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USNS T-AKL 15 (Army Design 330).

USNS T-AKL 15 (Army Design 330). Design 427 (MARK and AKL 43) had the well filled in
with aircraft maintenance facilities making them flush-decked back to the bridge.
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class: AKL 12/AKL 15 (FS DESIGN 427/330)
Design: Army Designs 330DA, 330DC, and 427 (180', steel, built by Higgins)
Displacement (tons): (12, 37) 640 light, 930 full; (15/20) 460 light, 811 full
Dimensions (feet): 180' oa, 170' wl x 33' e, 32' wl x 10' max nav
Armament: none; (AKL 12: 1969) 2-20mmT
Accommodations: (12) 5 officers, 34 enlisted; (15/20) 7-10 officers, 12-15 unlicensed
Speed (kts.): 13; (15/20) 12
Propulsion (HP): 1,000 (18-19: 800, with Enterprise diesels)
Machinery: Geared diesel, 2 screws

Construction:
AKLNameAcqBuilderContractCompletedComm/Svc
12MARK30 Sep 1947Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 194321 Dec 19442 Dec 1947/C
15T-AKL 151 Mar 1950Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 1943ca Mar 19451 Mar 1950
16T-AKL 161 Mar 1950Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 1943ca Mar 19451 Mar 1950
18T-AKL 181 Jul 1950Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 194317 May 19441 Jul 1950
19T-AKL 191 Jul 1950Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 194319 May 19441 Jul 1950
20T-AKL 201 Jul 1950Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 194322 Aug 19441 Jul 1950
37ALCYONE12 Dec 1951Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 1943ca Sep 1944--
43T-AKL 431 Jan 1962Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 1943ca Jan 19451 Jan 1962
45AKL 45, see AGER 31 Jun 1967Higgins, New Orleans11 Jan 1943ca Dec 194413 May 1967/C

Disposition:
AKLNameTDecom/InactStrikeDisposalFateMA Sale
12MARK1 Jul 1971/D15 Apr 19761 Jun 1971Trf--
15T-AKL 15TAug 19531 Apr 19598 Mar 1969Navy sale--
16T-AKL 16TAug 19531 Apr 19596 May 1960Navy sale--
18T-AKL 18TJul 19541 Apr 1959May 1960Navy sale--
19T-AKL 19TMay 19591 May 1959May 1960Navy sale--
20T-AKL 20TJun 19531 Jul 196120 Mar 1962Navy sale--
37ALCYONE--1 Feb 19608 Dec 1951Trf--
43T-AKL 43T19637 Oct 19637 Oct 1963Trf--

Class Notes:
Soon after World War II the Navy began acquiring former Army Freight Supply Vessels (FS) for inter-island service. These had been built to three wooden hulled Army designs (247, 277, and 342) and three steel hulled designs (330, 381, and 427). The earlier FS vessels were originally designated FP (Freight and Passenger) instead of FS (Freight Supply). Design 330 began as a 170' steel-hulled FP/FS with Buda diesels, officially called a "Vessel, Supply, Diesel, Steel, 170'," and was built to specifications dated January 1943 for a "168 foot L.O.A. Twin Screw Diesel, Supply" vessel. Design 330 was then lengthened ten feet resulting in specifications ultimately dated 1 June 1945 for Design 330D, a "Vessel, Supply, Twin Screw, Diesel, Steel, 180'." Design 330DA was Design 330D with Enterprise diesels, design 330DB had Cooper Bessemer diesels, and design 330DC had Cleveland diesels. Design 330DC was then modified again for the Army Air Corps resulting in Design 427, a "Vessel, Supply, Aircraft Repair, Diesel, Steel, 180'," that was built to specifications dated 16 October 1944 for "180' Steel Twin Screw Diesel Maintenance and Supply Vessels." Part of Project IVORY SOAP, which also included the conversion of larger ships to support B-29 bombers in the Pacific, the Design 427 ships were designed with a covered well deck to provide shop space to repair aircraft by an embarked Aircraft Maintenance Unit (Floating). They were all named for colonels, and like the Design 330DC vessels all had Cleveland diesels. AKL 45/AGER 3 (q.v.) was ex FS 217, Design 427, COL ARMAN PETERSON.

On 11 January 1943 Higgins received a contract that ultimately (no doubt after many changes that added ships and changed designs) covered FS 135-161 (Design 330), FS 162-179 (Design 330DA), FS 180-189 (Design 330DB), FS 190-203 (Design 330DC), FS 204-221 (Design 427), and FS 222-234 (Design 330DC). The many steel-hulled FS vessels not built by Higgins were built to Design 381 (see the AKL 1 page).

AG 143-144 were acquired on 30 Sep 1947. (For AG 144/AKL 13 see the AKL 1 page.) On 31 March 1949 the Navy decided that because AG 143-144, along with 12 other FS type AG's, 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 two ships were therefore reclassified AKL 12-13 effective 31 March 1949. AKL 15-16 were among the Army ships operating out of continental US ports that were to be acquired on 1 Mar 1950 for which names, classification, and hull numbers were approved on 21 Feb 1950. AKL 18-20 were among the Army ships then operating under commands in the Far East that were to be transferred to the Navy about 1 July 1950 for which names, classification, and hull numbers were approved on 7 Jun 1950.

