USS Ryer (AKL 9) on 14 October 1948.
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.
Class: AKL 1 (ARMY FS DESIGN 381 PART 1)
Design: Army Design 381 (176', steel)
Displacement (tons): 520 light, 940 full (AG 141: 540/760)
Dimensions (feet): 177' oa, 168' wl x 33' e, 32' wl x 10' max nav
Armament: none
Accommodations: 4 officers, 33 enlisted; (AG 141) 11/63
Speed (kts.): 13
Propulsion (HP): 1,000
Machinery: Geared diesel, 2 screws
Construction:
| AKL | Name | Acq | Builder | Contract | Completed | Comm |
| 1 | CAMANO (ex AG 130) | 22 Feb 1947 | Wheeler SB, Brooklyn | 24 Apr 1943 | 17 Jun 1944 | 16 Jul 1947 |
| 2 | DEAL (ex AG 131) | 2 Mar 1947 | Wheeler SB, Brooklyn | 24 Apr 1943 | 18 Aug 1944 | 3 Aug 1947 |
| 3 | ELBA (ex AG 132) | 14 Mar 1947 | Wheeler SB, Brooklyn | 24 Apr 1943 | 2 Oct 1944 | 3 Jul 1947 |
| 4 | ERROL (ex AG 133) | 22 Feb 1947 | Wheeler SB, Brooklyn | 24 Apr 1943 | 3 Nov 1944 | 9 Jul 1947 |
| 5 | ESTERO (ex AG 134) | 22 Feb 1947 | Wheeler SB, Brooklyn | 24 Apr 1943 | 8 Nov 1944 | 5 Jul 1947 |
| 6 | JEKYL (ex AG 135) | 22 Feb 1947 | Wheeler SB, Brooklyn | 24 Apr 1943 | 23 Dec 1944 | 2 May 1947 |
| 7 | METOMKIN (ex AG 136) | 28 Feb 1947 | J H Mathis, Camden | 24 Apr 1943 | 24 Sep 1944 | 16 Aug 1947 |
| 8 | ROQUE (ex AG 137) | 22 Feb 1947 | Kewaunee SB/Engg | 30 Sep 1943 | 6 Oct 1944 | 2 May 1947 |
| 9 | RYER (ex AG 138) | 22 Feb 1947 | Sturgeon Bay SB/DD | 24 Apr 1943 | 16 Mar 1944 | 8 Jun 1947 |
| 10 | SHARPS (ex AG 139) | 22 Feb 1947 | Ingalls SB, Decatur | 23 Sep 1943 | 25 Oct 1944 | 3 Aug 1947 |
| 11 | TORRY (ex AG 140) | 22 Feb 1947 | Ingalls SB, Decatur | 23 Sep 1943 | 15 Dec 1944 | 5 Jul 1947 |
| -- | WHIDBEY (AG 141) | 22 Feb 1947 | Ingalls SB, Decatur | 23 Sep 1943 | 2 Jan 1945 | 8 Aug 1947 |
| 12 | MARK, see FS Design 330 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 13 | TINGLES | 30 Sep 1947 | Wheeler SB, Brooklyn | 24 Apr 1943 | 31 Aug 1944 | 2 Dec 1947 |
| 14 | HEWELL | 2 Feb 1948 | United Concrete Pipe, Los Angeles | 24 Apr 1943 | 25 Jul 1944 | 5 Jun 1948 |
Disposition:
| AKL | Name | T | Decomm | Strike | Disposal | Fate | MA Sale/Depart |
| 1 | CAMANO | 26 Jul 1951 | 18 Jan 1952 | 29 Jan 1952 | Trf. | -- | |
| 2 | DEAL | Feb 1955 | 1 Jul 1961 | 11 Dec 1961 | Sold | -- | |
| 3 | ELBA | 27 Jul 1951 | 18 Jan 1952 | 29 Jan 1952 | Trf. | -- | |
| 4 | ERROL | 31 Jul 1951 | 18 Jan 1952 | 29 Jan 1952 | Trf. | -- | |
| 5 | ESTERO | 22 Jan 1960 | 1 Feb 1960 | 5 Jul 1960 | Sold | -- | |
| 6 | JEKYL | Dec 1949 | 1 Nov 1959 | 27 May 1960 | Sold | -- | |
