Quick Links Menu.

USS Ryer (AKL 9) on 14 October 1948.

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:
AKLNameAcqBuilderContractCompletedComm
1CAMANO (ex AG 130)22 Feb 1947Wheeler SB, Brooklyn24 Apr 194317 Jun 194416 Jul 1947
2DEAL (ex AG 131)2 Mar 1947Wheeler SB, Brooklyn24 Apr 194318 Aug 19443 Aug 1947
3ELBA (ex AG 132)14 Mar 1947Wheeler SB, Brooklyn24 Apr 19432 Oct 19443 Jul 1947
4ERROL (ex AG 133)22 Feb 1947Wheeler SB, Brooklyn24 Apr 19433 Nov 19449 Jul 1947
5ESTERO (ex AG 134)22 Feb 1947Wheeler SB, Brooklyn24 Apr 19438 Nov 19445 Jul 1947
6JEKYL (ex AG 135)22 Feb 1947Wheeler SB, Brooklyn24 Apr 194323 Dec 19442 May 1947
7METOMKIN (ex AG 136)28 Feb 1947J H Mathis, Camden24 Apr 194324 Sep 194416 Aug 1947
8ROQUE (ex AG 137)22 Feb 1947Kewaunee SB/Engg30 Sep 19436 Oct 19442 May 1947
9RYER (ex AG 138)22 Feb 1947Sturgeon Bay SB/DD24 Apr 194316 Mar 19448 Jun 1947
10SHARPS (ex AG 139)22 Feb 1947Ingalls SB, Decatur23 Sep 194325 Oct 19443 Aug 1947
11TORRY (ex AG 140)22 Feb 1947Ingalls SB, Decatur23 Sep 194315 Dec 19445 Jul 1947
12MARK, see FS Design 330----------
13TINGLES30 Sep 1947Wheeler SB, Brooklyn24 Apr 194331 Aug 19442 Dec 1947
14HEWELL2 Feb 1948United Concrete Pipe, Los Angeles24 Apr 194325 Jul 19445 Jun 1948

Disposition:
AKLNameTDecommStrikeDisposalFateMA Sale
1CAMANO26 Jul 195118 Jan 195229 Jan 1952Trf--
2DEALFeb 19551 Jul 196111 Dec 1961Navy sale--
3ELBA27 Jul 195118 Jan 195229 Jan 1952Trf--
4ERROL31 Jul 195118 Jan 195229 Jan 1952Trf--
5ESTERO22 Jan 19601 Feb 19605 Jul 1960Navy sale--
6JEKYLDec 19491 Nov 195927 May 1960Navy sale--
7METOMKIN3 Aug 195118 Jan 195229 Jan 1952Trf--
8ROQUE23 Jul 195118 Jan 195229 Jan 1952Trf--
9RYERFeb 19551 Jul 196115 Jan 1962Navy sale--
10SHARPSca 195615 Nov 1974Apr 1956Trf--
11TORRY24 Jul 195118 Jan 195229 Jan 1952Trf--
13TINGLESAug 19491 Apr 1959ca 1959Navy sale--
14HEWELLca Oct 19541 Nov 19592 Jun 1960Navy sale--

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:
AKLNameMANotes
1CAMANO(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.
2DEAL(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.
3ELBA(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.
4ERROL(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.
5ESTERO(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.
6JEKYL(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.)
7METOMKIN(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.
8ROQUE(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.
9RYER(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).
10SHARPS(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.
11TORRY(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.
13TINGLES(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.
14HEWELL(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/)