USS City of Dalhart (IX-156)

USS City of Dalhart (IX-156), an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Dalhart, Texas.[1] The ship was built for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) and delivered to the USSB 28 November 1920 by Oscar Daniels Company, in Tampa, Florida.[2] The company built a ship designated Design 1027, standard cargo, Oscar Daniels type of which ten were built.[3] The ship was apparently launched and delivered on the same day and not completed for some time.[4] After delivery City of Dalhart, then a steam vessel held in the James River, was selected by the USSB to be converted from the delivered reciprocating steam engine to diesel power. Eight of the 7,400 DWT vessels delivered by the Oscar Daniels Company were among fourteen designated for conversion. Difficulty with foreign patents required new contracting for the engines and auxiliary equipment for full conversion to a motor ship.[5]

History
United States
Name:	City of Dalhart
Namesake:	Dalhart, Texas
Owner:	United States Shipping Board/U.S. Maritime Commission
Builder:	Oscar Daniels Company Tampa, Florida
Yard number:	9
Launched:	And delivered to USSB: 28 November 1920[note 1]
Acquired:	29 February 1944
Commissioned:	2 June 1944
Decommissioned:	28 January 1946
Identification:	Official number: 221006
General characteristics
Type:	Design 1027 ship
Tonnage:	5,878 GRT 7,400 DWT
Displacement:	8,747 long tons (8,887 t)
Length:	416 ft (127 m)
Beam:	54 ft (16 m)
Draft:	18 ft 9 in (5.72 m)

According to Maritime Administration information the 5,878 GRT ship was completed 28 February 1921 and given official number 221006; however, it is not clear whether the new engines had been installed that quickly as they were being contracted for months before.[6] Shipping reports show the MV City of Dalhart in the Pacific and Indian Ocean trade by 1928.[7] On 21 February 1940 the Maritime Commission, owner of the ship, awarded United States Lines the routes and ships of the Commission owned American Pioneer Line. City of Dalhart was among the ships involved and awarded with a charter bid of $4,776.20 per month.[8]

After tests on land the Brodie landing system was first tested in September 1943 for shipboard use with an installation on City of Dalhart. Staff Sergeant R. A. Gregory made ten good takeoffs and hookups with a Stinson L-5 light plane.[9]

City of Dalhart was acquired by the Navy 29 February 1944 under bareboat charter from the War Shipping Administration.[6] On 2 June 1944 the ship was commissioned as USS City of Dalhart at San Francisco, California designated IX-156 with Lieutenant Commander C. M. Lokey, USNR, in command to report to the Pacific Fleet.[1]

City of Dalhart stood out from San Francisco 9 June 1944, carrying sailors and cargo to Pearl Harbor. Assigned as a mobile barracks for the 301st Naval Construction Battalion, she departed Pearl Harbor 16 July with the men and machinery of this unit aboard, called at Eniwetok from 3 August to 5 August, and put into Guam on 11 August, one day after the island was declared secure. She remained at Guam until 22 November, when she sailed for San Francisco arriving 19 December. City of Dalhart was decommissioned on 28 January 1946, and returned to her owner.[1] City of Dalhart received one battle star for World War II service.

The ship was sold to Florida Pipe and Supply Company for $10,250 for delivery to be scrapped 22 January 1947.[6]