USS Mercury (AK-42)

USS "Mercury" (AK-42) was a cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering necessary goods and equipment to ships and stations in the war zone.
Service career.
The fifth ship to be named "Mercury" by the Navy, "AK-42" was launched as SS "Lightning by Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Go., Kearny, New Jersey, 15 July 1939; sponsored by Mrs. Royal S. Copeland; purchased on the ways by Moore McCormack Lines and placed in operation by them as SS "Mormactern 30 October 1940; acquired by the Navy 20 June 1941; converted, and commissioned as "Mercury" 1 July 1942, Lt. Comdr. G. W. Graber, Merchant Navy (United Kingdom), in command.
Throughout her World War II service, "Mercury" operated in the Pacific Ocean, beginning with long runs from the west coast to the South Pacific and ending with underway replenishments for the fast carrier forces. The converted merchantman completed her maiden wartime voyage at San Francisco, California, 27 September 1942 having carried a mixed cargo, which included drummed petroleum products, landing mats, dynamite, engineering equipment, and food, to Noumea and Guadalcanal. Over the next 15 months she continued to carry essential materiel to the South Pacific, supporting Allied forces as they pushed through the Solomons and the Gilberts.
On 7 January 1944, as plans for the Marshall Islands campaign reached completion, she reported for duty with the U.S. 5th Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Two weeks later, with U.S. Army assault units and combat cargo, she sailed with TG 51.1, the reserve force for Operation Flintlock. Arriving in Kwajalein lagoon 2 February, she remained anchored there, with her passengers and cargo uncommitted, until 15 February, when the island hopping pace was stepped up. The Eniwetok assault date was pushed forward and the Kwajalein Reserve Force became the expeditionary force for Operation Catchpole.
On the 17th, "Mercury" entered the lagoon of strategic Eniwetok, which would become the temporary naval and air base needed to take the Carolines and Marianas. The cargo ship landed men and supplies on both Engebi Island and Eniwetok Island and then returned to Kwajalein to embark Marine casualties for transportation back to the United States.
Arriving at San Francisco 17 March, "Mercury" underwent overhaul and then resumed cargo runs between Pearl Harbor and the U.S. West Coast and among the Hawaiian Islands. On 7 June she got underway once more for the war zone, anchoring south of Garapan, Saipan, on the 26th. Less than 5 hours later, at 2131, a Japanese bomber came through the smokescreen at an altitude of about 92 feet and headed for the ship's superstructure. The plane's torpedo hit the amidships living compartments on the port boat deck and continued on, breaking in two without detonating. The torpedo's main body was found in the 1st lieutenant's room and its fuse was located in the engine room, while the explosive components (TNT) of its warhead were spread over the port boat and bridge decks. The plane itself fell victim to the after starboard boom which stood passively in the enemy's path, knocking the plane out of control upon collision and causing it to crash 500 yards off the starboard quarter.
Following repairs at Pearl Harbor, "Mercury" returned to the western Pacific. She arrived at Manus 3 October and 5 days later became a unit of the U.S. 7th Fleet as task force TF 33 became TF 79 for the reconquest of the Philippines. On the 14th, with Army assault personnel again embarked, she sailed for Leyte Gulf. A week later she discharged her cargo and passengers off the Dulag beachhead and then sailed for Hollandia. Through November and into December she carried reinforcements to Leyte from New Guinea and the Admiralties.
On 30 December she got underway for another invasion, this time Luzon. Arriving in Lingayen Gulf 9 January 1945, she unloaded in 2 days and returned to Leyte to embark units of the 38th Infantry Division, assigned to cut off a Japanese retreat into the Bataan Peninsula. Completing the mission off the coast of Zambales Province 29 January, she steamed for Ulithi, joined ServRon 10, and underwent alterations to enable her to transfer cargo at sea. On 26 February she completed her first such operation and for the next 51 days remained at sea replenishing the fast carriers off Okinawa. She then proceeded to San Francisco, California, arriving 12 June for conversion to a store-issues ship. She was reclassified AKS 20, 31 July and completed conversion in September 1945.
Detached from the U.S. Pacific Fleet, "Mercury" sailed from San Francisco 12 October and transited the Panama Canal to begin operations with Service Force, Atlantic fleet. For the next 4 years she plied between the United States and Europe, supporting ashore and afloat units of naval forces, eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean. In 1950 she began operating with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean as the on station fleet issue ship with Underway Support Group, alternating tours in that role with . Arriving at Norfolk, Virginia, 16 October 1958, she completed her last mission in that capacity, a 10-month tour during which she set records for underway transfer rates while supporting the 6th Fleet during the Lebanon crisis.
"Mercury" remained at Norfolk until March 1959 when she steamed to Orange, Texas. There she decommissioned 28 May. Struck from the Naval Register 1 August 1959, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration 5 April 1960. She entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet in February 1961 and was berthed in Beaumont, Texas, in 1969.
Military awards and honors.
"Mercury" received five battle stars for World War II service:
Her crew was eligible for the following medals:


D-class submarine

D-class submarine may refer to:


SS Panaman

SS "Panaman was a cargo ship built in 1913 for the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company. The ship was sometimes incorrectly referred to as SS "Panamanian. During World War I she was known as USAT "Panaman in service for the United States Army and USS "Panaman" (ID-3299) in service for the United States Navy. Late in her career she was known as SS "Marcella for the Italian government.
She was built by the Maryland Steel Company as one of eight sister ships for the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company, and was employed in inter-coastal service via the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Panama Canal after it opened. In World War I, USAT "Panaman" carried cargo and animals to France under charter to the U.S. Army. When transferred to the U.S. Navy in August 1918, USS "Panaman" continued in the same duties, but after the Armistice, was converted to a troop transport and returned over 11,000 American troops from France. Returned to American-Hawaiian in 1919, "Panaman" resumed inter-coastal cargo service.
During World War II, "Panaman" was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and initially sailed between New York and Caribbean ports, but with two trips to African ports mixed in. Beginning in mid 1943, "Panaman" sailed from New York or Boston to ports in the United Kingdom. In late 1946, she was sailing in the Pacific Ocean. In July 1947, American-Hawaiian sold "Panaman" to the Italian government. Renamed "Marcella" at that time, she was scrapped in September 1954 at Baltimore.
Design and construction.
In November 1911, the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company placed an order with the Maryland Steel Company of Sparrows Point, Maryland, for two new cargo ships—"Panaman" and . The contract cost of the ships was set at the construction cost plus an 8% profit for Maryland Steel, but with a maximum cost of $640,000 each. The construction was financed by Maryland Steel with a credit plan that called for a 5% down payment in cash with nine monthly installments for the balance. Provisions of the deal allowed that some of the nine installments could be converted into longer-term notes or mortgages. The final cost of "Panaman", including financing costs, was $70.29 per deadweight ton, which came out to just over $715,000.
"Panaman" (Maryland Steel yard no. 128) was the first ship built under the contract. The ship was , and was in length (between perpendiculars) and abeam. She had a deadweight tonnage of , and her cargo holds, which had a storage capacity of , were outfitted with a complete refrigeration plant so that she could carry perishable products from the West Coast—like fresh produce from Southern California farms—to the East Coast. "Panaman" had a single steam engine powered by oil-fired boilers that drove a single screw propeller at a speed of .
Early career.
When "Panaman" began sailing for American-Hawaiian, the company shipped cargo from East Coast ports via the Tehuantepec Route to West Coast ports and Hawaii, and vice versa. Shipments on the Tehuantepec Route would arrive at Mexican ports—Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, for eastbound cargo, and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, for westbound cargo—and would traverse the Isthmus of Tehuantepec on the Tehuantepec National Railway. Eastbound shipments were primarily sugar and pineapple from Hawaii, while westbound cargoes were more general in nature. "Panaman" sailed in this service on the west side of North America.
After the United States occupation of Veracruz on 21 April 1914 (which found six American-Hawaiian ships in Mexican ports), the Huerta-led Mexican government closed the Tehuantepec National Railway to American shipping. This loss of access coupled with the fact that the Panama Canal was not yet open, caused American-Hawaiian to return in late April to its historic route of sailing around South America via the Straits of Magellan. With the opening of the Panama Canal on 15 August, American-Hawaiian ships switched to taking that route.
In October 1915, landslides closed the Panama Canal and all American-Hawaiian ships, including "Panaman", returned to the Straits of Magellan route again. "Panaman"s exact movements from this time through early 1917 are unclear. She may have been in the half of the American-Hawaiian fleet that was chartered for transatlantic service. She may also have been in the group of American-Hawaiian ships chartered for service to South America, delivering coal, gasoline, and steel in exchange for coffee, nitrates, cocoa, rubber, and manganese ore.
World War I.
At some point after the United States declared war on Germany, the United States Army chartered "Panaman" for transporting pack animals to Europe in support of the American Expeditionary Force. Although there is no information about the specific conversion of "Panaman", for other ships this typically meant that passenger accommodations had to be ripped out and replaced with ramps and stalls for the horses and mules carried. Details about "Panaman"s first two animal transport journeys are not known, but her third trip began 1 April 1918 when she sailed from Newport News, Virginia, with 180 animals for Saint-Nazaire. All 180 animals arrived in good health; none had died, fallen ill, or been injured during the trip. Further details of "Panaman"s Army service are not known.
On 12 August, "Panaman" was transferred to the United States Navy at New York, and was commissioned into the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS) the same day. "Panaman" was loaded with a cargo of general supplies, beef, and a deck-load of trucks and sailed in a convoy from New York on 21 September, arriving at its destination of Saint-Nazaire 6 days later. Back in New York on 7 October, "Panaman" was outfitted with 821 stalls for horses, and took on a load of horses, general cargo, and 78 officers and men. Sailing in her next convoy on 19 October, she reached Bordeaux on 6 November, five days before the Armistice. After sailing from France on 16 November, she arrived at Newport News eleven days later and underwent repairs.
"Panaman" sailed on 8 December for New York, where the Board of Survey found her fit for conversion to a troop transport and transferred her from the (NOTS) to the Cruiser and Transport Force. Though sources do not indicate the specific modifications "Panaman" underwent, typical conversions for other ships included the installation of berths for troops, and adding greatly expanded cooking and toilet facilities to handle the large numbers of men aboard. Similar modifications on "Panaman"s sister ship took three months, but it is not known how long "Panaman"s refit took. After her conversion, she made six roundtrip voyages to France and brought home 11,393 American personnel. USS "Panaman" was decommissioned on 18 September 1919, and returned to American-Hawaiian the same day.
Interwar years.
"Panaman" resumed cargo service with American-Hawaiian after her return from World War I service. Though the company had abandoned its original Hawaiian sugar routes by this time, "Panaman" continued inter-coastal service through the Panama Canal in a relatively uneventful career. Hints at cargos she carried during this time can be gleaned from contemporary news reports from the "Los Angeles Times". In April 1923, for example, the newspaper ran a report provided by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce that went into great detail listing the contents of the cargo that "Panaman" had unloaded. The items included items such as of iron conduit pipe, of paper towels and toilet tissue, and of canned hominy. In June 1926, the newspaper ran a photograph that showed the loading of a $1,000 prize bull that was beginning its journey from Los Angeles Harbor to Guatemala City aboard "Panaman".
In 1940, "Panaman" made the news when eleven crewmen mutinied, according to the ship's captain. The ship was held up in San Diego for 18 hours because the men refused to obey the captain's orders. When an agreement brokered by Harry Lundeberg of the Sailors' Union of the Pacific was reached, the men followed orders to get the ship to Los Angeles where the union would attempt to settle the issue. But on arrival in Los Angeles Harbor, the ship was boarded by three FBI agents and two representatives of the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation. After interviewing the captain behind closed doors aboard the ship, the FBI turned the investigation over to the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation, whose two investigators conducted a hearing for the eleven men.
World War II.
After the United States entered World War II, "Panaman" was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and frequently sailed in convoys. Though complete records of her sailings are unavailable, partial records indicate some of the ports that "Panaman" visited during the conflict and some of the cargo. From August 1942 to April 1943, "Panaman" sailed primarily between New York and Caribbean ports, calling at Trinidad, Key West, Hampton Roads, and Guantánamo Bay. One exception to this pattern was in November 1942 when "Panaman" sailed on one roundtrip to Durban, South Africa, returning by way of Bahia.
In late April 1943, "Panaman" sailed from Hampton Roads to Algiers and back, returning to the former in late June. Beginning in July, "Panaman" sailed from either Boston or New York to Halifax and Liverpool for some eight round trips between then and October 1944. "Panaman" also visited Belfast Lough in March 1944, Falmouth and Seine Bay in June, and Southampton and Belfast Lough again in July. In October, "Panaman" sailed from New York to Guantánamo Bay. According to personal letters sent from the Philippines by a crewman to family members, "Panaman" served in the Pacific Theater in the Summer of 1945.
Later career.
After the war's end, American-Hawaiian continued operating "Panaman" for about two more years. In December 1946, the "Chicago Daily Tribune" reported that "Panaman" was speeding to Manila with two men ill with polio. The news article reported that the ship had one man die in Saigon from the disease two months prior. In July the following year, the company sold the "Panaman" to the Italian government. The ship operated under her new name of "Marcella" and remained in Italian hands until she was scrapped on 15 September 1954 at Baltimore.