On 11 July 1951 the Secretary of the Army informed SECNAV that the Army had six FS type vessels designated FS 195, 257, 283, 390, 528, and 547, then in the Far East Command Reserve Fleet, which were required for use by the Republic of Korea for civil relief and support of the Korean economy. Of these, FS 195 was of Army Design 330DC. She became ALCYONE (AKL 37) and was acquired in 1951 with AKL 38-42 (Design 381), which see for more details on her origins.

On 11 December 1961 the Army Transportation Corps at Charleston, S.C. transferred temporary custody of FS 219 (a Design 427 supply aircraft repair vessel) to the MSTS representative at Southport, N.C., and on 18 December 1961 SECNAV asked the Secretary of the Army to transfer FS 219 to the permanent custody of the Navy. The Army approved the request on 10 January 1962, and on 25 January 1962 SECNAV approved CNO's request to instate FS 219 in the Naval Vessel Register as AKL 43 effective 1 January 1962.

Ship Notes:
AKLNameMANotes
12MARK(ex-AG 143 31 Mar 1949, ex-FS 214, Design 427, COL RAYMOND T LESTER, compl. 21 Dec 1944). On 5 Aug 1947 CINCPACFLT considered the best solution to a requirement for a ship for a ferry service between Subic Bay and Sangley Point was to acquire FS 214 and FS 266 (later TINGLES, AG 144), former Army ships then in the hands of the Foreign Liquidation Commission. Personnel compensation was to be made by inactivation of LST 1135 around 1 Sep 1947. The assignment of FS 214 in service without personnel allowance was approved by CNO on 2 Dec 1947. The ship was placed 'Out of Service' in 1956, but continued operations out of Subic Bay. With the escalation of U.S. Forces activities in Southeast Asia in 1963-64, the range of her resupply missions were extended to include frequent cruises to South Vietnam. As a result of these trips, she was placed in a commissioned status on 1 October 1965, and in June 1966 she commenced full-time operations in the combat area. Loaned 1 Jul 1971 to Taiwan as the intelligence collection ship YUNG KANG, sold to Taiwan May 1976.
15T-AKL 15(ex-FS 230, Design 330DC, compl. 1945). In USN reserve 1953-59. On Navy sale list Mar 1960. Later merc. MEREGHAN II. Deleted 1996.
16T-AKL 16(ex-FS 233, Design 330DC, compl. 1945). In USN reserve 1953-59. On Navy sale list Apr 1959. Merc. MARTHA ANNE 1959, later KING TOWER. BU 25 Mar 1985 at Singapore
18T-AKL 18(ex-FS 174, Design 330DA, compl. 17 May 1944). In Army service in Japan Aug 1949 for intra-theater distribution of supplies. In USN reserve 1954-59. On Navy sale list Apr 1959. Later merc. ARIES (Mexican). Converted to trawler in 1960s, in use as COASTAL HARVESTER 1990.
19T-AKL 19(ex-FS 175, Design 330DA, compl. 19 May 1944). In Army service in Japan Aug 1949 for intra-theater distribution of supplies. From MSTS to reserve at Yokosuka 12 May 1959, on Navy sale list May 1959. Sold with LSM 296 to Philippine President Lines July 1960, merc. PRESIDENT LAUREL. Became VIRGO 1967, probably discarded about 1980.
20T-AKL 20(ex-FS 193, Design 330DC, compl. 22 Aug 1944). In USN reserve 1952-61. Sale list Jul 1961, to buyer 21 Mar 1962, merc. STAR 5-0 1962, MEREGHAN IV 1965. Foundered Aug 1975, Colombia.
37ALCYONE(ex-FS 195, Design 330DC) In Army service at Okinawa Aug 1949 for intra-theater distribution of supplies. Trf. 1951 to South Korea for civil relief and support of the Korean economy. Returned to Navy custody at Sasebo, Japan, advertised for sale on 23 May 1960, and sold 27 Jun 1960 to Hong Kong Rolling Mills. Later merc. PUERTO MANZANILLO, later COLIMA, wrecked near Mazatlan, Mexico, 25 Sep 1965.
43AKL 43(ex-FS 219, Design 427, COL EDGAR R TODD). On 24 Jun 1963 CNO asked MSTS to release AKL 43 to CNO for conversion and use as a commissioned ship in the Pacific Fleet for miscellaneous services, although he wanted MSTS to retain custody pending assignment to an overhaul activity. Custody, presumably for the overhaul, was accepted by the USCG yard at Curtis Bay on 29 Jun 63. However on 4 Oct 1963 SECNAV returned the ship to the Army. The American Bureau of Shipping reported that as of 29 Jan 1964 she was owned by the Luckenbach Steamship Co., and manuscript notes suggest that her first mercantile name was DONNA and that she was for use by divers. MARAD on 4 February 1964 approved her sale by Luckenbach to the Libernick Shipping Co. and transfer to the Nicaraguan registry and flag. ABS reported her owner as Libernick as of 28 April 1964 and that she had been renamed SANTA MARIA as of 15 Sep 1964. Deleted 1993.

Page Notes:
Compiled: 8 Aug 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Special sources: Miramar Ship Index (https://www.miramarshipindex.nz/)