USS Azimech (AK-124)
Encyclopedia
USS Azimech (AK-124) was a commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II
, named after Azimech
, the other name of Spica
, the brightest star in constellation Virgo
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
SS Mary Patten was laid down on 21 July 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1725) by the Permanente Metals
Corp., Richmond, California
; launched on 11 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Otis A. Kent; acquired by the Navy on 7 October 1943; renamed Azimech and designated AK-124 on 11 October 1943; converted for naval service at Oakland, California
, by the Moore Dry Dock Company
; and commissioned on 29 October 1943, Lt. Comdr. E. P. Gaither in command.
, the cargo ship got underway on 11 November for Hawaii
. At Pearl Harbor
, she was assigned for duty to Service Squadron 8, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The ship discharged her cargo and then entered the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard for an overhaul of her main engines and boilers. Azimech was on keelblocks for 16 days, then began loading cargo. She set sail on 28 December for the Gilbert Islands
.
which permitted the ship to unload only at high tide. Azimech made additional stops at Makin
and Apamama Islands before heading back to Pearl Harbor. After a brief stop in Hawaii, Azimech continued on to the U.S. West Coast and moored at San Pedro, California, on 6 March. Following an availability period at Terminal Island
from 10 March until 9 April, she filled her holds with cargo at Oakland, California, and began the voyage back to Hawaii on 26 April.
bound for Majuro
. They reached that naval base on 18 May and reported to Service Squadron 10 for duty. The cargo ship lay at anchor in Majuro lagoon, issuing stores to forces ashore, until 3 June when she got underway for Eniwetok. After serving at that atoll
until 24 August, she steamed back to Hawaii; paused for one day at Pearl Harbor; and then pushed on to the U.S. West Coast.
, on 13 September to begin reloading operations. While taking on cargo, she also received minor repairs and alterations before heading west again on 26 September. After stops at Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok, Azimech arrived at Ulithi
on 2 November. She operated there until the 16th and then steamed in company with to Kossol Roads
. Two days later, the ships reached their destination, and Azimech began issuing supplies. On 5 December 1944, the vessel weighed anchor and traveled back to Pearl Harbor via Ulithi and Eniwetok.
, and entered the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 16 January 1945 for repairs. On 15 February, she began steaming for Eniwetok and reached that atoll on 11 March. Following eight days at Ulithi, she set sail for the Ryūkyūs
.
from 18 to 29 April. On the latter day, she shifted berth to Hagushi
beach, Okinawa, her base until 7 May when she sailed for Guam
. The cargo ship began loading cargo there on 24 May and did not finish the task until 8 June. She then got underway for Ulithi and, on 10 June, anchored in that lagoon where she remained for the duration of the war.
. Reaching San Pedro, California, on 15 September, the ship unloaded her ammunition and provisions to prepare for a yard period. She sailed again on 13 October, bound for Norfolk, Virginia
. After transiting the Panama Canal
on 25 October, Azimech reached Hampton Roads
on 3 November.
on 3 January 1946. She remained in merchant service until sold in 1972 to a firm in Spain
for scrapping.
Her crew was eligible for the following medals:
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, named after Azimech
Spica
Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky. It is 260 light years distant from Earth...
, the other name of Spica
Spica
Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky. It is 260 light years distant from Earth...
, the brightest star in constellation Virgo
Virgo
-Astronomy:* Virgo Cluster, a cluster of galaxies in the constellation Virgo* Virgo , a constellation* Virgo Stellar Stream, remains of a dwarf galaxy* Virgo Supercluster, a galactic supercluster-Surname:* Virgo...
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
SS Mary Patten was laid down on 21 July 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1725) by the Permanente Metals
Permanente Metals
Permanente Metals Company managed the Richmond Shipyards, owned by Henry J. Kaiser. These four of the Kaiser Shipyards were known for the construction of Liberty ships.The company was also a major producer of magnesium during World War II...
Corp., Richmond, California
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
; launched on 11 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Otis A. Kent; acquired by the Navy on 7 October 1943; renamed Azimech and designated AK-124 on 11 October 1943; converted for naval service at Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, by the Moore Dry Dock Company
Moore Dry Dock Company
Moore Dry Dock Company was a ship repair and shipbuilding company in Oakland, California. It was started in San Francisco in 1905 as the Moore & Scott Iron Works, but was destroyed by fire in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It reopened soon and in 1909 purchased the Boole Shipyard in Oakland....
