USS Ryer (AG 138) on 14 October 1948.
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.
Class: CAMANO (AKL 1, 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 |
| 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. | -- | |
| 13 | TINGLES | Aug 1949 | 1 Apr 1959 | ca 1959 | Sold | -- | |
| 14 | HEWELL | ca Oct 1954 | 1 Nov 1959 | 2 Jun 1960 | Sold | -- |
Class Notes:
Soon after World War II the Navy began acquiring former Army Freight Supply Vessels (FS) for inter-island service. The Army's FS vessels, previously called Freight and Passenger Vessels (FP), were built to three wooden hulled Army designs (247, 277, and 342) and three steel hulled designs (330, 381, and 427). Design 381 was used for all steel FS vessels not built by Higgins (see the AKL 12 page for the Higgins type) and was ultimately built at 10 yards with Wheeler SB Corp of Brooklyn getting a large initial order suggesting the design was theirs. Called by the Army a "Vessel, Supply, Diesel, Steel, 176'," the type was built to specifications dated 1 June 1943 for a "176 foot steel twin screw diesel supply vessel." Eight addenda followed, dated from 30 July 1943 to 16 August 1944. Three hulls (FS 368-370) were built to Design 381A, a variant with two refrigerated holds produced for the Army Air Corps, and became AKL 26-28. 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 (less cancelled units) 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 that were then being performed by LSMs. They were classified AG 130-141 (AG 132 and 133 on 2 April 1947) 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 because 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 except for WHIDBEY (AG 141, q.v.), which had been converted to a floating medical clinic in 1948, were therefore reclassified AKL 1-14 and 398 effective 31 March 1949. Six of these ships were loaned to the Interior Department in July 1951, probably for continued service in the Marianas, of which only AKL 1 was returned to the Navy and promptly laid up.
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 the 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 6-0 1962, RIO CHAGRES 1974. | |
| 2 | DEAL | (ex-AG 131 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 263, compl. 18 Aug 1944). Relieved LSM 382 in the Marianas. In USN reserve 1955-61 (Columbia River). Sale list Jul 1961. To buyer 10 Jan 1962. Merc. DON CARLOS 1961. Reportedly became OLGA PATRICIA by 1966 when fitted as pirate radio station to operate off England, LAISSEZ FAIRE (1967), and AKUARIUS II 1970. Converted to menhaden seiner EARL J. CONRAD, JR. 1974, BU 2013. | |
| 3 | ELBA | (ex-AG 132 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 267, compl. 2 Oct 1944). Relieved LSM 441 in the Marianas. Loan to Dept. of the Interior 27 Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as ELBA. Sold 1957, merc. TRITON 1957, MORELIA 1962. Wrecked 6 Aug 1962 near San Jose del Cabo, Baja California. | |
| 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 the Marianas. Loan to Dept. of the Interior 31 Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as ERROL. Sold 1965, merc. PALAU ISLANDER, wrecked at Ebadon Is., Marshall Is., 4 Dec 1972. | |
| 5 | ESTERO | (ex-AG 134 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 275, compl. 8 Nov 1944). Relieved LSM 435 in the Marianas. On Navy sale list Feb 1960. Merc. PRESIDENTE QUIRINO 1960, finally DON JOLLY 1976, reported sold to BU Sep 1994. | |
| 6 | JEKYL | (ex-AG 135 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 282, compl. 23 Dec 1944). Relieved LSM 273 in the Marianas. In USN reserve 1949-59 (Columbia River). On Navy sale list Nov 1959. Merc. BETTY K IV 1960, SEA PRINCESS II-NILO 1980, HOPE 1 1988. Sighted 26 Sep 2006 as stranded wreck near Bahia Blanca, Argentina. (Note similar merchant names for ex-AKL 14.) | |
| 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. Loan to Dept. of the Interior 17 Jul 1951 (turned over 3 Aug 1951), trf. 29 Jan 1952 as METOMKIN. Subsequent fate unknown. | |
| 8 | ROQUE | (ex-AG 137 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 347, compl. 6 Oct 1944). Relieved LSM 437 in the Marianas. Inspected and accepted from Army 21 Feb 1947 at Subic. Loan to Dept. of the Interior 23 Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as ROQUE. Later merc. MERMAID 1969, converted to trawler 1980, foundered 9 Aug 1982 in the eastern Pacific. | |
| 9 | RYER | (ex-AG 138 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 361, compl. 16 Mar 1944). Relieved LSM 436 in the Marianas. In USN reserve 1955-61 (Columbia River). Sale list Jul 1961. Sold 8 Jan 1962, to buyer 25 Jan 1962, merc. AHTI 1962, converted to drilling vessel CALDRILL I 1964 and fish processing vessel WEST 1 1980, foundered north of Hawaii 21 Jun 1986 (reportedly insurance fraud). | |
| 10 | SHARPS | (ex-AG 139 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 385, compl. 25 Oct 1944). Relieved LSM 438 in the Marianas. Loaned 1956 to South Korea as KUN SAN or KUNSAN (AKL 908). Stricken 20 Aug 1974, sold to South Korea Nov 1974. Deleted 1982, name to new frigate c1984. | |
| 11 | TORRY | (ex-AG 140 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 394, compl. 15 Dec 1944). Relieved LSM 348 in the Marianas. Inspected and accepted from Army 21 Feb 1947 at Subic. Loan to Dept. of the Interior 24 Jul 1951, trf. 29 Jan 1952 as TORRY. Sold to Socony-Mobil 1961, American M.A.R.C. of Inglewood, Cal., 1963, and Western Offshore Drilling and Exploration Co. of Santa Fe Springs, Cal., 1965. | |
| 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 MARAD Aug 1959 and subsequently to the US Trust Territory of the Pacific, named RAN-ANNIM 1959 as research ship. (Name means "How are you? in Micronesia.) Served as a cargo ship in Micronesia, also participated in the the radiological survey of Eniwetok, Bikini and Rongelap Atolls between July and September 1964. BU 1985. | |
| 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, SEA PRINCESS 1980, LADY K. 1984, BU in Spain before mid-1991.(Note that when sold in 1960 AKL 14 became BETTY K while AKL 6 became BETTY K IV, both registered in the Bahamas.) |
Page Notes:
Compiled: 8 Aug 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Special sources: Miramar Ship Index (https://www.miramarshipindex.nz/)