Dredge suction mouth

The dredge suction mouth is a Cutter Suction Dredger component positioned behind the cutter head of a CSD during extraction of non-cohesive material from the sea bottom.
Features of the Dredge Suction Mouth.
The dredge suction mouth is made of one cast piece. Its flange is cast together with the body of the dredge suction mouth. By using only one cast piece eliminates many operations, such as machining, forging, welding and allows the most intricate shapes, both external and internal that can be obtained to follow the shape of the flow.
Materials of Dredge Suction Mouth.
The dredge suction mouth is produced from Carbon Steel that allows easy welding and hardfacing. The other material, Carbon manganese steel increases the depth of hardening and improving strength and toughness. The Alloy steel is used to obtain higher performance in wear resistance.


Elyros (ship)

"Elyros" is a Greek ferry, which is the second newest ship, being part of ANEK Lines fleet, following "Asterion II". She is a motor Ro-Ro/Passenger ferryboat, built in 1998 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard at Shimonoseki, Japan, and put into service by ANEK at 2008 (previously operated under different names and owners). It holds a total of 1,874 passengers and 620 vehicles, She has 323 passenger air type seats. She has two Pielstick 12PC4-2 engines, with combined power of 26,180 kW and reaches speeds of up to 24 knots. It also has an internet cafe. The ship has been awarded by ShipPax Awards 2009 as the ship with the best retrofit for 2008. It was named after Elyros; an ancient city of southwestern Crete.
History.
1990s, Construction and first years.
The ship was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and was launched on 5 June 1997. The ship was originally named "Sunflower Tsukuba", as many KK Blue Highway Line ships had the title "Sunflower" before their name, along with a red sun with orange rays to their livery. The ship was finished on 18 October 1997.
It was delivered on 19 January 1998 to KK Blue Highway Line and deployed on the route between Ōarai and Tomakomai.
2000s, Mol Ferry, Higashi Nihon Ferry and arrival at Greece.
In April 2002, the ferry was transferred to Mol Ferry, and then in 2006 to Higashi Nihon Nihon Ferry, when it was renamed "Ferry Tsukuba".
It was acquired by ANEK in 2007 and renamed "Elyros". On 27 August 2007, she arrived at Perama for retrofitting in order to comply with the requirements of the Mediterranean routes. The retrofit was completed in August 2008. On 26 September, she was inaugurated at 5:30 in Piraeus and on the 28th of the same month she was launched on the line between Piraeus and Chania.
2010-Today, charters.
During the Libyan conflict in 2014, the Libyan Parliament was housed on the "Elyros", which was sailing off the coast of Tombok in eastern Libya for the security of parliamentarians. The vessel was chartered from 2 September 2014 until 25 of the same month.
The ship has been chartered three times to Algerie Ferries in the summers of 2016, 2017 and 2018, linking Algiers to Alicante and Marseilles. The first charter (2016) took place from 26 June 2016 until 22 September of the same year. The second (2017) began in June 2017 until September of the same year. The third began in June 2018 and was completed in September of the same year and returned to the Chania-Piraeus line on the 13th of the month.


Cagni-class submarine

The Cagni or "Ammiraglio Cagni" class was a class of submarines built for Italy's "Regia Marina" during World War II.
Design.
These submarines were designed as commerce raiders for oceanic operations. They had high endurance and a large torpedo load for extended patrols. A smaller torpedo was chosen, rather than the standard , as the Italians believed this was adequate to deal with merchant ships. The boats were designed to have the range to sail non-stop from Italy to Kismayu, Italian Somaliland where a new submarine base was to be built. In order to operate in the Indian Ocean Monsoon the submarines were fitted with large conning towers and armed with two / 47 caliber guns.
The large conning towers were rebuilt to a smaller German style as a result of war experience. "Ammiraglio Cagni" carried out a -month patrol in the South Atlantic during 1942–43. The other three boats were used as transport submarines to supply Italian forces in North Africa.
Ships.
All four boats were built by CRDA Monfalcone, laid down in 1939 and completed in 1941.
12 more boats were planned for the 1940 and 1941 ship building programmes but were cancelled as a result of the outbreak of World War II.
Operational history.
"Ammiraglio Cagni".
Her first operational patrols were in the Mediterranean, doing five transport missions and 16 patrols. Her first mission in the Atlantic was of 136 days, sinking the British tanker "Dagomba" and the Greek sloop "Argo" on 29 November 1942.
"Ammiraglio Cagni" was used in two theatres, the Mediterranean and South-Atlantic/Indian Ocean. She made 21 sorties in the Mediterranean, and 2 sorties in the South Atlantic/Indian Ocean in 1942–43.
On 9 September 1943, while on her second Atlantic sortie, she received news of the armistice. She surrendered to the UK at Durban on 20 September 1943. HMS "Jasmine" took part in the formal surrender.
Mediterranean missions:
While under the command of Lieutenant Commander Charles Liannazza, on 15 October 1941, she sailed from Taranto to Bardia, with a cargo of 140 tonnes of fuel cans and ammunition. She returned to Taranto on 22 October, while en route was attacked by guns and depth charges but suffered no damage. She carried out a similar mission on 18 November. She completed further 5 offensive and 16 transport missions.
Atlantic 1st mission:
On 5 or 6 October 1942, she sailed from La Maddalena to the South-Atlantic for her 1st Atlantic mission, against the convoy "TS 23". She crossed the Strait of Gibraltar on 12 October without any contact. But on 3 November, while submerged at daytime, she attacked and sank a 3,845 GRT Elder Dempster Lines motor ship "Dagomba". On 29 November, while patrolling off Cape of Good Hope, Africa (in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town) she sank the 1,995 GRT Greek ship "Argo".
On 3 January 1943, she attempted to re-arm by torpedo transfer on Tazzoli, but failed due to adverse weather conditions.
But she was successfully fuelled on 13 January, with 45 tonnes of fuel by a German submarine.
On 15 February, in the Bay of Biscay, she was attacked from the air, by bombs and machine-gun fire, that led to the death of Sergeant Gunner Michelangelo Cannistraro.
This single mission (began on 6 October 1942 in Magdalene, and ended on 20 February 1943 in Bordeaux) lasted for 136 days.
Atlantic 2nd mission (Indian Ocean 1st mission):
The second and last mission of Cagni began on 29 June 1943 and ended in Durban on 20 September 1943, lasted for over 84 days.
She was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Joseph Roselli Lorenzini on this mission. She had received orders to proceed to Singapore, to attack merchant shipping in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, and returned with a load of rubber and tin.
On 17 July 1943, off the Canary Islands, she encountered a steamer of 5,500 GRT of unknown nationality. On 25 July, she torpedoed the 22,071 GRT UK armed merchant cruiser HMS "Asturias" (in position 06°52'N; 20°45'W). "Asturias" boiler room and machinery spaces were flooded and she lost all power, but the badly damaged AMC managed to escape to Freetown under tow. On 30 July "Ammiraglio Cagni" crossed the equator, and on 28 August, she entered into Indian Ocean.
On 8 or 9 September, while just 1,800 miles from Singapore, she received the news of the armistice and was ordered to make the port of Durban. On 20 September, she arrived, was intercepted by HMS "Jasmine" and escorted into Durban, where she formally surrendered to the UK.
On 8 November, she left for Taranto, where she arrived on 2 January 1944. Based in Palermo, she was used for anti-submarine training activities for Allied planes. On 10 February 1948, she was decommissioned and later broken up.
"Ammiraglio Caracciolo".
On 11 December 1941, she unsuccessfully attacked a British convoy and suffered damage by depth charges and gunfire from the destroyer HMS "Farndale". She was scuttled to avoid capture. 53 men were rescued – and taken prisoner – by the British destroyer.
"Ammiraglio Millo".
Only carried out eight missions and all were transport operations. On 14 March 1942, returning from patrol in the waters of Malta, she was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine HMS "Ultimatum", with the loss of 57 members of her crew.
"Ammiraglio Saint-Bon".
Only carried out ten missions, all transport operations. She was sunk by the submarine HMS "Upholder" on 5 January 1942; only three crewman survived.


