- USS Minotaur (ARL-15)
The USS "Minotaur" (ARL-15) was one of 39 "Achelous"-class
landing craft repair ships built for theUnited States Navy duringWorld War II . Named for theMinotaur (the mythological monster ofCrete , half man half bull, who was confined in theLabyrinth ), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.Originally laid down as "LST-645" by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company of
Seneca, Illinois 20 June 1944 ; redesignated "ARL-15" on14 August 1944 ; launched20 September 1944 ; placed inferry commission30 September for conversion atMobile, Alabama ; and commissioned as USS "Minotaur" (ARL 15)26 February 1945 with Lieutenant Joseph H. Church in command. Completing shakedown in March at the Amphibious Training Base,Panama City, Florida , "Minotaur" returned to Mobile to load steelplate and marine engines before departing for thePacific . Steaming via the Marshall and Caroline Island groups, she anchoredBuckner Bay ,Okinawa on4 June . Having arrived during the final stage in the capture of thisJapan ese bastion, she remained at Okinawa through the end of the War and until12 December , when she sailed her landing craft repair facilities toIwo Jima . Making two voyages toChichi Jima ,Bonin Islands , she served in the area a month and a half before heading home. Transiting thePanama Canal 10 April , "Minotaur" entered theMississippi River 8 days later and moored inNew Orleans . In June, "Minotaur" arrived atOrange, Texas and joined the [16th Fleet. She decommissioned26 February 1947 . During the Korean conflict, "Minotaur" recommissioned14 June 1951 with Lieutenant Commander D. Garrett in command. Assigned to Mine Squadron 8 and home ported atCharleston, South Carolina , for the next 4 years she repaired minesweepers and net layers. She made working visits toPanama City andYorktown, Virginia and maintained sea readiness during training periods in theChesapeake Bay operating area. "Minotaur" departed coastal waters only once for a shortCaribbean tour early in 1953 before being made available for foreign duty under the Military Assistance Program 2 years later. AtNew York 3 October 1955 "Minotaur" decommissioned and was loaned to theRepublic of Korea , where she served the Korean Navy as ROKS "Duk Soo" (ARL 1). Her final fate is unknown. "Minotaur" received onebattle star for World War II service.References
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