USS Endymion (ARL-9) was one of 39 Achelous-class

Achelous class repair ship

The Achelous class repair ship was a class of ship built by the US Navy during World War II.As the US gained experience in amphibious operations, it was realized that some sort of mobile repair facility would be useful for repairing the damage that frequently occurred to smaller vessels such as...

 landing craft

Landing craft

Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...

 repair ships built for the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 during World War II

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 for Endymion

Endymion (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Endymion , was variously a handsome Aeolian shepherd or hunter or a king who ruled and was said to reside at Olympia in Elis, but he was also said to reside and was venerated on Mount Latmus in Caria, on the west coast of Asia Minor....

 (in Greek mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...

, a handsome Aeolian

Aeolians

The Aeolians were one of the four major ancient Greek tribes comprising Ancient Greeks. Their name derives from Aeolus, the mythical ancestor of the Aeolic branch and son of Hellen, the mythical patriarch of the Greek nation...

 shepherd

Shepherd

A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...

 or hunter), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Originally laid down as LST-513; reclassified ARL-9 on 3 November 1943; launched on 17 December; sponsored by Mrs. Mary C. Hanley; and commissioned on 9 May 1944 with Lieutenant A. Edgell in command.

Service history

After a brief shakedown cruise in the Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...

 she sailed for Guantanamo Bay

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...

, joined a convoy headed toward 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...

, and proceeded independently to San Diego. Continuing to 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 deployed with TG 32.6 to Guadalcanal

Guadalcanal

Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...

 where she arrived on 26 August 1944. She effected repairs here and at the Russell Islands

Russell Islands

The Russell Islands are two small islands, as well as several islets, of volcanic origin, in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands. They are located approximately 48 km northwest from Guadalcanal. The islands are partially covered in coconut plantations, and have a copra and oil factory at...

 before joining a task group preparing for the invasion of the Palau Islands where she carried on her vital work. From 3 October to 25 February 1945 she was active at Kossol Passage. On the latter date she sailed in convoy to Leyte

Leyte

Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...

 where she remained for a month in the performance of diving operations and repairing of landing craft. She next proceeded with Task Unit 51.14.3 for the invasion of Okinawa and rendered invaluable service to battle- and weather-damaged destroyers, landing craft and patrol vessels. On 28 April 1945 she suffered damage from a shrapnel burst which wounded 15 of her crew.

On 10 May 1945 she changed her anchorage to Buckner Bay where she underwent frequent suicide plane

Kamikaze

The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....

 attacks, but continued uninterrupted her repair service. She got underway with Task Unit 31.29.29 for Saipan

Saipan

Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...

 on 7 June 1945 and thence for Pearl Harbor. On 21 June she was torpedo

Torpedo

The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...

ed. At least two torpedoes passed beneath the ship, but a third detonated underneath the fantail, causing damage to her steering gear and resulting in 11 [reported] wounded. The submarine then surfaced, and it is believed that one of the Endymion's gunners returned fire, after which the Japanese submarine moved on. A submarine chaser

Submarine chaser

A submarine chaser is a small and fast naval vessel specially intended for anti-submarine warfare. Although similar vessels were designed and used by many nations, this designation was most famously used by ships built by the United States of America...

 was dispatched to bring her in to Eniwetok Harbor where temporary repairs were made. She continued to Pearl Harbor where she readied herself for return to take part in the invasion of Japan, but the war ended and the Endymion headed back to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Endymion began a period of overhaul at Astoria, Oregon

Astoria, Oregon

Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...

 on 9 November 1945. She was decommissioned on 30 November 1946 and was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Struck from the Naval Vessel Register

Naval 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...

1 June 1972, she was sold for commercial service 1 September 1973. Registered to Petrola Hellas S.A. of Panama in 1974 and renamed Petrola XVIII, she was restyled as Petrola 18 in September, 1976. Sold in 1978 to the Thetis Shipping & Trading Corporation S.A. of Panama, then resold (date unknown) to Sete Technical Services S.A. of Panama and renamed Sete 50, her final fate is unknown.