Lightvessel Gedser Rev

Lightvessel No. XVII Gedser Rev (Danish: Fyrskib XVII Gedser Rev) is a decommissioned lightvessel built in 1895, now serving as a museum ship in Helsingør, Denmark, having formerly been stationed in the Nyhavn Canal in Copenhagen. It is owned by the National Museum and takes its name after Gedser Rev south of Falster where it was stationed most of its working life.
History.
Denmark's first lightvessel was built at Jacob Holm's shipyard at Christianshavn in 1829.
Built at N.F. Hansen's shipyard in Odense in 1895, the Gedser Rev was number seventeen in the line of Danish lightvessels. It was first stationed at Lappegrund in shallow waters at the entrance to the Øresund. It was powered by two steam engines which were replaced by a 16-hp kerosene engine in 1918.
In 1921, a new three-cylinder Voelund 135-hp propulsion engine was installed and the ship was moved to a position at Gedser Rev, south of Falster, itself the southernmost point of Denmark.
In 1940, when Denmark was occupied by Germany in World War II, the German occupying forces confiscated the ship and placed it near Kalundborg, but it returned to its old position in 1945 after the war had ended.
The ship was involved in a number of collisions during her years in operation. The most serious of these occurred in 1954 when she sank within a few minutes. The seaman on duty was thrown overboard and drowned while the rest of the crew were saved.
During the Cold War and after the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, many East Germans chose to escape by water, heading North to Denmark. Although most failed and many died in the attempt, at least 50 were rescued by the Gedser Rev. As the southernmost limit of Danish territory and as an obviously recognisable target, many aimed for the lightship. One notable escapee was Manfred Burmeister in 1969, who escaped by aid of a petrol-driven submersible scooter.
Museum ship.
Lightvessel No. XVII was decommissioned in 1972 and put up for sale at the lightship warehouse at Holmen in Copenhagen. A donation from the A. P. Møller Foundation enabled the National Museum to purchase it. The A. P. Møller Foundation also sponsored the ship's restoration which was carried out at Hvide Sande Shipyard from January 2001 until November 2003.
The lightvessel's regular home for several years has been the Nyhavn Canal in Copenhagen, Denmark where was open to the public Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm from June through August. It was maintained by a group of volunteers.
On 9 May 2018 it was towed from Nyhavn to dock 2 in Helsingør harbor, to be exhibited there for five years.
Coin.
On 27 May 2009 Bank of Denmark issued a new 20 krone coin with lightvessel XVII, as depicted by the artist Karin Lorentzen, on its reverse.


Shippingport (ARDM-4)

"Shippingport" (ARDM-4) is an United States Navy Medium Auxiliary Repair Dry Dock. She is one of the Navy's two medium auxiliary repair dry docks, and was the first floating dry dock built for the US Navy since World War II. Laid down in 1977, delivered and placed in service on 4 January 1979, she is still in service at the Naval Submarine Support Facility at Naval Submarine Base New London, in Groton, Connecticut.
With a displacement of 5400 tons, this floating dry dock had a lifting capacity of 7800 tons. "Shippingport" has two 25 ton portal gantry cranes on tracks, one running along the top deck of each hull side superstructure. She is a government owned, private contractor operated, restored and certified drydock used to execute submarine repairs.
In October 2010, while "Shippingport" (ARDM-4) was nearing the end of her overhaul at BAE Systems Ship Repair at Norfolk, Virginia, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced that General Dynamics Electric Boat was awarded an additional $6.5 million to its contract for ship forces duties during "Shippingport"'s naval service craft overhaul (SCO) and recertification. In September 2012, after being out of service for almost four years, "Shippingport" completed her SCO and year-long recertification. The SCO included structural modifications to enable a lifting capacity to support a "Virginia"-class (SSN) nuclear attack submarine. In November 2013, General Dynamics Electric Boat announced it was awarded an additional $7.1 million contract by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) for further repairs and preservation of floating dry dock "Shippingport" (ARDM-4), with the work to be completed by September 2014.


USAT FS-400


M. Davidsen (ship)

M. "Davidsen was the name of a passenger ship in Iceland which began operations in 1891. It was 217 Gross register tonnage and 35.25 m (115.6 ft) long by 6.21 m (20.4 ft) wide by 4.86 m (16.0 ft) deep. It had room for 14 passengers. The ship was purchased from Denmark for 225,000 Icelandic króna in 1919 and used to move people and goods between Reykjavík and locations in Faxa Bay and Breiðafjörður. After its purchase it was renamed to Suðurland" in 1919.
"Suðurland" is now a derelict hulk near the abandoned herring factory at Djúpavík, Iceland. It was docked there in 1935 to serve as living quarters for men who worked in the factory.


SS Stanbell

Stanbell was a tanker which was built by Sir J Laing & Sons, Sunderland in 1943 as Empire Beresford for the Ministry of War Transport. Postwar she was sold into merchant service and renamed "Stanbell". She was converted to a bulk carrier and later sold to new owners and renamed Kelantan, serving until scrapped in 1965.
Description.
"Empire Beresford" was built by Sir J Laing & Sons, Sunderland. She was yard number 753 and was launched on 15 September 1943 with completion in December. She was long, with a beam of and a depth of . Her GRT was 9,804, with a NRT of 5,793.
Career.
"Empire Beresford" was placed under the management of J A Billmeir & Co Ltd, who traded as the Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd. Her port of registry was Sunderland. "Empire Beresford" was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
Convoy HX 313 departed New York on 10 October 1944 and arrived at Liverpool on 24 October. "Empire Beresford" was listed as a member of this convoy but did not sail in it, she joined the following convoy, HX 314.
Convoy HX 314 departed New York on 15 October 1944 and arrived at Liverpool on 29 October. "Empire Beresford" was bound for Killingholme.
In 1945, Billmeir's purchased "Empire Beresford" from the MoWT and renamed her "Stanbell". On 13 December 1953, "Stanbell" was in collision with SS "Marine Courier" off Cape Henry, Virginia. The master of "Marine Courier" was found to have been at fault and his licence was suspended for a month.
In 1955, "Stanbell" was converted to a bulk carrier. She was now , and 14,810 DWT. In 1960, "Stanbell" was sold to the Malaya Shipping Co Ltd, Hong Kong and renamed "Kelantan". She was initially placed under the management of United Shipping & Investment Co Ltd, Hong Kong but management was later transferred to Gibson Shipping Co Inc, Macao. "Kelantan" was scrapped in March 1965 at Hirao, Japan.
Official Numbers and Code Letters.
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers. "Empire Beresford" had the UK Official number 180053 and the Code Letters GFMY.
Propulsion.
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of , and bore by stroke. It was built by North East Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.


USS Araner (IX-226)

The USS Araner (IX-226) was laid down as the liberty ship "Juan de Fuca" under a Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1747) on 15 November 1942 at Vancouver, Washington, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Company and launched on 27 December 1942. The ship was delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 11 January 1943 and immediately placed under a standard WSA operating agreement with Weyerhauser Steamship Company.
While during service in the Atlantic and Mediterranean she came under fire at least once, on 4 October 1943, and was credited with downing two attacking aircraft and assisting in driving off the remaining planes. During the Battle of Mindoro she was torpedoed and damaged by a Japanese aircraft, without casualties, in the South China Sea 20 miles off Mindoro, Philippines. She was beached on Ambulong Island. She was refloated and towed to Subic Bay. On 30 December 1944 the ship was declared a total constructive loss. Later repaired the ship entered United States Navy service under bareboat charter from WSA as USS "Araner" (IX-226) on 23 September 1945 and placed in service that same day with Lieutenant Henry Morath in charge.
"Araner" appears to have contributed very little service to the United States Navy. She was inspected by an inspection and survey board at Leyte during October, the month following the beginning of her naval service. In January 1946, probably as a result of that inspection, she received orders to be towed to Subic Bay where all her naval gear was stripped pending her deactivation. On 22 August 1946, she was placed out of service at Subic Bay and simultaneously turned over to the Maritime Commission's War Shipping Administration for disposal. That organization finally sold her along with fourteen other vessels to the Asia Development Corporation, Shanghai on 29 January 1948 for scrapping. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 29 October 1948.


