USS Xenia (AKA-51)

USS "Xenia" (AKA-51), an "Artemis"-class attack transport, was laid down under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1912) on 4 May 1945 at Providence, R.I., by the Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc.; launched on 27 June 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Roger W. Armstrong; and commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on 28 July 1945, Lt. Comdr. G. B. Service, USNR, in command. She served as a commissioned ship for 9 months.

Following shakedown, "Xenia" operated off the east coast with Service Force, Atlantic Fleet, from September 1945 until 17 April 1946, when she reported to the Commandant, 3d Naval District, New York, N.Y., for disposal. Decommissioned on 13 May 1946, "Xenia" was struck from the Navy list on 30 November 1946 and subsequently transferred to the government of Chile. Renamed "Presidente Errazuriz", she served the Chilean Navy, for a time serving as fleet flagship, until 1962.

Name background

The name, Xenia, may be in reference to the asteroid number 625, which was discovered by August Kopff in Heidelberg, Germany, on 11 February 1907.

The word Xenia in Greek is a term for hospitality or present. Shortly after the ship was commissioned, the town of Xenia, Ohio demonstrated how well it deserved the name which it shares with the planet and the warship by offering to adopt the attack cargo ship.

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/x1/xenia.htm Naval Historical Center: USS "Xenia"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/02051.htm NavSource Online: AKA-51 "Xenia"]
* [http://ussrankin.org/id352.htm 51 Years of AKAs]