- USS Satinleaf (AN-43)
USS "Satinleaf" (AN-43/YN-62) was an "Ailanthus"-class
net laying ship which served with theU.S. Navy in the westernPacific Ocean theatre of operations duringWorld War II . Her career was without major incident, and she returned home safely after the war with twobattle stars to her credit.Launched in Washington
"Satinleaf" was laid down as "YN-62" on
5 July 1943 by Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding and Drydock Company,Everett, Washington ; reclassified "AN-43" on20 January 1944 ; launched on15 February 1944 ; and commissioned on8 April 1944 , Lt. Arthur B. Church in command.World War II service
Pacific Ocean operations
"Satinleaf" arrived at
San Pedro, California , on9 May 1944 for shakedown, and sailed from there on13 June 1944 to join the Service Force,U.S. 7th Fleet , atFunafuti , traveling viaPearl Harbor .On
27 July , she departed Funafuti towing an Army barge which she delivered toMilne Bay ,New Guinea , on6 August . She was employed there as a harbor defense and general utility vessel until1 October , departing the harbor only to deliver a barge toManus between 18 and25 September .upporting invasion of the Philippines
On
1 October , the ship sailed forBrisbane ,Australia , where she loadedsonar buoy equipment for use in the forthcoming assault atLeyte Gulf . Picking up personnel for the buoy unit at Milne Bay on15 October , she arrived at Leyte on29 October , shortly after the landings.The ship began laying the sonar buoys on
5 November 1944 , and guarded them until17 January 1945 , providing protection to ships anchored off Leyte. On20 January , she became Harbor Entry Control Vessel and performed that duty until12 March . Then, for the next month, she was employed in general utility work in San Pedro andGuiuan Roadstead and assisted part time with the Guiuan Roadtead net defenses.upporting Tarakan landings
On
15 April 1945 , "Satinleaf" was assigned to the Amphibious Forces, 7th Fleet, and sailed a week later with navigation buoys for the Tarakan landings. Arriving off Tarakan,Borneo , on27 April , she laid navigation buoys to guide the assault ships along the cleared channel.This mission was completed on
30 April , and the ship sailed on8 May forMorotai where she staged for theBrunei landings. Arriving off Brunei, Borneo, on7 June , she once again laid navigation buoys in the channel; and, after completion of this duty on9 June , she remained in the area providing general utility services until departing for Leyte Gulf on25 June . She helped install net defenses in Guiuan Roadstead until sailing toManus on12 July for overhaul.End-of-war operations
Returning to Guiuan Roadstead on
30 August , after theJapanese surrender , "Satinleaf" helped remove net defenses in the Leyte Gulf area until sailing for theUnited States on27 November 1945 viaEniwetok andPearl Harbor . She arrived atSan Pedro, California , on4 January 1946 and moved toTiburon, California , on13 February to begin inactivation.Post-war decommissioning
She was decommissioned on
4 April 1946 and struck from the Navy list on8 May 1946 . The ship was transferred to theU.S. Maritime Commission as of7 May 1947 and delivered to her purchaser, E. E. Johnson, on29 April 1947 .Honors and awards
"Satinleaf" earned two
battle stars during World War II.See also
*
United States Navy
*World War II References
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* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/18/18043.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - YN-62 / AN-43 Satinleaf]
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