USS Alnitah

The USS "Alnitah" (AK-127) was a in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named a spelling variation of the star Alnitak in the constellation Orion, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.
Construction.
"Alnitah" was laid down 10 December 1942, as liberty ship SS "John A. Logan", MCE hull 451, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract; launched on 14 January 1943; sponsored by Mrs. T. W. Ludington; acquired by the Navy on a bareboat basis on 7 October 1943; converted for naval service at San Pedro, California, by Los Angeles Shipbuilding Corp.; renamed "Alnitah" on 11 October 1943 and simultaneously designated AK-127; and placed in commission at San Pedro on 27 November 1943, Lieutenant Commander Ernest J. Youngjohns, Jr., USNR, in command.
Service history.
Following a brief period of shakedown training, the ship took on cargo and personnel at Port Hueneme, California, for transportation to the South Pacific. She departed the California coast on 12 December, and reached Espiritu Santo on 3 January 1944. On that same day, "Alnitah" reported to Service Squadron 8 for duty as an interisland transport. Among her ports of call were Guadalcanal and Florida Island, Solomon Islands; Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides; Treasury Islands; Russell Islands; Fiji Islands; Auckland, New Zealand; Nouméa, New Caledonia; Milne Bay, New Guinea; Ulithi, Caroline Islands; Tinian and Guam, Mariana Islands; and Okinawa.
"Alnitah" continued her routine of transporting cargo and personnel throughout the Pacific theatre of operations into late July 1945. The ship departed Saipan on 28 July, and shaped a course for the west coast of the United States. During her homeward voyage, Japan capitulated in mid-August ending World War II. After a two-day visit en route at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the cargo ship arrived at San Francisco, California, on 21 August, and received voyage repairs before the vessel resumed action on 25 September. She was subsequently assigned to Magic Carpet duty, which involved shuttling American military personnel from various points in the Pacific back home to the United States.
USS ALNITAH departed Kwajalein Island, Marshall Islands 01NOV1945 and arrived San Diego CA 21NOV1945.
The cargo ship made a voyage from San Francisco to Roi, Kwajalein, and Majuro Atolls in October. She touched back at Pearl Harbor on 12 November before continuing on to San Diego, California. "Alnitah" debarked her passengers before getting underway on 29 November, for Okinawa. The vessel arrived there on 22 December, and discharged her cargo and passengers. She operated in the Okinawa area through 4 February 1946; then sailed for the Philippines. The ship reached Subic Bay on 8 February and there embarked troops for transportation to Japan. "Alnitah" left Philippine waters on 16 February, and arrived at Yokosuka, Japan, on 23 February.
Inactivation and decommissioning.
USS ALNITAH departed Kwajalein Island, Marshall Islands 01NOV1945 and arrived San Diego CA 21NOV1945.
Upon her arrival preparations were begun to deactivate the ship. She was decommissioned on 11 March 1946, and was transferred to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) representative at Yokohama, Japan. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 28 March 1946.
On 26 September 1947, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Astoria, Oregon, as part of the "7th Group Libertys". She was sold for scrapping on 3 March 1961, to Zidell Exploration, Inc., for $52,887.87, with delivery on 12 April 1961.
Bibliography.
Online resources


SS Brazil Victory

The SS "Brazil Victory", United States Maritime Commission designation VC2-S-AP3, hull number 8 (V-8), was the eighth Victory ship built during World War II. Built in 113 days under the Emergency Shipbuilding program, the ship was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on March 30, 1944, and completed on May 26, 1944. SS "Brazil Victory" served in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. She was named for the nation of Brazil, one of the Allies of World War II.
World War II.
SS "Brazil Victory" served as both an ammunition ship and a cargo ship during World War II. After the inauguration of the SS "Brazil Victory", she was launched into the waters of the Cerritos channel, and sailed to and was crewed at San Francisco. She was then loaded with ammunition at Long Beach, California, and from there steamed to Melbourne, Australia to unload cargo destined for the Pacific War. From Australia, she steamed to Calcutta, India, where she was loaded with cocoa beans and latex rubber. She then steamed south of South Africa around the Cape of Good Hope into the Atlantic Ocean, completing her circumnavigation of the world with her arrival in Philadelphia on October 19, 1945. She was retired in 1948 to the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Beaumont, Texas until she was put back in service in 1950.
Korean War.
SS "Brazil Victory", commanded by Captain Charles Brown, served as a merchant marine naval ship in the Korean War. She was one of many merchant marine ships, which transported about 75 percent of personnel and about 91.12 percent of the cargo to Korea. SS "Brazil Victory" made the trip between November 18, 1950, and December 23, 1952, transporting goods, mail, food and other supplies to American forces engaged against Communist forces in Korea, via Busan and other ports in South Korea. After her service, she was kept in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay until 1966.
Vietnam War and end of service.
In 1966, SS "Brazil Victory" was once again removed from the Reserve Fleet, reactivated, and put into operation by American President Lines. She transported cargo and a small number of troops for the Vietnam War.
In 1973, she was retired to the Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, and in 1993, she was scrapped in Huangpu, China.


SS Edgewood


Sorum-class tugboat

The Sorum-class seagoing tugboat, also known as Project 745P in Russian Coast Guard service, is a seagoing tug that is currently in service in the Russian Coast Guard and was in other services at one point. These vessels will perform the standard missions of a seagoing tug boat with other missions such as protecting and patrolling Russian maritime borders, enforcing navigational rules and law enforcement, search and rescue, and fisheries protection.
Design.
The tugs are modified versions of the original Project 745. They are armed with two 30 mm guns giving them the ability to fire on surface, air, and ground targets and are equipped with the Kolonka-1 fire control system to control these weapons. They are equipped with electric motors, and diesel generators.
History.
One seagoing tug was involved in an incident involving Greenpeace where the tug fired warning shots, and later seized a Greenpeace vessel after they attempted to board an oil rig in the Arctic in 2013.
Another "Sorum"-class tugboat rammed a Ukrainian tug in the Azov Sea on 25 November 2018.