| 7 | METOMKIN | 3 Aug 1951 | 18 Jan 1952 | 29 Jan 1952 | Trf. | -- | |
| 8 | ROQUE | 23 Jul 1951 | 18 Jan 1952 | 29 Jan 1952 | Trf. | -- | |
| 9 | RYER | Feb 1955 | 1 Jul 1961 | 15 Jan 1962 | Sold | -- | |
| 10 | SHARPS | ca 1956 | 15 Nov 1974 | Apr 1956 | Loan | -- | |
| 11 | TORRY | 24 Jul 1951 | 18 Jan 1952 | 29 Jan 1952 | Trf. | -- | |
| -- | WHIDBEY (AG 141) | Jun 1954 | 1 May 1959 | 31 May 1960 | Sold | -- | |
| 13 | TINGLES | Aug 1949 | 1 Apr 1959 | ca 1959 | Sold | -- | |
| 14 | HEWELL | ca Oct 1954 | 1 Nov 1959 | 2 Jun 1960 | Sold | -- |
Class Notes:
Design 381 was the basic Army 176' FS type, built at 10 yards with Wheeler SB Corp of Brooklyn getting a large initial order. The specifications for Design 381, called a 176 foot steel twin screw diesel supply vessel, were dated 1 June 1943 and eight addenda dated from 30 July 1943 to 16 August 1944 followed. Three hulls (FS 368-370) were built to Design 381A, a variant with two refrigerated holds produced for the Army Air Corps. The specifications for this "Vessel, Supply, Refrigerated, Diesel, Steel, 176'" were dated November 1944. Contracts were placed with Wheeler Shipbuilding, J H Mathis Co., J K Welding Co., Sturgeon Bay, United Concrete, and Hickinbotham Bros., all on 24 April 1943, followed by contracts with Calumet Shipyards on 11 June 1943, Ingalls Shipbuilding on 23 September 1943, Kewaunee Shipbuilding on 30 September 1943, and Brunswick Marine on 9 March 1944. The individual orders were FS 253-292 (Wheeler), 309-319 (Mathis), 343-348 (Kewaunee), 349-356 (Mathis), 361-374 (Sturgeon Bay), 383-386 (Ingalls), 387-393 (United Concrete), 394-400 (Ingalls), 404-411 (Hickinbotham), 524-529 (Calumet), 546-550 (United Concrete), and 552-554 (Brunswick). All of these ships had Cleveland diesels.
As of 27 Feb 1947 twelve ex Army Freight Supply Ships (FS) were to be assigned to the Pacific Fleet and classified AG to perform services in the Marianas, Marshall, and Caroline Islands. They were classified AG 130-141 [on 2 April 1947, AKL 3,4] and named on 3 April 1947 after islands in the US. FS 391, then being acquired from the Army, was classified AG 145 and named HEWELL on 6 Feb 1948. On 31 March 1949 the Navy decided that inasmuch as AG 130-140, 143-145, and 398 had the characteristics of small supply vessels and were employed in transporting cargo it was desirable to establish a new classification, AKL (Cargo ship, light). The ships were therefore reclassified AKL 1-14 and 398 effective 31 March 1949.
