- USS Lenoir (AKA-74)
USS "Lenoir" (AKA-74) was a sclass|Tolland|attack cargo ship named after
Lenoir County, North Carolina and the distant City of Lenoir, North Carolina, which are both named for the patriot William Lenoir. Like all AKAs, "Lenoir" was designed to carry military cargo andlanding craft , and to use the latter to land weapons, supplies, and Marines on enemy shores during amphibious operations. She served as a commissioned ship for 17 months."Lenoir" was laid down by
North Carolina Shipbuilding Co. ,Wilmington, North Carolina ,7 September 1944 ; launched underMaritime Commission contract6 November 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs. John M. Kerr; acquired and commissioned14 December 1944 , Lt. Comdr. Marcus L. Whitford in command."Lenoir" departed Norfolk
21 January 1945 and arrivedPearl Harbor 20 February . After touchingEniwetok 22 March to25 March , she sailed fromUlithi 13 April for theOkinawa landings, arriving offHagushi beach17 April . Within 72 hours she had discharged her cargo; though coming under air attack, she sustained no battle damage. She then voyaged toSaipan ,Guadalcanal , andGuam , and arrivedSan Francisco 10 July .The ship returned to Pearl Harbor
25 August to embark men of the Army 6th Division forJapan , arriving there22 October . She departed4 November forPortland, Oregon , arriving the 18th. The ship next sailed fromAlameda, California , forTsingtao, China , andJinsen, Korea , on a "Magic Carpet" voyage. She returned to San Francisco11 March 1946 , sailed on to Norfolk, and was decommissioned there13 June 1946 . Returned to the Maritime Commission14 June 1946 , she was sold in 1947 to Lykes Bros. SS Co., Inc., and operated out ofTampa, Florida , as "Margaret Lykes". Resold the same year to the Gulf & South American SS Co., she was renamed "Gulf Merchant"."Lenior" received one
battle star forWorld War II service.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l5/lenoir-i.htm
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/02074.htm NavSource Online: AKA-74 "Lenoir"]
* [http://ussrankin.org/id352.htm 51 Years of AKAs]
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