SS Canastota

SS "Canastota" was a British-flagged, coal-burning, two-masted, steel screw, cargo steamer of and .
She was built in 1907 as "Falls of Orchy" at Napier and Miller's Old Kilpatrick Yard, Glasgow, Scotland, for the Falls Line. She was sold in 1914 and briefly owned by the New Zealand Shipping Co. She was renamed "Canastota" when purchased by the Canastota Steamship Co. Ltd in 1915.
"Canastota" was last seen on 13 June 1921, leaving Sydney bound for Wellington, New Zealand. Although almost forgotten today, "Canastota's" loss was a major news item, in Australia and New Zealand, during the second half of 1921.
SS "Canastota" is not to be confused with:
Earlier voyages.
Voyages of "Falls of Orchy".
"Falls of Orchy" was launched on 9 October 1907. In June 1908, she sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, for Auckland and by August 1908 had been chartered to carry coal from Newcastle to the West Coast of the United States.
In December 1908, the ship arrived from Manila at Newcastle to load coal destined for the Philippines and one of the crew was found to be infected with smallpox. The ship was sent to Sydney and the entire crew and the Newcastle harbour pilot were admitted to the North Head Quarantine Station, while a relief crew took the ship back to Newcastle to be loaded. The ship then returned to Sydney and the original crew took over.
In February 1909, the ship arrived at Brisbane towing the steamer , which had run out of coal and, after then using wood from its hold ceiling and bulkheads to fuel its boilers, had been adrift east of Brisbane.
In June 1909, the ship came off the Newcastle-Manila run and was to be sent to Vladivostok to load for UK ports. From around July 1911, "Falls of Orchy" carried "case oil" from the United States to New Zealand ports for the Vacuum Oil Company. In March 1912, she was loading wheat for the UK at Wallaroo, South Australia, and in July 1912 was on the Tyne.
It was reported in August 1914 that "Falls of Orchy" had been sold to the New Zealand Shipping Company. In 1915, she was sold again and renamed "Canastota".
Voyages of "Canastota".
From 1915 onwards, "Canastota" was on the run from the east coast of the United States to Australia and New Zealand, via the newly opened Panama Canal. During this time, she was chartered by the United States & Australia Line of New York.
On her first voyage to Australia as "Canastota" in 1915, she carried transformers and components for power lines associated with the Waddamana Hydro-Electric Power Station in Tasmania.
That first voyage did not begin well. Part of "Canastota"s cargo caught fire, while the ship was still alongside the wharf in New York. Crucially, the fire did not reach the 10,000 gallons of 'benzine' that were already on-board. Even so, the holds had to be flooded to extinguish the fire, leaving the ship's bow resting on the mud. The vessel was damaged and needed significant structural repairs before being able to leave for Australia after a delay of some weeks. There was a further delay due to a landslide in the Culebra Cut, part of the Panama Canal.
In early 1916, during World War I, she was taken off the United States to Australia run and used to transport Canadian troops and also as a collier and food supply vessel. One of her crew drowned in Genoa Harbour on 24 April 1918, was buried in the Staglieno Cemetery.
From 1919 to 1921 she ran a service from the ports of New York and Boston on the east coast of the United States to Australian ports—via the Panama Canal and Suva in Fiji—making the return journey, via New Zealand—Wellington or Auckland—and Suva, for the United States & Australia Line.
In 1920, the ship experienced problems with her tail-shaft bearings. She was repaired in Auckland Harbour, without entering a dry dock, by first shifting her cargo forward so that her propeller and tail-shaft gland were clear of the water.
Last voyage.
"Canastota" left New York on 6 March 1921, with a new master, Captain Andrew J. Lockie, who had taken over the command on 15 February 1921 while the ship was in New York. Lockie, a New Zealander, was born in 1883 and received his master's certificate in 1909. His family resided at Willoughby in Sydney. Up to July 1918, Captain Lockie briefly had been the master of the four-masted barquentine "Lyman D. Foster"—a ship with a colourful history—that disappeared in March 1919, between Nukuʻalofa in Tonga and San Francisco, carrying a cargo of copra.Earlier, he had been an officer on Union Company ships and captain of the Auckland Harbour Board pilot boat.
She took on American bunker coal at Panama then passed through the Panama Canal. She next called at Suva, Fiji, where she unloaded some 'case-oil' and transferred numerous birds, animals and reptiles to the A.U.S.N. Co. steamer "Levuka" (bound for Sydney) together with a passenger, the owner of the creatures, Mr Ellis Stanley Joseph, a wildlife importer and exporter. On 18 April 1921, Mr. Joseph's menagerie reached Sydney safely, on "Levuka", and was divided between Taronga Park Zoo and Melbourne Zoo.
"Canastota" left Suva on 18 April 1921 and reached Australia on 24 April 1921, with Cairns being the first Australian port of call. She subsequently called at Townsville, then Rockhampton (Port Alma), Brisbane (Bulimba) and Newcastle, where she took on coal, before arriving at Sydney at 1:10 a.m. on 3 June 1921. While in Sydney, she was berthed at Woolloomooloo Wharf No.7.
The captain's wife boarded "Canastota" at Port Alma and remained on board until the ship reached Sydney; permission had been refused for her to continue on the ship and accompany her husband to America. Mrs Lockie, who intended to relocate the family to New York, then booked herself and her two children to leave Sydney in July 1921, on another ship, "Makura". The captain's father, James Lockie, and his mother came from Northcote in New Zealand to visit their son and his family while "Canastota" was in Sydney. While the ship was in Sydney, two new officers joined the crew.
She had been expected to depart on 11 June 1921. but it was in the evening of Monday 13 June 1921that "Canastota" left Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) bound for Wellington, New Zealand. The ship was never heard from again.
At the time of her disappearance, "Canastota" had a crew of 49 men and was carrying mail destined for Wellington and a highly flammable cargo.
Flotsam from "Canastota" was washed up on Lord Howe Island during July 1921 but, otherwise, there was no trace of her. Some of the flotsam was charred.
The committee of Lloyd's, at their meeting on 17 August 1921, posted "Canastota" as missing, with the presumption that the ship had burnt at sea.
Initial fears.
"Canastota" should have reached Wellington after five days steaming from Sydney. When "Canastota" had not arrived at Wellington by Saturday 18 June 1921, fears first began to be held for the overdue ship. These fears were compounded by the complete absence of radio contact with the ship, from the time it left Sydney. At a time when many ships had no radio equipment, "Canastota" was equipped with a relatively modern and powerful radio transmitter, a two-kilowatt American Marconi quenched spark-gap transmitter.
It was first thought possible that "Canastota" may have experienced engine troubles and was adrift but the absence of any radio contact was ominous. There was conjecture that the "Canastota"s wireless equipment was faulty—or was partially faulty with a limited range—but that was denied by the ship's Sydney agent. The father of the ship's captain said that his son had promised to send him a radio message, on either the evening of Tuesday 14 June or the morning of Wednesday 15 June 1921, but that message was never received. The captain's father's view was that "Canastota" had met with a mishap serious enough to have rendered the ship's radio ineffective, within two days of leaving Sydney.
In an article in "The Newcastle Sun" of 25 June 1921 a relative of one of the engineers of the Canastota was quoted as saying:"My own opinion is that the she has become a total loss through an explosion of her benzine cargo. If that is so, the crew may be in the open boats in mid ocean".By late June 1921, the quoted rate for "Canastota" on the reinsurance market at Lloyd's rose to "60 guineas per cent" ('per cent' meaning 'per 100 pounds of cargo value').
There was an increasing apprehension that "Canastota" had been lost with all hands.
The search for "Canastota".
On 24 June 1921, the New Zealand based cruiser left Wellington in search of "Canastota". "Chatham" "went as far to westward as her coal would permit, and a look-out was kept aloft all day, while searchlights were going continuously at night", returning on 30 June without seeing any sign of the overdue ship.
Aside from that search by "Chatham", there was little government involvement in the search, which was conducted largely by merchant vessels at the behest of "Canastota"s shipping agent in Sydney, George Arthur Parkes, the grandnephew of politician Henry Parkes.
On 24 June a radio message was sent from Sydney, "To all ships: Keep a sharp lookout for Canastota. and report immediately first tidings." This was sent as was a general call, the signal of which would immediately stop all other communication between ship and land stations. The message would reach all ships and stations west of Suva, and would cover the route over which the overdue vessel would travel. This message was sent after a request to the Navigation Department in Sydney was made by Parkes on 22 June 1921.
Steamers leaving New Zealand ports were instructed to deviate from their course to search for "Canastota". , from Sydney en route to San Francisco, via Auckland, had instructions to deviate from the usual track and keep a sharp lookout for "Canastota". Three of the Union cargo ships — "Waipori", "Kurow", and "Kererangu" — which left Newcastle for New Zealand ports, also joined in the search. The Union Company's cargo steamer coming from Wellington to Newcastle saw no sign of "Canastota".
In Sydney, a representative of Parkes interviewed the skippers of two steamers bound for New Zealand— for Auckland and "Ulimaroa", for Wellington—prior to their sailing on 23 June. Both ships' captains promised to keep a particularly strict lookout. Parkes also made arrangements with the Union Steamship Co. of N.Z. for its steamers and —both leaving Sydney on 1 July 1921 bound for New Zealand ports—to join the search.
"Maheno" had arrived in Sydney on 27 June 1921, after sighting a ship's hatch cover floating about east of Sydney on 26 June 1921. This was reported in some newspapers as being a sighting of possible wreckage from "Canastota". Most newspaper articles on the subject did not connect the hatch cover to "Canastota". "Maheno"s crew was not able to recover the hatch cover on account of being at full speed. It was an ominous sign but proved to be a false one. Captain Brown of "Maheno" also reported to his employers, the Union Steamship Co. of New Zealand, that the hatch was of a type found only on a sailing vessel and so could not be from "Canastota". This fact was not advised to the authorities by the shipping line until 10 August 1921.
There was another false sign, when some barrels and an oil drum were washed ashore at Freshwater Beach near Sydney, on 26 June. The ship's agent stated that the items were not of a kind matching "Canastota"s cargo. Officers of the Navigation Department concluded that the flotsam was from the deck cargo of a coastal ship, probably "Burringbar".
If wreckage were to be found washed up on land, a likely place to find it would be Lord Howe Island, based on the prevailing current in the Tasman Sea. East of Sydney, the warm part of the East Australian Current changes direction, and then separates into two streams that flow on either side of Lord Howe Island.
The steamer "Drafn", which left Thio for Sydney on 8 July 1921, deviated from its usual course to search the vicinity of Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island, without success.
The French steamer "Saint Joseph", en route to Newcastle from Nouméa with a cargo of manganese ore, called at Norfolk Island on 10 July 1921. While there, her captain received orders from the Administrator to search for "Canastota" in the neighborhood of Lord Howe Island, instead of proceeding directly to its destination. Ball's Pyramid was passed at 9 p.m. on 11 July, and the vessel cruised about until daylight. On the following morning, Ball's Pyramid and the adjacent rocks, the west coast of Lord Howe Island, and the north islets were visited. Nothing was discovered.
When "Saint Joseph" arrived at the east coast of Lord Howe Island, the inhabitants were seen to have made a fire and the ship's anchor was dropped. Some of the islanders came on board but they did not have any news of "Canastota". The residents said that there was no derelict or wrecked ship on the easterly reefs but, until the visit of "Saint Joseph", the small island community had been unaware that "Canastota" was missing.
"Saint Joseph" was not equipped with a radio and so Captain G. Chariot could not report that he had no news of "Canastota", until "Saint Joseph" arrived at Newcastle on the morning of 14 July 1921. It was reported by "The Newcastle Sun" that, when asked for his opinion of "Canastota"s fate, Captain Chariot pointed downward and said, "New steamer, not much wood, all would go down", before adding that his opinion was that "Canastota" had blown up suddenly.
"West Wind"—another steamer of the U.S. & A Line—searched for "Canastota" during her eight-day passage from Wellington to Brisbane and reported upon arrival on 18 July 1921 that it had seen nothing.
Nothing else was heard concerning "Canastota", during the last weeks of July 1921.
The quoted rate for "Canastota" on the reinsurance market at Lloyd's had risen to "95 guineas per cent" ('per cent' meaning 'per 100 pounds of cargo value') by 20 July 1921, when her risk was withdrawn as being uninsurable.
Remnants found.
Flotsam found at Lord Howe Island.
On 1 August 1921, the steamer called at Lord Howe Island and reported by radio to Sydney that flotsam and wreckage had been found there. Articles based on this report first appeared in Sydney newspapers on 2 August 1921.
All remaining doubt that the flotsam was from "Canastota" was removed upon arrival of "Makambo" in Sydney. A report appeared in "The Sun" (Sydney) on 9 August 1921, quoting Captain Weatherill:""To my mind there is no doubt that the charred debris washed up at Lord Howe Island is from the missing steamer Canastota", said Captain Weatherall" [sic], "of the steamer Makambo, when she berthed this morning."" "Only one tallow cask had been washed ashore when we were there, and it was marked 'ToT'— the 'o' being a smaller letter than the other two. Another marking was 'Brisbane Freezing Works."'"There was any amount of charred debris at the island and I have no doubt that it was from benzine cases. There was also, as I stated in my report to the Navigation Department, a number of planks."It later emerged that Captain Weatherill had seen neither the cask nor the charred debris himself but was relaying a report from a leading citizen of the island, Mr Thompson (William Osborne Spurling Thompson (b.1868, d.1953), Chairman of the Local Advisory Committee of the Lord Howe Island Board of Control (1913-1953)).
The official report from Lord Howe Island revealed that the first flotsam had been found by an island resident, H. T. Wilson (Herbert Thomas Wilson), on 14 July, just two days after the island community was first made aware that "Canastota" was missing during the visit of "Saint Joseph". Wilson found a case of 'benzine' that had just floated ashore. The drums were intact but the case itself was sightly charred. At the same time, he also found small portions of a boat. On 27 July, he found a barrel of tallow with the distinctive markings later reported by Captain Weatherill and, finally, on the evening of 29 July, pieces of charred timber from benzine cases were found on the western beaches.
The "planks" reported by Captain Weatherill were in fact just one redwood plank found on the evening of 30 July. The size of the barnacles encrusted on the plank indicated that it had been in the sea for too long a time to be from "Canastota". In all other respects, the flotsam was undoubtedly from "Canastota".
Isolated Lord Howe Island was totally reliant upon passing ships for any communication and the news of "Canastota"s fate remained unknown to the outside world, from 14 July when the first flotsam was found until the radio report was made by Captain Weatherill on 1 August 1921.
Taffrail log found near Seal Rocks.
A taffrail log is a mechanical device used to determine a ship's speed. The device obtains its name because the dial was typically attached to a plank that was secured to the taffrail of a ship. A rotor was towed behind the ship to measure the distance travelled in a similar way to an odometer.
In early August 1921, a 'Walker's Cherub Mark II' taffrail log attached to an Oregon plank was found washed up on a beach near Seal Rocks on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales.Two ships were wrecked on the Mid-North Coast on the night of 25 June 1921, but it was thought likely that the taffrail log was from "Canastota".
Some reports state that the Oregon plank was charred but the statement by the finder (Andrew Johnson) does not mention charring. A number of freshly painted planks also washed up around the same time.
The taffrail log carried a serial number (3295 M / -) and the ship's agent, George Parkes was asked if that serial number matched the taffrail log carried by "Canastota". It seems it was never confirmed that the taffrail log or the painted planks belonged to "Canastota."
Inquiry.
A Preliminary Inquiry into the presumed loss of "Canastota" was conducted by Captain Fergus Cumming, Superintendent of Navigation, commencing on 14 August 1921 and taking evidence at Sydney and Newcastle.Captain Cummings had been the Superintendent of Navigation since 1914. Originally a seafarer in the days of sailing ships, he had first joined the Department of Navigation as a pilot at the port of Newcastle in 1888.
