USS Delphinus (AF-24)
USS Delphinus (AF-24) was built in 1915 as SS San Mateo by Workman Clark and Co., Ltd., Belfast, Northern Ireland; acquired by the U.S. Navy 11 August 1942; and commissioned the same day as San Mateo, Lieutenant O. M. Mikkelsen, USNR, in command. She was assigned the name Delphinus on 22 August 1942.
| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name: | USS Delphinus |
| Builder: | Workman, Clark and Co., Ltd., Belfast |
| Laid down: | 1915, as SS San Mateo |
| Acquired: | 11 August 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 11 August 1942 |
| Decommissioned: | 8 May 1946 |
| Renamed: | Delphinus, 22 August 1942 |
| Fate: | Returned to the War Shipping Administration, 8 May 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Store ship |
| Displacement: | 5,230 long tons (5,314 t) full load |
| Length: | 328 ft (100 m) |
| Beam: | 44 ft 2 in (13.46 m) |
| Draft: | 23 ft (7.0 m) |
| Propulsion: | Reciprocating engines, single screw, 2,500 shp (1,864 kW) |
| Speed: | 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) |
| Complement: | 107 |
| Armament: |
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World War II Pacific operations
Departing San Francisco, California, 12 September 1942, Delphinus arrived at Auckland, New Zealand, 4 October. She operated from this base until the end of 1945, carrying chilled and frozen provisions to forward bases in the South Pacific and to the Society, Fiji, and Samoan Islands.
After calling at Manila in January 1946, Delphinus sailed for the west coast, arriving at San Francisco, California, 23 February. For a brief period she carried cargo along the west coast and to Pearl Harbor, then sailed to New Orleans, Louisiana.
End-of-War Decommissioning
Delphinus was decommissioned on 8 May 1946 in New Orleans, and was delivered to the War Shipping Administration the same day.
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive AF-24 Delphinus