; and commissioned on 29 October 1943, Lt. Comdr. E. P. Gaither in command.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations
After a brief shakedownSea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
, the cargo ship got underway on 11 November for Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. At Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, she was assigned for duty to Service Squadron 8, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The ship discharged her cargo and then entered the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard for an overhaul of her main engines and boilers. Azimech was on keelblocks for 16 days, then began loading cargo. She set sail on 28 December for the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
.
Supporting Tarawa operations under fire
Azimech reached Tarawa on 8 January 1944 and began unloading her cargo. The process was hampered by frequent enemy air attacks and reefs in the lagoonLagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
which permitted the ship to unload only at high tide. Azimech made additional stops at Makin
Makin (islands)
Makin is the name of a chain of islands located in the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati, specifically in the Gilbert Islands.-Geography:...
and Apamama Islands before heading back to Pearl Harbor. After a brief stop in Hawaii, Azimech continued on to the U.S. West Coast and moored at San Pedro, California, on 6 March. Following an availability period at Terminal Island
Terminal Island
Terminal Island is an island located in Los Angeles County, California between Los Angeles Harbor and Long Beach Harbor. Originally a mudflat known to the Spanish as Isla Raza de Buena Gente, and later called Rattlesnake Island, it has officially been Terminal Island since 1918...
from 10 March until 9 April, she filled her holds with cargo at Oakland, California, and began the voyage back to Hawaii on 26 April.
Providing service at Majuro and Eniwetok
On 7 May, Azimech sailed from Pearl Harbor with a convoyConvoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
bound for Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
. They reached that naval base on 18 May and reported to Service Squadron 10 for duty. The cargo ship lay at anchor in Majuro lagoon, issuing stores to forces ashore, until 3 June when she got underway for Eniwetok. After serving at that atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
until 24 August, she steamed back to Hawaii; paused for one day at Pearl Harbor; and then pushed on to the U.S. West Coast.
Servicing Ulithi and Kossol Roads
The ship reached San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, on 13 September to begin reloading operations. While taking on cargo, she also received minor repairs and alterations before heading west again on 26 September. After stops at Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok, Azimech arrived at Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
on 2 November. She operated there until the 16th and then steamed in company with to Kossol Roads
Kossol Roads
Kossol Roads, Palau is a large body of reef-enclosed water north of Babeldaob. During World War II, it was used by the United States Navy as the location of a floating resupply and repair base....
. Two days later, the ships reached their destination, and Azimech began issuing supplies. On 5 December 1944, the vessel weighed anchor and traveled back to Pearl Harbor via Ulithi and Eniwetok.
Overhaul at the Puget Sound Navy Yard
Following the holidays, Azimech got underway for Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, and entered the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 16 January 1945 for repairs. On 15 February, she began steaming for Eniwetok and reached that atoll on 11 March. Following eight days at Ulithi, she set sail for the Ryūkyūs
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
.
Supporting Okinawa and Guam
Azimech remained anchored off Kerama RettoKerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
from 18 to 29 April. On the latter day, she shifted berth to Hagushi
Hagushi
Hagushi bay was the primary unloading point for American supplies during the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. The bay, at the mouth of the Bishi River , was the dividing line between the First and Sixth US Marine divisions, which landed on the Hagushi beaches to the north, and the Seventh...
beach, Okinawa, her base until 7 May when she sailed for Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. The cargo ship began loading cargo there on 24 May and did not finish the task until 8 June. She then got underway for Ulithi and, on 10 June, anchored in that lagoon where she remained for the duration of the war.
End-of-war activity
On 23 August, Azimech shaped a course for the coast of southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Reaching San Pedro, California, on 15 September, the ship unloaded her ammunition and provisions to prepare for a yard period. She sailed again on 13 October, bound for Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. After transiting the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
on 25 October, Azimech reached Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 3 November.
Post-war decommissioning
She immediately began preparations for deactivation. The cargo ship moved to Baltimore, Maryland, on 21 November for a final yard period and was decommissioned on 11 December. Her name was struck from the Navy ListNaval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 3 January 1946. She remained in merchant service until sold in 1972 to a firm in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
for scrapping.
Military awards and honors
Azimech won one battle star for her World War II service:- Okinawa Gunto operation (Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 18 April to 7 May 1945)
Her crew was eligible for the following medals:
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
- World War II Victory Medal