Ship Notes:
| AKL | Name | MA | Notes |
| 1 | CAMANO | (ex-AG 130 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 256, compl. 17 Jun 1944). Relieved LSM 443 in Marianas. Loan to Dept. of the Interior Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952. Returned by them 22 Dec 1952, to Stockton reserve fleet Feb 1953. In USN reserve 1953-59. On Navy sale list Apr 1959. Stricken again 1 Apr 1959. Sold Apr 1960, merc. STAR 60. | |
| 2 | DEAL | (ex-AG 131 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 263, compl. 18 Aug 1944). Relieved LSM 382 in Marianas. In USN reserve 1955-61 (Columbia River). Sale list Jul 1961. To buyer 10 Jan 1962. Merc. DON CARLOS. | |
| 3 | ELBA | (ex-AG 132 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 267, compl. 2 Oct 1944). Relieved LSM 441 in Marianas. Loan to Dept. of the Interior 27[17] Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as ELBA. Sold 1957, merc. TRITON. Grounded 6 Aug 1962 as MORELIA near San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. | |
| 4 | ERROL | (ex-AG 133 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 274, compl. 3 Nov 1944). Inspected and accepted from Army at Subic Bay 21 Feb 1947. Relieved LSM 466 in Marianas. Loan to Dept. of the Interior 31 Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as ERROL. Sold 1965, merc. PALAU ISLANDER. | |
| 5 | ESTERO | (ex-AG 134 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 275, compl. 8 Nov 1944). Relieved LSM 435 in Marianas. On Navy sale list Feb 1960. Merc. PRESIDENTE QUIRINO. | |
| 6 | JEKYL | (ex-AG 135 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 282, compl. 23 Dec 1944). Relieved LSM 273 in Marianas. In USN reserve 1949-59 (Columbia River). On Navy sale list Nov 1959. Merc. BETTY K IV 1960. | |
| 7 | METOMKIN | (ex-AG 136 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 316, compl. 24 Sep 1944). Relief not specified. [Inspected and accepted from Army 1 Mar 1947 at Subic, also shown as acquired 22 Feb 1947.] Loan to Dept. of the Interior 17 Jul 1951 (turned over 3 Aug 1951), trf. 29 Jan 1952 as METOMKIN. | |
| 8 | ROQUE | (ex-AG 137 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 347, compl. 6 Oct 1944). Relieved LSM 437 in Marianas. [Inspected and accepted from Army 21 Feb 1947 at Subic, also shown as acquired 22 Feb 1947.] Loan to Dept. of the Interior 23 Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as ROQUE. Later merc. MERMAID. | |
| 9 | RYER | (ex-AG 138 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 361, compl. 16 Mar 1944). Relieved LSM 436 in Marianas. In USN reserve 1955-61 (Columbia River). Sale list Jul 1961. Sold 8 Jan 1962, to buyer 25 Jan 1962, merc. AHTI. | |
| 10 | SHARPS | (ex-AG 139 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 385, compl. 25 Oct 1944). Relieved LSM 438 in Marianas. Loaned 1956 to South Korea as KUN SAN (AKL 908). Stricken 20 Aug 1974 [NVR], sold to South Korea November 1974. | |
| 11 | TORRY | (ex-AG 140 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 394, compl. 15 Dec 1944). Relieved LSM 348 in Marianas. [Inspected and accepted from Army 21 Feb 1947 at Subic, also shown as acquired 22 Feb 1947.] Loan to Dept. of the Interior 24 Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as TORRY. Sold 1961. | |
| -- | WHIDBEY | (AG 141) (ex-FS 395, compl. 2 Jan 1945). Relieved LSM 460 in Marianas. [Inspected and accepted from Army 21 Feb 1947 at Subic.] Aground at Yap 22-28 Dec 1947 following a storm. Converted 1948 to floating clinic for health survey of the Pacific Trust Territory, taking chest X-rays and conducting physical examinations of the entire population of over 48,000 islanders. Not reclassified to AKL with the others. Survey completed May 1951. Ship then sent to Japan as a fleet epidemological disease control ship to process Korean War veterans headed home and then sent in early 1952 to provide medical services in Taiwan. In USN reserve 1954-59 (Columbia River). On Navy sale list May 1959. Offered for sale 6 May 1960 with a bid opening date of 26 May 1960. Sold to Albert Heller. Merc. AG 141, then SEA SEARCH 1961. BU at Singapore 1968. | |
| 13 | TINGLES | (ex-AG 144 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 266, compl. 31 Aug 1944). In USN reserve 1949-59 (Hunters Point/Stockton). On disposal list Mar 1959. Trf. to another agency Aug 1959. Merc. RAN ANNIM 1959. | |
| 14 | HEWELL | (ex-AG 145 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 391, compl. 25 Jul 1944). Movie Mister Roberts filmed on board Sep-Oct 1954 off Midway Is. according to ship's log, then in USN reserve 1954-59 (Columbia River). On Navy sale list Nov 1959. Merc. BETTY K (Panamanian) 1960. |
Page Notes:
Compiled: 8 Aug 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Sources: DB, Maroon, PHS, NVR