- USS Culebra Island (ARG-7)
The USS "Culebra Island" (ARG-7) was a "Luzon"-class
internal combustion engine repair ship in the service of theUnited States Navy inWorld War II . Named after Culebra, an island betweenPuerto Rico and theVirgin Islands , it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name."Culebra Island" was laid down
29 October 1943 asliberty ship SS "John F. Goucher" (MCE hull 1830) byBethlehem Fairfield Shipyard ,Baltimore, Maryland , under aMaritime Commission contract. She was launched23 November 1943 and sponsored by Miss J. F. Miller. "Culebra Island" was transferred to the Navy on29 November 1943 and commissioned19 May 1944 withCommander W. E. McClendon in command.Departing Norfolk
30 June 1944 "Culebra Island" reachedMilne Bay ,New Guinea ,16 August . She joinedFloating Repair Unit 1 of the 7th Fleet atAlexishafen and remained there on repair duty until arriving atHollandia 7 October . Here she prepared ships for the Leyte operation until25 December when she departed for San Pedro Bay, towing adrydock and escorting a tug convoy. From6 January to21 February 1945 she repaired and tended ships in San Pedro Bay, then sailed toMindoro to ready LSMs for the forthcoming invasions in the southernPhilippines . On14 April she sailed forMorotai to serve ships bound for theBorneo operation and repaired those damaged there until24 July when she returned to Leyte."Culebra Island" remained in the Philippines on repair duty until
1 December 1945 when she sailed forSan Diego, California . Arriving9 January 1946 she served at theUS Naval Repair Base until placed in commission in reserve30 November 1946 . "Culebra Island" was placed out of commission in reserve15 January 1947 . She was scrapped in 1974.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c16/culebra_island.htm
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