August 1944 13 November 1944 27 November 1944 1 August 1947 Transferred to South Vietnam, 30 September 1971, Transferred to the Philippines, 1975, scrapped, 2004 Originally ordered as LST-852, Recommissioned: 8 September 1950 through 17 April 1956 and 15 February 1968 through 30 September 1971
ARL-24 Sphinx 20 October 1944 7 March 1945 10 May 1945 26 May 1947 Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group, Towed for scrapping, 1 December 2007 Originally ordered as LST-963

Recommissioned: 3 November 1950 through 31 January 1956, Recommissioned: 16 December 1967 through 30 September 1971 and 26 July 1985 through 16 June 1989

ARL-26 Stentor 21 September 1944 11 November 1944 22 December 1944 9 January 1945 Sold for scrap, 23 January 1961 Originally ordered as LST-858, Recommissioned: 28 April 1945 through 1 December 1947
ARL-27 Tantalus 10 October 1944 2 January 1945 13 January 1945 18 January 1947 Released to the Foreign Liquidation Commission for further transfer to the United Nations Relief, and Rehabilitation Administration for disposal, fate unknown. Originally ordered as LST-1117
ARL-28 Typhon 17 October 1944 5 January 1945 18 January 1945 29 March 1947[1] Sold to private interest, 23 February 1961 Originally ordered as LST-1118
ARL-29 Amphitrite 6 November 1944 1 February 1945 28 June 1945 1 January 1947 Sold, 16 April 1962 Originally ordered as LST-1124
ARL-30 Askari 8 December 1944 2 March 1945 15 March 1945 9 April 1945 Sold to Indonesian Navy, 1971 Originally ordered as LST-1131, Recommissioned: 23 July 1945 through 1 September 1971
ARL-31 Bellerophon 12 December 1944 7 March 1945 19 March 1945 1 September 1947 Sold for scrapping, 20 June 1980 Originally ordered as LST-1132
ARL-32 Bellona 27 December 1944 26 March 1945 28 July 1945 5 June 1946 Grounded, 1 December 1945, Declared unsalvageable & destroyed with explosives, 14 May 1946 Originally ordered as LST-1136
ARL-33 Chimaera 30 March 1945 7 August 1945 8 March 1948 Unknown, Final Disposition, sold, 20 March 1962 to NASSCO, Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA Originally ordered as LST-1137
ARL-35 Daedalus 31 January 1945 27 April 1945 19 October 1945 23 October 1947 Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Group, Sold, 28 October 1960 Originally ordered as LST-1143
ARL-36 Gordius 5 February 1945 7 May 1945 18 May 1945 11 June 1945 Transferred to Iran, 7 September 1968, fate: unknown Originally ordered as LST-1145, Recommissioned: 14 September 1945 through 21 December 1955
ARL-37 Indra 12 February 1945 21 May 1945 2 October 1945 6 October 1947 Transferred to North Carolina, January 1992, Sunk as an artificial reef, 4 August 1992 Originally ordered as LST-1147, Recommissioned: 16 December 1967 through 1 May 1970
ARL-38 Krishna 23 February 1945 25 May 1945 3 December 1945 15 September 1971 Sold to the Republic of the Philippines, 30 October 1971 Originally ordered as LST-1149
ARL-39 Quirinus 3 March 1945 4 June 1945 15 June 1945 27 March 1947 Transferred to Venezuela, June 1962, Scuttled. Used as a target ship Originally ordered as LST-1151
ARL-40 Remus 28 July 1942 10 October 1942 21 January 1943 15 July 1946 sold for scrapping, 16 December 1947 Originally ordered as LST-453
ARL-41 Achilles 3 August 1942 17 October 1942 30 January 1943 19 July 1946 transferred to the Republic of China, 8 September 1947, run aground and abandoned, 1949, captured 1949, by People's Liberation Army Navy, fate: unknown Originally ordered as LST-455
ARL-42 Aeolus Originally ordered as LST-310, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945
ARL-43 Cerberus Originally ordered as LST-316, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945
ARL-44 Conus Originally ordered as LST-317, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945
ARL-45 Feronia Originally ordered as LST-332, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945
ARL-46 Chandra Originally ordered as LST-350, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 12 September 1945
ARL-47 Minerva Originally ordered as LST-374, Ordered converted to ARL. Conversion cancelled 11 September 1945

References

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  1. ^ Typhon, Naval History and Heritage Command
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