USS Coronis (ARL-10)


USS Coronis pierside at Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Francisco, California
Career
Name: USS Coronis
Builder: Boston Navy Yard
Launched: 8 June 1944
Commissioned: 28 November 1944
Decommissioned: 29 July 1946
Fate: Sold for commercial service, c. 1965
General characteristics
Class and type: Achelous class repair ship
Displacement: 1,781 long tons (1,810 t) light
3,960 long tons (4,024 t) full
Length: 328 ft (100 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft: 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
Propulsion: 2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed: 12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Complement: 255 officers and enlisted men
Armament: • 2 × quad 40 mm guns
• 2 × twin 40 mm guns
• 6 × twin 20 mm guns
Service record
Operations: World War II
Awards: 1 battle star

USS Coronis (ARL-10) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Coronis (one of several characters in Greek mythology, including the mother of Asclepius, god of medicine and healing), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Originally laid down as LST-1003; launched 8 June 1944 by the Boston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. V. M. Rines; named and reclassified USS Coronis (ARL-10) on 12 June 1944; placed in partial commission 29 June 1944; and sailed to Baltimore, Maryland for conversion to a landing craft repair ship; and commissioned in full 28 November 1944 with Lieutenant J. J. Ready, Jr., USNR, in command.

Service history

Departing Norfolk, Virginia 4 January 1945 Coronis arrived at Purvis Bay, Solomon Islands to repair battle-damaged landing craft in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa. Arriving at Ulithi, the staging area, on 24 March she joined the Service and Salvage Unit, and five days later sortied with them for Okinawa, arriving off the island 3 April. Here she repaired landing craft and the smaller radar picket ships, and operated a fog generator to give protective cover from air attack to ships lying in her area. On 18 June Coronis sailed for Saipan and Guam to load spare parts and supplies, continuing to Subic Bay where she acted as repair ship for the training group preparing for the invasion of Japan.

After the close of the War, Coronis returned to Okinawa 26 August to repair landing ships of the 5th Fleet. She also converted USS LST-494 into a minecraft tender. She arrived in Wakayama Wan on 25 September to operate a boat pool, and service ships of the 5th Fleet carrying out occupation activities until 16 March 1946. After calling at Shanghai, China she sailed for Astoria, Oregon, arriving 2 May.

Coronis was placed out of commission in reserve at Vancouver, Washington on 29 July 1946. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register (date unknown), she was sold for commercial service to Helifor Industries Ltd. of Vancouver, BC c. 1965 and renamed SS Trailer Princess.

Coronis received one battle star for World War II service.

References