Xanthus class repair ship
Encyclopedia
The Xanthus class repair ships were a class of five auxiliary ships built for the United States Navy and Royal Navy
. Ships of the class served in a diverse range of environments in varying capacities during both World War II
and the Korean War
. Xanthus class ships were in commission between 1945-1955.
FADM Ernest J. King authorized the construction of five vessels in response to a British Royal Navy request for several Heavy Duty Fleet Repair Ships. These ships were to have been constructed in the United States and later transferred to Britain under the Lend-Lease agreement.
s, hull design EC2-S-C1 (which, at the time, were also under construction for Britain). Instead, five of the partially completed Liberty ship hulls were requisitioned for conversion into repair ships.
It was soon realized that the Liberty ship hull and configuration would not be suitable for the role of repair ship. Substantial modification was necessary in order to ensure operating efficiency and functionality. A planning commission investigating the problem decided that the modifications would be based off the design of Luzon class repair ships, ARG type repair ships which had already seen substantial service in the Pacific. Construction proceeded, with initial hull alterations and armament based off the Luzon class. The Luzon repair ship USS Tutuila (ARG-4) was selected as the conversion template. It was quickly realized that conversion based ultimately off the Luzon would not be entirely successful, because British configuration requirements for the ships differed substantially from the Luzon design. A complete overhaul of the internal configuration, and thus completely new plans for the internal configuration, were necessary.
Each remained in Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard for most of the construction process. At approximately 80% completion, the ships were transferred to the conversion docks. Four of the five ships remained in Maryland and were converted by the Maryland Drydock Company
. The other ship, AR-19, was sent to Bethlehem-Simpson Yard in Boston, Massachusetts.
While all five ships were intended for the Royal Navy, only two were delivered. The other three were expropriated by the US Navy sometime prior to completion and were given the Xanthus class designation.
One ship, USS Laertes, also served in the Korean War.
in 1946.
.
on 20 July 1945 and briefly served in the repair role. On 11 August, Xanthus sailed for Alaska, where she was to join forces massing for the planned assault on the Japanese held Kuril Islands
. The invasion never took place, and instead Xanthus was sent to Japan where she served as the flagship of Task Group 56.2. Xanthus later operated out of Okinawa until January 1946.
In February 1946, Xanthus sailed for China where she supported American naval activities. She was withdrawn in April of that year and sent to the National Defense Reserve Fleet in James River, Virginia.
Laertes was recommissioned on 19 December 1951 in response to the outbreak of hostilities in Korea. She operated from the Japanese port of Sasebo
and the Korean port of Pusan repairing the battle damaged ships of the United States Seventh Fleet
.
between July and September, 1945.
She was recommissioned in 1952 and joined the Atlantic Fleet
, where she repaired ships in Puerto Rico and in ports along the Eastern United States.
, one of Achilles' horses who spoke with a human voice.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. Ships of the class served in a diverse range of environments in varying capacities during both 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...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Xanthus class ships were in commission between 1945-1955.
Description
On February 26, 1944, the United States CNOChief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
FADM Ernest J. King authorized the construction of five vessels in response to a British Royal Navy request for several Heavy Duty Fleet Repair Ships. These ships were to have been constructed in the United States and later transferred to Britain under the Lend-Lease agreement.
Design and Construction
Xanthus class vessels were first laid down in mid-1944 by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard under a Maritime Commission contract. These ships were originally intended as Liberty shipLiberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
s, hull design EC2-S-C1 (which, at the time, were also under construction for Britain). Instead, five of the partially completed Liberty ship hulls were requisitioned for conversion into repair ships.
It was soon realized that the Liberty ship hull and configuration would not be suitable for the role of repair ship. Substantial modification was necessary in order to ensure operating efficiency and functionality. A planning commission investigating the problem decided that the modifications would be based off the design of Luzon class repair ships, ARG type repair ships which had already seen substantial service in the Pacific. Construction proceeded, with initial hull alterations and armament based off the Luzon class. The Luzon repair ship USS Tutuila (ARG-4) was selected as the conversion template. It was quickly realized that conversion based ultimately off the Luzon would not be entirely successful, because British configuration requirements for the ships differed substantially from the Luzon design. A complete overhaul of the internal configuration, and thus completely new plans for the internal configuration, were necessary.
Each remained in Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard for most of the construction process. At approximately 80% completion, the ships were transferred to the conversion docks. Four of the five ships remained in Maryland and were converted by the Maryland Drydock Company
Maryland Drydock Company
The Maryland Drydock Company was a shipbuilding company that operated in Baltimore, Maryland during the 20th century.The company started life in 1920 as the Globe Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Maryland. Its President at this time was B. C. Cooke. The company bought land along the Patapsco...