There being no survivors and scant physical evidence of "Canastota"s fate, the evidence considered in the Preliminary Inquiry consisted of records of interviews—conducted by the Superintendent or a Deputy Superintendent—and written reports from shipping, oil and stevedoring company representatives, port officials, experts, and others involved in the cargo loading and re-coaling of "Canastota" at Australian ports, together with the crucial evidence of the official report from Lord Howe Island.
Some of the matters being considered by Cumming—notably the loading and unloading of the "Canastota's" cargo at Sydney and Newcastle—were ones overseen and regulated by the organisation that Cumming himself led, the Department of Navigation. This exposed Cumming to a serious conflict of interest, particularly if evidence were to be found of some deficiency in the way the Department of Navigation had carried out its role.
Cumming reported his findings on 1 September 1921.
The finding of the Preliminary Inquiry was that, "in some manner the s.s. 'Canastota' was destroyed by fire or explosion, shortly after leaving Sydney, and as all the crew are considered to have perished with the vessel, no direct evidence in regard to same can possibly be furnished."
In case of a marine incident involving a loss of life, it was the usual practice to convene a Court of Marine Inquiry. That would be held in an open court and allow interested parties—the ship's owners, surviving crew, relatives of deceased crew, and industrial organisations—to be represented legally and the press to report the proceedings and findings. Typically, the Crown Solicitor's Office would represent the Department of Navigation.
In reporting his findings, Cumming requested an opinion from the Crown Solicitor on whether further action should be taken.""
The opinion provided by the NSW Crown Solicitor, John Varnell Tillet was that, taking into account the findings of the Preliminary Inquiry, nothing was to be gained by convening a Court of Marine Inquiry. The opinion stated that, had a Court of Marine Inquiry been held, ""The only practical result here in Sydney would be to have the work of the Superintendent of Navigation, an expert of high attainments and with great experience in the loading of vessels, canvassed and scrutinised by a District Court Judge, unversed in the subject, advised on technical points by two Master Mariners, the latter having no power to adjudicate.""
In his opinion, Tillet also raised the matter of cost; "I have hardly remind the Department of the huge sum spent on a recent maritime investigation here, with no discoveries of practical value notwithstanding the very able report by the Royal Commissioner." This is a reference to the Royal Commission of 1919-1920—its report included implicit criticism of coal port and shipping operations that were overseen and regulated by the Department of Navigation. The Crown Solicitor's opinion does not mention Cumming's potential conflict of interest as the head of the Department of Navigation.
Tillet's written opinion, together with a copy of the report of the Preliminary Inquiry, was forwarded to the Board of Trade in London—"Canastota" was a British-flagged vessel—which agreed with the opinion that no Court of Marine Inquiry would be convened. There would be no further investigation into the circumstances of "Canastota's" loss.
Captain Cumming retired in 1922, just over a year after reporting his findings into the loss of "Canastota".
Controversy.
Naval involvement in the search.
The New Zealand-based cruiser HMS "Chatham" had been involved in the search for "Canastota" but returned to Wellington on 30 June 1921, without seeing any sign of her. Following the return of "Chatham", unnamed—presumably naval—sources were reported as holding the view that even if "Canastota" had launched her lifeboats, those boats would not have survived the seas encountered during the search.
The seas had been benign during the time that "Canastota" should have completed her crossing of the Tasman Sea (13 to 18 June) but the weather conditions in the Tasman Sea had worsened after that time. In the early morning of Sunday 26 June 1921, violent storms claimed two coastal steamers—"Our Jack" and —on the New South Wales mid-north coast.
The bad weather raised fears for the men; a relative of one of the engineers of "Canastota" was quoted, in "The Daily Telegraph" (Sydney) of 25 June 1921, as saying, "I think it is up to the Admiralty to despatch at least two of the cruisers to make a search, as every day will make the position worse, and it will be a terrible ordeal for men in open boats in weather like we are experiencing."
"Chatham" had a limited cruising range and one of the concerns raised was that "Canastota" may be in trouble closer to the coast of Australia than New Zealand.
There was an expectation that the Australian Navy would send a destroyer in search of the missing ship but, controversially, the Navy refused to do so. That decision led to some unfavourable press reports and representations from citizens arguing that a ship should be sent.
The Australian Navy did not relent and no Australian naval ship was sent out in search of "Canastota".
"Canastota"s 'case oil' cargo.
In the early years of the twentieth century 'benzine' was a commonly used name for petrol or gasoline. It was also known at that time as 'motor spirit'. Whether the name 'petrol', 'benzine' or 'motor spirit' was used was a matter of branding.
"Canastota"s cargo included 50,950 cases of 'benzine' and 'motor spirit' when she left Sydney. Unusually, the 'benzine' cargo was loaded at Australian ports and destined for the United States. It had been imported previously but had been found to be defective due to its high sulphur content and was being re-exported to be reprocessed. The sulphur caused discolouring of a car's metalwork but, otherwise, the 'benzine' was neither more or less inherently hazardous than any other.
By 1921, with the rapid rise in numbers of petrol-powered motor cars, there was significant demand for this fuel in Australian and New Zealand. There was no refinery operating in Australia prior to 1924 and all such fuel was, of necessity, imported by sea.
The petroleum industry at first followed the same practices for the new highly volatile petroleum product 'benzine' as it had long done for less volatile kerosene. The flammable liquid was stored in thin-walled tinned-steel drums—of a rectangular prism shape with a square base—and the drums packed inside wooden cases. Each case contained two drums of five U.S. gallons or four Imperial gallons each. Such a cargo was referred to 'case oil'.
Vapour from leaking drums in cargoes of 'case oil' was the cause of many ship fires during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Once an explosive concentration of vapour existed, any source of ignition could result in an explosion. Coal-fired steamers carrying 'case oil' were particularly at risk. Very rarely, there might be an explosion but no fire or a small fire that could be extinguished; more typically, an explosion would initiate a catastrophic fire.
There had been previous disasters such as the fire and loss of "Haversham Grange" in October 1906 and the explosion and fire on the (later ) in March 1920, as two examples of many similar incidents.
In written evidence to the Preliminary Inquiry into the loss of the "Canastota", the Acting Superintendent of the Explosives Department, R.O. Crockett, drew attention to the hazards of shipping 'case oil'. His evidence stated that the typical leakage on a voyage from New York to Australia was around 1%, and that if drums were rehandled—"Canastota's" 'case oil' cargo had been rehandled, more than once—another 1% at least of leakage could be expected. His view was, "the increased hazard is a peculiar feature of handling motor spirit in this class of container, as it has been found in practice that with each additional handling the seams of the tins become more fragile and a greater percentage of leaks is discovered in proportion to the care with which the shipment is handled."
Crockett went on to express an opinion that, without mechanical forced ventilation, it was impossible to keep a ship's hold containing 'case oil' free of inflammable liquid or explosive vapours and that the openings of the ventilators of such an hold should be covered in fine metal gauze—creating a flameproof barrier. "Canastota" did not have forced ventilation of its holds, however, her Captain had been concerned enough that, on the leg between Brisbane and Newcastle, he had a windsail rigged to direct fresh air into the holds containing the 'case oil' cargo and left some cargo hatches open.
The evidence to the Preliminary Inquiry reveals two seemingly contradictory approaches to addressing the risk associated with shipping 'case oil'; either hermetically sealing the space to prevent vapours at explosive concentration reaching any potential source of ignition or ventilating the space sufficiently to prevent any vapours reaching an explosive concentration. Neither approach was really achievable on a cargo steamer of that time—such as "Canastota"—but both had an implicit assumption that vapours—from a leaking 'case oil' cargo—would be present in the cargo holds.
The remainder of "Canastota"s cargo loaded at Australian ports comprised casks of tallow, hides and some general cargo. The ship's holds were not full and it was planned to load another 50,000 cases of defective 'benzine' at Wellington and a consignment of copra—a material subject to spontaneous combustion—at Suva.
'Floating bomb'.
On 20 August 1921 a sensational article appeared on the front page of the Smith's Weekly with the headline 'Canastota, A Floating Bomb'.
It began, "If ever a proper inquiry be set on foot as to the cause of the disappearance of the steamer 'Canastota,' which sailed from Port Jackson for America, via New Zealand on 13 June 1921, several startling facts will come to light. The evidence will show that, on at least two occasions, the intensely dangerous condition of the interior of the vessel was brought under notice, and that in spite of these serious warnings, the 'Canastota' was allowed to proceed to sea."
The "Smith's Weekly" article went on to report that in the port of Brisbane, where the most 'benzine' was loaded, two or three wharf labourers had collapsed while attempting to unload a quantity of steel pipes from the hold adjacent to—but not separated from—the hold containing the 'benzine'. The article stated that some men were overcome by fumes from the 'benzine' and all labourers then left the hold. They then contacted the secretary of their union, a Mr Dawson, who in turn contacted the ship's agents and two others as representatives of the Shipowner's Association. These men then joined Mr Dawson at the wharf.The article stated that the wharf was also attended by Mr Archibald, the Brisbane manager of the Vacuum Oil Co. All these men, except one, then inspected the hold and according to the article,"The condition in which they found it was as described by Mr. Dawson.". According to the article, the wharf labourers were offered higher pay to unload the pipes but refused. The ship left Brisbane with the pipes on board.
The next port of call of "Canastota" was Newcastle. While there, another 5,372 cases of defective 'benzine' and 'motor spirit' were to be loaded. According to the article, some of these cases were damaged and some leaking. The article also stated that at Newcastle another attempt to unload the pipes was also unsuccessful because the wharf labourers refused to do the work, as the fumes had "lodged in the piping". The ship left Newcastle for Sydney with the pipes still on board.
The 'Floating bomb' article does not describe what happened at Sydney but the steel pipes finally were unloaded there. While at Sydney, some of the 'benzine' on board was shifted to another hold—this was to make room for the cargo to be loaded at Suva—and another 8,962 cases of 'benzine' and 'motor spirit' were loaded.
Although the 'Floating Bomb' article made serious allegations and identified several potential witnesses, the individuals concerned were not interviewed for the Preliminary Inquiry, the findings of which were reported at the beginning of September 1921.
No permit to load petroleum at Brisbane.
On 24 September 1921, the "Smith's Weekly" published an allegation that the petroleum cargo had been loaded at Brisbane in contravention of a regulation under the Navigation Act that required a permit to load such a cargo.""Mr. C. Dawson, Secretary of the Brisbane Branch of the Waterside Workers' Federation has written to several members" [of the Queensland state parliament]", saying: — I am authoritatively informed that no permit was applied for or granted by the Harbour authorities for the shipment. Had a permit been applied for an inspector would have been sent to inspect the condition, of the cases, and I feel sure that the strength of the fumes would have convinced him immediately that the cases were leaky and therefore unsafe to ship.""On 22 September 1921, this allegation was raised in the Queensland Legislative Assembly as a question to the Treasurer, John Fihelly, by Mick Kirwan, M.L.A (Labor, Brisbane). In reply, Fihelly confirmed that there had been no application for a permit nor an inspection of the cargo and stated that he had approved a recommendation of the Marine Board of Queensland to initiate legal proceedings.
Aftermath.
The only party punished as a result of events during "Canastota"s last voyage was Dalgety & Company, the shipping agent for "Canastota" in Brisbane. On 18 November 1921, it was fined for loading a petroleum cargo "without a special permit from a shipping inspector or other person authorised by the Marine Board". The company submitted evidence that this was by oversight rather than intentional. The fine was £2, with £3 15s 6d in costs.
In August 1921, another steamer of the U.S. & A Line, "West Wind", loaded a cargo of 30,000 cases of 'benzine' in Melbourne, and would go on to load another 30,000 in Sydney; all part of the same batch of defective 'benzine' as carried on "Canastota".
The United States & Australia Line was renamed the 'Atlantic-Australasian Line' in November 1924 but seems to have been better known as the 'Atlantic-Australia Line' around the time that its operations were taken over by the Roosevelt Steamship Co. in 1926. The name seems to disappear altogether after 1929, well before the merger of the Roosevelt Steamship Co with International Mercantile Marine Co. in 1931.
"Canastota"s disappearance and the controversy surrounding it were soon forgotten but the disaster was to be one of the last of its kind.
At the time of the loss of "Canastota", the shipment by sea of volatile flammable liquids as 'case oil' in ships designed for general cargo was already viewed as a dangerous anachronism. Its only advantage was that 'case oil' could be transported in ordinary ships and handled at ports that did not have specialised bulk petroleum facilities.
The technology had long existed to ship inflammable petroleum liquids safely, as a bulk cargo. Shell had a bulk oil discharge, storage and distribution facility at Gore Bay in Sydney Harbour from 1901. In 1908, the oil tanker "Salahadji" had safely carried a bulk cargo of 'benzine' to Sydney, and discharged it at Gore Bay. The following year "Trocas" carried a record cargo of half a million gallons of Shell 'motor spirit'.
In 1924 Vacuum Oil opened its bulk petroleum products terminal at Pulpit Point, a small peninsula at Hunter's Hill on Sydney Harbour. In October of that year, the company-owned oil tanker "H.T Harper"—built in 1921—arrived at this new facility with a 1.8 million gallon bulk cargo of 'gasoline'. About the "H.T.Harper", it was noted that, "Every precaution is taken to prevent fire."
The amount of 'case oil' shipped to Australia declined after 1924 and from that year some petroleum was refined locally. Thereafter, 'case oil' shipped by sea was more commonly kerosene, or other low volatility petroleum, rather than more volatile and dangerous 'benzine'. In 1939, there were still new purpose-built case-oil carriers, with aft-mounted diesel engines, entering the trade.
The 'case oil' approach to shipping 'gasoline' revived during the Second World War.The thin-walled tinplate four (Imperial) gallon drum became known by British troops—with good reason—as a 'flimsy'. It caused many problems, accidents, and wastage of valuable fuel, until the British started reusing and later copied their German enemy's excellently-designed and robust jerrycan. These 'flimsies' were very similar to the drums that had been carried in wooden cases on "Canastota". The experience of the British soldiers in North Africa—leakage at the seams and a lack of robustness of 'flimsies' when handled—was similar too to the evidence given by R.O.Crockett at the Preliminary Inquiry of 1921. The thin-walled tinplate drum had been the culprit from the outset, making 'case oil' dangerous and unreliable.
The 'case oil' trade virtually ceased, in Australia at least, soon after the war's end.
"Canastota"s Sydney agent, George Arthur Parkes, who had done so much to initiate and organise the search of 1921, served as Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney in 1936 and died in 1943 as a well-respected citizen. Captain Fergus Cumming, who had conducted the Preliminary Inquiry, retired in 1922 and died in 1932.
The wreck of "Canastota" has never been found and she remains 'missing', nearly a century after her disappearance.
There is no memorial to the ship or its 49 crew. The eleven officers' names and something of their backgrounds appeared in newspaper articles of the timebut the names of the 37 Chinese and one Peruvian seamen were recorded only in the papers of the Preliminary Inquiry of 1921, which are held in the archives of the NSW State Records Office.


