USS Crater (AK-70)

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USS Crater (AK-70) underway in San Francisco Bay, 2 November 1942, soon after conversion for naval service.
USS Crater (AK-70) underway in San Francisco Bay, 2 November 1942, soon after conversion for naval service.
History
United States
Name:
  • John James Audubon
  • Crater
Namesake:
Ordered: as a type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 420, SS John James Audubon
Builder: Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Laid down: 28 August 1942
Launched: 8 October 1942
Acquired: 22 October 1942
Commissioned: 31 October 1942
Decommissioned: 25 June 1946
Struck: 23 June 1947
Identification: Hull symbol:AK-70
Fate: sold for scrapping, 26 August 1974, at Suisun Bay, to Seangyong Trading Co., Ltd., Seoul, South Korea, Removed, October 1974,
Status: scrapping completed, 30 March 1975
General characteristics [1]
Class & type: Crater-class cargo ship
Displacement:
  • 4,023 long tons (4,088 t) (standard)
  • 14,550 long tons (14,780 t) (full load)
Length: 441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam: 56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft: 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power: 2,500 shp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion:
Speed: 12.5 kn (14.4 mph; 23.2 km/h)
Complement: 205
Armament:

The USS Crater (AK-70) was the lead ship of the Crater-class cargo ship of converted liberty ship cargo ships in the service of the United States Navy in World War II. Named after the constellation Crater, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.

Crater was laid down 28 August 1942 as liberty ship SS John James Audubon (MCE hull 420) by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California, under a Maritime Commission contract. She was launched 8 October 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Mary Elisabeth Cornelison Wetsel and transferred to the Navy 22 October 1942. Crater was commissioned 31 October 1942, with Lieutenant Commander R. Dodd, USNR, in command.

Clearing San Francisco 10 November 1942, Crater delivered cargo to Efate and Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, and Nouméa, New Caledonia before arriving at Wellington, New Zealand, 28 June 1943 to repair and reload.

Crater continued to carry cargo from New Zealand and other supply bases to Guadalcanal and throughout the Solomons until 21 June 1944, when she sailed to operate in the Marshalls and Marianas through the summer. She returned to Guadalcanal, resuming operations in the southwest Pacific until 1 March 1945, when she cleared for overhaul at San Francisco.

She delivered cargo from the west coast at Samar, Philippines, and departed 26 July for Auckland. Crater carried cargo from Auckland and Brisbane, Australia, to Saipan, the Philippines, Manus, Nouméa, and Eniwetok until 5 February 1946, when she sailed for Pearl Harbor, arriving 24 February.

After a voyage to San Pedro, California, Crater was decommissioned at Pearl Harbor 25 June 1946, and was transferred to the Maritime Commission the next day.

References

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External links