USS Shaula (AK-118)
Encyclopedia
USS Shaula (AK-118) was a commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
Shaula was laid down as SS James Screven (MC hull 1213) under Maritime Commission contract by St. John's River Shipbuilding Corp., Jacksonville, Florida
, on 4 October 1943; launched on 23 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Gardner T. Gillette; acquired as Shaula by the Navy from the War Shipping Administration
under bareboat charter
on 4 December 1943; converted from a freighter
by Gibbs Gas Engine Co., Jacksonville, Florida; and commissioned on 5 May 1944.
. On 1 June, she was attached to the Naval Transportation Service and, two days later, sailed for Davisville, Rhode Island
, where she loaded cargo. In mid-June, she was underway for Pearl Harbor
, via New York City, Guantánamo Bay, and the Panama Canal Zone
.
, on 3 August. There, she was converted to a fleet issue ship for dry provisions, loaded with cargo, and ordered to return to Pearl Harbor. Upon arriving there on the 30th, she was rerouted to Seeadler Harbor
, Manus
. From 20 September to 16 October, she discharged cargo to U.S. 3rd Fleet units and, when empty, sailed for San Pedro, California, to reload.
. She remained there until 12 February 1945, when she sailed in convoy
for Guam
. Eight days later, she sailed for San Francisco, California
. After completing voyage repairs and reloading, she headed west, on 3 April, for Ulithi and Leyte Gulf
.
to Samar
, Philippine Islands. On the 24th, Shaula was in the center of the typhoon containing winds in excess of 100 knots. She lost one lifeboat and one life raft. The next day, she was in the center of a similar typhoon. In heavy seas and rolling 47°, Shaula lost two LCM's over the side. She reached Samar the next day and entered drydock for repairs. After they were completed, she operated in the Philippine Islands until departing for Shanghai
on 15 February 1946. She also visited Yokohama
and Manus before entering Pearl Harbor on 3 May, en route to the U.S. West Coast.
, on 31 May and prepared for decommissioning. She was returned to WSA on 25 June; stricken from the Navy List
on 19 July 1946; and sold to Italy on 24 July 1947. She was temporarily used as an emigrant carrier but reverted to a cargo only role in 1951. Achille Lauro
was a right wing politician who expanded out of cargo shipping into the emigrant business. The was a ship with basic accommodation which had been hastily crammed for emigrant passengers. She was included in the list of vessels on whose regular line voyages the International Refugee Organization proposed to make block bookings in the year to July 1950. In 1951 her passenger accommodation was removed and she sailed from 1952 to 1968 on Lauro's cargo-only service. Her route was Genoa
to Australia via Naples
, Italy, Suez
, Aden
, Bombay, Singapore
, Fremantle
and Sydney
, Australia. In 1968 she was scrapped at La Spezia
.
Shaula was laid down as SS James Screven (MC hull 1213) under Maritime Commission contract by St. John's River Shipbuilding Corp., Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, on 4 October 1943; launched on 23 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Gardner T. Gillette; acquired as Shaula by the Navy from the War Shipping Administration
War Shipping Administration
The War Shipping Administration was a World War II emergency war agency of the US Government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the US needed for fighting the war....
under bareboat charter
Bareboat charter
A bareboat charter is an arrangement for the chartering or hiring of a ship or boat, whereby no crew or provisions are included as part of the agreement; instead, the people who rent the vessel from the owner are responsible for taking care of such things....
on 4 December 1943; converted from a freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
by Gibbs Gas Engine Co., Jacksonville, Florida; and commissioned on 5 May 1944.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations
On 17 May, Shaula departed for Hampton Roads, Virginia, on her shakedown cruiseShakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise is a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested. Shakedown cruises are also used to familiarize the ship's crew with operation of the craft....
. On 1 June, she was attached to the Naval Transportation Service and, two days later, sailed for Davisville, Rhode Island
Davisville, Rhode Island
Davisville, Rhode Island was the former home of the U.S. Navy SeaBees. It was located at Quonset Point on Narragansett Bay, an area now included in the town of North Kingstown. The Navy acquired the property in 1939 and built Naval Air Station Quonset Point...