MS Sarny

Sarny () was a merchant ship of Black Sea Shipping Company (Soviet Union), tweendecker type general cargo ship, project 1563. This ship is one of the "Slavyansk class" of cargo ships. The ship was named in honor of the city Sarny in the Ukrainian SSR, USSR.
Ship's data..
This class of ships, Project 1563, was developed at the Central Design Bureau Chernomorsudoproekt (CDB ChSP) in Nikolayev. Major designer: the main construktor Pankov V.A.
The ship was built in Kherson shipyard in 1967 and handed over to Black Sea Shipping Company, home port Odessa.
Five cargo holds. All ships of this class of cargo ships were built without longitudinal partitions and without side tanks in cargo holds.
Cargo gear - 9 cranes with cargo capacity 5 tons each.
History.
The cargo ship "Sarny" was built in Kherson Shipyard and handed over to Black Sea Shipping Company on the 31 of December, 1967.
The fundamental reform of the entire system including the political changes began in January 1987, when the perestroyka (the restructuring) of the CPSU Central Committee plenum was announced a new state ideology.
Voyages in the second part of 1987..
June 1987. The ship "Sarny" was loaded in a Black Sea Ukrainian port and part of crew had to be changed before sailing. The staff captain and staff third officer V.F. Peretyatko had to be changed also. They all time went at sea or for vacation together as they were married two sisters of one family. New third deck officer joined the ship on the 13 of June, and the captain A. Yemeliyanov joined the ship at the same time about. "Sarny" sailed from Black Sea port to Haiphong port in Vietnam. It was the last trip of old captain A. Yemeliyanov before his pension period. It was the first voyage of the third officer in the ranck third deck officer. Previous ship of the third officer was cargo ship "Toyvo Antikaynen". So, the captain A. Yemeliyanov and third deck officer joined the ship "Sarny" for one voyage only to substitute the staff captain and staff third deck officer.
July, 1987. The general cargo ship "Sarny" arrived in Haiphong port for discharge.
After discharge the ship run to Saigon river and was moored at the berth of Ho Chi Minh port on Saigon river, Vietnam, for loading. During the loading part of crew visited the Ho Chi Minh City with excursion program.
Before sailing from Ho Chi Minh port a third deck officer, or he was already second deck officer of other Soviet ship, joined the ship "Sarny" to pass at home. After sailing from Vietnam with cargo for USSR this deck officer explainer third deck officer of the ship "Sarny" about some correction parts of the books to update navigation charts and books properly.
The ship "Sarny" did not call Singapore during this voyage and the crew was not glad as the captain A. Yemeliyanov had not sought the call in Singapore. He wanted to achieve good parameters for this voyage and for this reason was better to take bunker supply in another port. He did not want any problem that can affect adversely his retirement. The call in Singapore could give the crew an extra income as per formula: to by in foreign country and to trade in the USSR.
The ship was back from its voyage in Nikolayev sea port in first half of November 1987. During the arrival formalities the customs officers checked the chart room thoroughly. The third deck officer supposed that the check took place because he sometimes discussed Perestroyka among his own family at home only, mostly in front of the TV set, and disagreed with the politics of Mikhail Gorbachev. Anyhow the customs officers though find out and the third deck officer wanted to stop any discussion about politics in future, but somebody managed by his mined and during the next vacation on shore he forgot about the check on board ship and again sometimes discussed about perestroyka among his own family at home only, mostly in front of the TV set.
During the discharge in Nikolayev port the staff captain and staff third deck officer Peretyatko back on the ship and hand over date of third deck officers was on the 16 of November 1987. Next voyage vas planned from Odessa to Vietnam again.
Rescue operation in 1989..
On December 19, 1989, the Iranian tanker "Khark 5" bound for refineries in Northern Europe exploded and caught fire approximately 400 miles north of the Canary Islands. An estimated 452,400 barrels (19 million gallons) of the 1,714,300 barrels (72 million gallons) on board spilled into the sea. The 35 crew members were rescued by the passing Soviet vessel "Sarny". Ocean currents carried the abandoned vessel south towards the Canary Islands. The "Khark 5" was sinking.
On December 20, 1989, Wednesday, "Los Angeles Times" wrote:
 Iran Tanker Sinking After Blast; Crew OK
 LAS PALMAS, Canary Islands — An Iranian oil tanker exploded and caught fire Tuesday in the Atlantic northwest of the Canary Islands and was reported sinking after its crew was rescued by a Soviet freighter, officials said.
 The 284,632-ton Khark 5 sent out a distress signal at 5 a.m. before its 35-man crew abandoned ship 350 miles from the Spanish archipelago's capital and was picked up by the freighter Sarny, Capt. David Rodriguez of the Las Palmas naval station said.
 Onda Pesquera, the Spanish ship-monitoring radio service based in Barcelona, said the Soviet ship rescued the Iranian tanker's crewmen and is expected to reach Las Palmas on Thursday.


