- USS Troilus (AKA-46)
USS "Troilus" (AKA-46) was an "Artemis" class
attack cargo ship named after the minor planet "1208 Troilus ," which in turn was named after a Trojan prince. She served as a commissioned ship for 12 months.History
"Troilus" (AKA-46) was laid down under a
Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1907) on18 March 1945 atProvidence, R.I. , by theWalsh-Kaiser Co., Inc. ; launched on11 May 1945 ; sponsored by Mrs. Arthur G. B. Metcalf; acquired by the Navy and commissioned on8 June 1945 , Lt. Comdr. Nathan McKenzie, USNR, in command.Following shakedown training in the
Chesapeake Bay , "Troilus" departed Norfolk on11 July and steamed independently via the Canal Zone to Hawaii. She arrived atPearl Harbor on1 August , disembarked passengers, fueled, and again got underway. Until15 August , when thesurrender of Japan was announced, she conducted intensive amphibious exercises inMaalaea Bay ,Maui , operating with units of Transport Squadron 22.With news of the war's end, she returned to Pearl Harbor and began loading ammunition, equipment, gasoline, trucks, trailers, and even airplanes for the occupation of Japan. On
7 September , "Troilus" departed the Hawaiian Islands and proceeded via theMarianas toJapan . She anchored inWakayama harbor on the morning of27 September and had all her boats in the water in less than 40 minutes. Despite continuous heavy rainfall and a rough eight-to-ten-foot surf which tossed twoLCVP 's high on the beach beyond retraction, "Troilus" unloaded cargo throughout the day. On the 29th, she disembarked over 200 troops from the 98th Division's 368th Field Artillery. After the successful completion of her mission, "Troilus" departed Wakayama on1 October , bound for thePhilippines .Early in October, she stopped at Subic Bay and at
Manila Bay before anchoring inLingayen Gulf on the 12th to take on additional passengers and cargo for the occupation of Japan. She discharged troops at Wakayama harbor on the 25th, then continued on to anchor atNagoya on the 27th. Early in November, she began "Magic-Carpet" duties transporting American troops back to the United States. She embarked 485 passengers atBuckner Bay on11 November ; then set her course forCalifornia the following day. "Troilus" arrived atSan Francisco on the morning of29 November and lost no time in disembarking her homeward-bound passengers.Following repairs at Graham Shipyard, Oakland, the attack cargo ship got underway for Japan on
24 December 1945 , but en route received orders diverting her to Hawaii. "Troilus" put in at Pearl Harbor on16 January and, on the 23d, set her course for California. She discharged passengers and mail at San Pedro on30 January and then returned to San Francisco to take on a capacity load oflanding craft for transportation to the East Coast. She departed that port on the 12th and steamed via the Panama Canal and Norfolk to New York. During March, crews removed equipment and gear from the vessel in preparation for her disposition. On11 April , "Troilus" made her last voyage under her own power, steaming up theHudson River to moor at theEureka Shipyard ,Newburgh, New York , to remove remaining materials and to undergo preservation procedures. Her decommissioning took place minutes before noon on14 June 1946 . Her name was struck from the Navy list on8 July 1946 , and she was delivered to theWar Shipping Administration on28 August 1946 . She was laid up by that agency until17 April 1967 when she was sold to the Union Metals and Alloy Corporation, of New York City, and scrapped.References
External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/t8/troilus.htm Naval Historical Center: USS "Troilus"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/02046.htm NavSource Online: AKA-46 "Troilus"]
* [http://ussrankin.org/id352.htm 51 Years of AKAs]
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