. The other ship, AR-19, was sent to Bethlehem-Simpson Yard in Boston, Massachusetts.
While all five ships were intended for the Royal Navy, only two were delivered. The other three were expropriated by the US Navy sometime prior to completion and were given the Xanthus class designation.
Operational History
Xanthus class vessels provided a diverse range of auxiliary repair functions for both the US and British navies. American flagged ships served in the Pacific with the US Navy, repairing ships damaged in the final battles against Japan. These ships continued their role after the war by providing support for the Allied occupation of Japan. British flagged ships served in the Atlantic with the Royal Navy repairing both aircraft and destroyers before being returned to the United States shortly following the war's end.One ship, USS Laertes, also served in the Korean War.
HMS Assistance (AR-17) / (F-173)
HMS Assistance was laid down in May 1944 and delivered to the Royal Navy on 20 January 1945. The ship served in British home waters as an aircraft depot and repair ship. She was returned to US Navy and transferred to the National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
in 1946.
HMS Diligence (AR-18) / (F-174)
HMS Diligence was laid down in June 1944 and transferred to Britain in 1945. She served as a destroyer repair vessel until returning to US Navy in 1946. She was subsequently transferred to National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
.
USS Xanthus (AR-19)
USS Xanthus was laid down in June 1944, launched in July and finally commissioned in May 1945. She arrived at Pearl HarborPearl 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...
on 20 July 1945 and briefly served in the repair role. On 11 August, Xanthus sailed for Alaska, where she was to join forces massing for the planned assault on the Japanese held Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
. The invasion never took place, and instead Xanthus was sent to Japan where she served as the flagship of Task Group 56.2. Xanthus later operated out of Okinawa until January 1946.
In February 1946, Xanthus sailed for China where she supported American naval activities. She was withdrawn in April of that year and sent to the National Defense Reserve Fleet in James River, Virginia.
USS Laertes (AR-20)
USS Laertes was laid down in August 1944, launched in September and commissioned in March 1945. She was sent to the naval facilities at Enewetak Atoll, where she spent four months repairing battle damaged ships. From there she sailed to Okinawa, where she spent only a week before setting course for the United States. Laertes served several months as a preinactivation repair ship in Bremerton, Washington and San Diego, California before being decommissioned and entering the Pacific Reserve Fleet.Laertes was recommissioned on 19 December 1951 in response to the outbreak of hostilities in Korea. She operated from the Japanese port of Sasebo
Sasebo, 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...
and the Korean port of Pusan repairing the battle damaged ships of the United States Seventh Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
.
USS Dionysus (AR-21)
USS Dionysus was laid down in September 1944, launched in October and commissioned in April, 1945. She operated from Enewetak Atoll and Tokyo BayTokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
between July and September, 1945.
She was recommissioned in 1952 and joined the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, where she repaired ships in Puerto Rico and in ports along the Eastern United States.
Ships of the Class
| Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Assistance | Bethlehem-Fairfield | 17 May 1944 | 20 June 1944 | Sold for scrapping, 1974 | |
| HMS Diligence | Bethlehem-Fairfield | 7 June 1944 | 8 July 1944 | Sold for scrapping, 1973 | |
| USS Xanthus | Bethlehem-Fairfield | 27 June 1944 | 31 July 1944 | 9 May 1945 | Sold for scrapping, 1974 |
| USS Laertes | Bethlehem-Fairfield | 7 August 1944 | 13 September 1944 | 24 March 1945 | Sold for scrapping, 1972 |
| USS Dionysus | Bethlehem-Fairfield | 4 September 1944 | 10 October 1944 | 28 April 1945 | Sunk as artificial reef, 1978 |
Trivia
The class and the lead ship were named after XanthusBalius and Xanthus
In Greek mythology, Balius and Xanthus were two immortal horses, the offspring of the harpy Podarge and the West wind, Zephyros ; following another tradition, their father was Zeus.Note: Balius and Xanthus are the Latin forms of the Greek names Balios and Xanthos.-Horses of Achilles:Poseidon...
, one of Achilles' horses who spoke with a human voice.
See also
- List of support ships of the Royal Navy
- List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy
- War In The PacificWar In The PacificWar in the Pacific is a 2004 two-player turn-based computer war game published by Matrix games. It is a very large, complex, and detailed simulation of the Pacific Theatre of World War II, at both the operational and strategic level....