USS Menifee (APA-202)

USS "Menifee" (APA-202) was a that saw service with the US Navy in World War II and the Korean War.
"Menifee" was laid down as MCV Hull No. 670 by Kaiser Shipbuilding of Vancouver, Washington on 21 July 1944; launched 15 October 1944, and commissioned 4 November 1944, Comdr. Paul P. Spaulding, USNR, in command.
Operational history.
World War II.
"Menifee" reported to ComPhibsTraPac for intensive amphibious training 8 December 1944 and within a month was underway for Hawaii with US Navy and Marine personnel and cargo. Unloading her initial cargo and passengers at Honolulu 15 January 1945, she departed for the South Pacific on the 27th. On 5 February, she arrived at Guadalcanal for further training exercises in preparation for the Okinawa campaign.
Invasion of Okinawa.
On 1 April, "Menifee" arrived in the transport area off Okinawa with cargo and units of the 6th Marine Division on board. Remaining in the area through the 4th, she landed her troops during the first 2 days and discharged her cargo on the 3d and 4th. On the 5th, she got underway for the United States, arriving at San Francisco 11 May to take on Army personnel and cargo bound for the Philippines.
By 19 June, "Menifee" had discharged her passengers and cargo at Leyte and was underway for a quick cargo run to Milne Bay, New Guinea. Upon her return from the Netherlands East Indies, she headed back to California, arriving San Pedro 2 August.
After hostilities.
After the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific, "Menifee" continued ferrying occupation troops to Japan and war-weary veterans back to the United States. Released from Magic Carpet duty in early 1946, she reported to the 19th Fleet 9 March and upon decommissioning 31 July, was berthed at Stockton.
Korean War.
With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, "Menifee" was retrieved from the "mothball fleet" and recommissioned 2 December 1950. Assigned once more to the Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet, she completed two extended tours of duty in the western Pacific before inactivating a second time in 1955. From April 1951 to March 1952, "Menifee" ferried troops between Japan and Korea and within Korean waters, insuring through her mobility, the distribution of U.N. forces according to need. During her second WestPac deployment, August 1953 to April 1954, she took part in extensive amphibious training exercises with American and Korean Marines and served as flagship for Operation "Big Lift", the transfer of neutral Indian troops to the peace conference in Panmunjom.
Decommissioning.
On 29 June 1955, "Menifee" was placed out of commission in reserve, assigned to the San Francisco Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was struck from the Navy Vessel Register 1 October and transferred to the Maritime Commission. In 1969, she was berthed at Suisun Bay in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
Decorations.
"Menifee" received one battle star for World War II service and two for Korean service.


List of cargo ships

This is a list of cargo ships past and present, which are freighters engaged in the transportation of passengers and goods. It includes ships which carry small numbers of passengers in addition to their primary freight cargo.
"Note that ships with multiple names may be listed here under each name."


MSC Josseline-class container ship

The "MSC Josseline" class is a series of 5 container ships built for Zodiac Maritime and operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The ships were built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. The ships have a maximum theoretical capacity of 14,336 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).


United States O-class submarine

The United States Navy's sixteen O-class submarines were created out of the lessons learned from the L class. The O class were about 80 tons larger than the L class, with greater power and endurance for ocean patrols. Due to the American entry into World War I the O class were built much more rapidly than previous classes, and were all commissioned in 1918. "O-1" through "O-10" were group 1, designed by Electric Boat, "O-11" through "O-16" were group 2, designed by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company and sometimes considered a separate class. The group 2 boats entered service just before the end of World War I. Eight of the group 1 boats survived to serve in World War II as training boats when they were recommissioned in 1941.
The O class were built by five shipyards: "O-1" by Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, "O-2" by Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, "O-3" through "O-10" by Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, "O-11" through "O-13" by Lake Torpedo Boat Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, and "O-14" through "O-16" by California Shipbuilding (formerly Craig Shipbuilding), Long Beach, California.
Service.
The class originally operated in the anti-submarine role off the United States's East Coast. Two of the boats, and , came under fire from a British merchantman in the Atlantic on 24 July 1918. The steamer scored six hits on "O-4"s conning tower and pressure hull before her identity was discovered. "O-4" suffered minor damage caused by shell splinters. to boats formed part of the twenty-strong submarine force that left Newport, Rhode Island on 2 November 1918 for the Azores, but the task force was recalled after the Armistice was signed nine days later.
The second group of boats ("O-11" through "O-16"), built by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company and Craig Shipbuilding, suffered from electrical problems. was immediately sent to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for a five-month overhaul. In October 1918, sank the patrol boat in a collision while she ("O-13") was submerged. also underwent a refit but was sent into reserve soon after before she went into service at Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone. This also involved another overhaul. also underwent a refit soon after commissioning and later suffered a fire in her conning tower in December 1919. All of the group 2 boats were decommissioned in July 1924 and were scrapped in July 1930 under the terms of the London Naval Treaty. However, was disarmed, renamed "Nautilus", and used in an Arctic expedition by Sir Hubert Wilkins. After being returned to the US Navy, she was scuttled in a Norwegian fjord in November 1931.
The first group served well although was rammed by a cargo ship and sunk near the Panama Canal on 28 October 1923 with the loss of three crew members. All nine of the surviving Group 1 boats were decommissioned in 1931, but were recommissioned, except for "O-1", in 1941 to serve as training boats based at the Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut. These boats were taken out of service following World War II except for which sank in deep submergence trials in June 1941. Thirty-three of her crew were lost.
At some point between the wars the O class was modified for improved safety in the event of sinking. Two marker buoys were added fore and aft. In the event the submarine was stranded on the bottom the buoys could be released to show the submarine's position. A motor room hatch was also added, the motor room being the aftermost compartment. The tapered after casing became a step as a result of these modifications.
During World War II, the seven remaining O boats were stationed at the New London Submarine Base and served as training platforms for the Submarine School. The last O boat was decommissioned in September 1945.
At least one O-class submarine can be seen briefly in the 1943 movie "Crash Dive", filmed at the New London submarine base.
Ships in class.
The 16 submarines of the O-class were:
Group 1 (Electric Boat design)
Group 2 (Lake Torpedo Boat Company design)


USS Alkaid

USS "Alkaid" (AK-114) was a , converted from a Liberty Ship, commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was first named after William G. Sumner, a classical liberal American social scientist. She was renamed and commissioned after Alkaid, a star in the Big Dipper asterism or constellation Ursa Major. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
Construction.
"William G. Sumner" was laid down on 13 September 1943, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1211, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. William R. McQuaid, a prominent citizen of Jacksonville, and launched on 8 November 1943. She was acquired by the US Navy, under a bareboat charter on 19 November 1943, and renamed "Alkaid". She was converted for naval service by the Gibbs Gas Engine Co., Jacksonville, and commissioned in Jacksonville, on 27 March 1944, Lieutenant Commander Edward G. Gummer in command.
Service history.
Following a period of shakedown training off the US East Coast, "Alkaid" sailed on 6 May 1944, for the Pacific Ocean, via Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the Panama Canal. On 14 June, the ship touched at Espiritu Santo and reported to Service Squadron 8 for duty.
For the duration of her World War II service, "Alkaid" acted as an interisland transport. Some of the ports she visited included Noumea, New Caledonia; Guadalcanal; Tulagi; Suva, Fiji; Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand; Efate, New Hebrides; Oro Bay, New Guinea; Iwo Jima; Guam; and Eniwetok.
On 15 May 1945, "Alkaid" sailed from Ulithi, with a convoy bound for Okinawa. She arrived off Hagushi beach on 21 May, and operated there through the end of the month.
"Alkaid" touched at Pearl Harbor in early August. She was undergoing availability when she received word of the Japanese surrender. In September, the ship got underway for Japan. After making calls at Eniwetok, Saipan, and Iwo Jima, "Alkaid" dropped anchor at Yokosuka, Japan, on 4 October. For the next one and one-half months, the ship served with the occupation forces in Japan.
On 16 November, "Alkaid" left Japan with a load of homeward-bound American troops and reached Long Beach, California, on 9 December 1945. On 4 January 1946, "Alkaid" departed Long Beach for San Francisco, California, arriving on 6 January 1946.
Decommissioning.
The ship was decommissioned there and returned to the Maritime Commission (MARCOM) on 11 March 1946, and entered the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. "Alkaid" was stricken from the Navy list on 28 March 1946.
Resuming the name "William G. Sumner", the ship remained in reserve into the 1960s. She was sold for scrapping to the National Metal & Steel Corp., on 31 March 1964, for $52,609.15. She was removed from the fleet by the purchaser on 20 April 1964.
Military awards and honors.
"Alkaid" won one battle star for her World War II service.


Ada and Ethel

Ada and Ethel was a wooden schooner that was wrecked southeast of Seal Rocks, New South Wales, Australia, on 26 October 1887.
Ship description and construction.
On 9 January 1886, Mr. Roderick of Eagleton, New South Wales, launched a new vessel built to the order of Messrs. Captain C. T. Messell and E. Davies, of Sydney, New South Wales. The christening ceremony was performed with champagne by Miss Ada Messell, Captain Messell′s daughter. The vessel was named after Ada and her infant sister Ethel May, who died approximately 12 months later.
"Ada and Ethel" then was taken to Sydney, entering Sydney Heads at half-past eleven on the night of 19 February 1886 under tow by the steamer "Malua" and was brought up in Pyrmont Bight to have her mast and other fittings installed. The passage down from Williams River was made in 10 hours.
"Ada and Ethel" was rigged as a fore-and-aft schooner, intended for the coasting trade. Her dimensions were long, beam, and depth, which gave her a gross register tonnage of 73 tons. She was built substantially of the best colonial hardwood, coppered, and copper-fastened. She was a sister ship of "Julian", which was launched about eight months earlier and belonged to the same firm.
Wreck.
"Ada and Ethel" left port on the afternoon of 26 October 1887 under the command of Captain Frederick. They soon found that the ship was taking on water so rapidly that by 19:30 the vessel became unmanageable, and Captain Frederick endeavoured to make for Port Stephens, New South Wales, where he intended to beach her. However, it was soon apparent that "Ada and Ethel" would not reach the shore, and Captain Frederick and the five members of his crew abandoned ship off Seal Rocks, New South Wales.