, where she loaded cargo. In mid-June, she was underway for 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...
, via New York City, Guantánamo Bay, and the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
.
Converted to fleet issue ship
Shaula arrived at Pearl Harbor on 13 July; discharged her cargo; and sailed for Naval Supply Depot (NSD), Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, 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...
, on 3 August. There, she was converted to a fleet issue ship for dry provisions, loaded with cargo, and ordered to return to Pearl Harbor. Upon arriving there on the 30th, she was rerouted to Seeadler Harbor
Seeadler Harbor
Seeadler Harbor, also known as Port Seeadler, is located on Manus Island, Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea and played an important role in World War II...
, Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
. From 20 September to 16 October, she discharged cargo to U.S. 3rd Fleet units and, when empty, sailed for San Pedro, California, to reload.
Servicing South Pacific units
Shaula stood out of San Pedro on November 23d. She called at Pearl Harbor and continued to Eniwetok where she provisioned fleet units from 15 to 25 December 1944, when she moved to UlithiUlithi
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...
. She remained there until 12 February 1945, when she sailed in convoy
Convoy
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...
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...
. Eight days later, she sailed for San Francisco, California
San 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...
. After completing voyage repairs and reloading, she headed west, on 3 April, for Ulithi and Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
.
End-of-war activity
The cargo ship remained in Leyte Gulf from 25 May to 2 October when she sailed for Wakayama, Japan, via Okinawa. Shaula departed Wakayama three weeks later for Bungo Suido to provision minesweepers; thence to Hire Wan, Nagasaki, and Sasebo.Caught in damaging typhoons
On 19 November, she was underway from SaseboSasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
to Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
, Philippine Islands. On the 24th, Shaula was in the center of the typhoon containing winds in excess of 100 knots. She lost one lifeboat and one life raft. The next day, she was in the center of a similar typhoon. In heavy seas and rolling 47°, Shaula lost two LCM's over the side. She reached Samar the next day and entered drydock for repairs. After they were completed, she operated in the Philippine Islands until departing for Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
on 15 February 1946. She also visited Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
and Manus before entering Pearl Harbor on 3 May, en route to the U.S. West Coast.
Post-war decommissioning
Shaula arrived at 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...
, on 31 May and prepared for decommissioning. She was returned to WSA on 25 June; stricken from the Navy List
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...
on 19 July 1946; and sold to Italy on 24 July 1947. She was temporarily used as an emigrant carrier but reverted to a cargo only role in 1951. Achille Lauro
Achille Lauro
MS Achille Lauro was a cruise ship based in Naples, Italy. Built between 1939 and 1947 as MS Willem Ruys, a passenger liner for the Rotterdamsche Lloyd. It is most remembered for its 1985 hijacking...
was a right wing politician who expanded out of cargo shipping into the emigrant business. The was a ship with basic accommodation which had been hastily crammed for emigrant passengers. She was included in the list of vessels on whose regular line voyages the International Refugee Organization proposed to make block bookings in the year to July 1950. In 1951 her passenger accommodation was removed and she sailed from 1952 to 1968 on Lauro's cargo-only service. Her route was Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
to Australia via Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy, Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
, Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, Bombay, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia. In 1968 she was scrapped at La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
.
Military awards and honors
No battle stars are recorded in the Navy Listing for Shaula. However, her crew was eligible for the following medals and campaign ribbons:- China Service MedalChina Service MedalThe China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes...
(extended) - American Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalThe American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalThe Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
- World War II Victory MedalWorld War II Victory MedalThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
- Navy Occupation Service MedalNavy Occupation Service MedalThe Navy Occupation Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was issued to Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel who participated in the European and Asian occupation forces following the close of the World War II. The decoration was also bestowed to personnel who...
(with AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
clasp) - Philippine Liberation MedalPhilippine Liberation MedalThe Philippine Liberation Medal is a military award of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by an order of Commonwealth Army of the Philippines Headquarters on December 20, 1944...