USS Triana (IX-223)

USS "Triana" (IX-223), an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rodrigo de Triana, the discoverer of the Americas. Her keel was laid down on 27 December 1943 under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 2559) as "Elinor Wylie" (T. EC2S-C1) at Los Angeles, California, by the California Shipbuilding Corporation for the McCormick Steamship Lines. She was launched on 24 January 1944 sponsored by Mrs. William O'Brien, renamed "Triana" on 21 May 1945, acquired by the Navy from the War Shipping Administration on a "bare-boat" basis on 24 May 1945, and commissioned at Pearl Harbor the same day with Lieutenant Wyman W. Hodgkins, USNR, in command.

The ship had been severely damaged by an underwater explosion in 1944 and was not considered seaworthy when fully loaded. Nevertheless, during the period 24 May to 29 July, she was patched up, strengthened, and converted into a floating storage ship by the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard.

On 30 July, "Triana" got underway for the Marshall Islands and arrived at Eniwetok on 11 August. One of her holds was consigned to fleet freight, and the remaining cargo space was utilized for drum storage. On 24 September, after the vessel had taken on some 4500 tons of cargo, her Number 2 hold began leaking, and further loading operations were cancelled. The leaks were temporarily stopped, and the ship continued to receive and discharge fleet freight and drum lubricating oil until 30 November.

On 1 December, "Triana" got underway for Guam to unload 8,896 drums of lubricating oil. She arrived at Apra Harbor on 5 December and departed for the United States on 24 December 1945. The cargo ship arrived at San Francisco, California, on 15 January 1946 to prepare for inactivation. "Triana" was decommissioned and returned to the War Shipping Administration on 21 February 1946 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 March 1946.

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