USS Gwinnett (AVS-5)

USS Gwinnett (AK-185/AG-92/AVS-5) was originally an Alamosa-class cargo ship acquired by the U.S. Navy shortly before the end of World War II and converted into a Gwinnett-class aviation stores issue ship. She was found to be excess-to-needs and was placed into reserve in 1946.

History
United States
Name: Gwinnett
Namesake: Gwinnett County, Georgia
Ordered: as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2116[1]
Builder: Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number: 34[1]
Laid down: 21 December 1943
Launched: 14 May 1944
Sponsored by: Mrs. Oliva Dionne
Acquired: 13 March 1945
Commissioned: 10 April 1945
Decommissioned: 11 February 1946
Reclassified:
  • prior to launch, Miscellaneous Auxiliary
  • 25 May 1945, Aviation Stores Issue Ship
Refit: prior to 13 March 1945, converted to Gwinnett-class Aviation Stores Issue Ship
Stricken: 26 February 1946
Identification:
Fate: Sold, 14 August 1947
History
Republic of France
Name: Sainte Helene
Acquired: 14 August 1947
Fate: Scrapped 1970
General characteristics [2]
Class and type:
  • Alamosa-class cargo ship (1943–1945)
  • Gwinnett-class aviation stores issue ship (1945–1946)
Type: C1-M-AV1
Tonnage: 5,010 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement:
  • 2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard)
  • 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length: 388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 1 × propeller
Speed: 11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity:
  • 3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT
  • 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated)
  • 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement:
  • 15 Officers
  • 70 Enlisted
Armament:

Constructed

Gwinnett was originally designated AK-185 and was launched as AG-92 under U.S. Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2116, by Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin, 14 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Oliva Dionne, mother of the Dionne quintuplets. After being taken down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana, the ship was outfitted at Port Houston Iron Works, Houston, Texas, and commissioned there 10 April 1945, Lieutenant H. K. Golwey in command.[3]

Service history

Soon after commissioning, Gwinnett was redesigned AVS-5 on 25 May 1945. After shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico she was ordered to the Pacific coast for disposal.[3]

Inactivation

Gwinnett arrived San Francisco, 25 January 1946. She decommissioned and was simultaneously redelivered to the U.S. Maritime Commission 11 February 1946.[3]

Merchant service

Gwinnett was initially leased to the General Steamship Corporation, on 11 July 1947, but then sold to the Republic of France on 14 August 1947.[4] She was reflagged for France and renamed Sainte Helene.[2] She was scrapped in January 1970.

Notes
    Citations
    1. C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
    2. Navsource 2014.
    3. DANFS.
    4. MARAD.

    Bibliography

    Online resources

    • "Gwinnett". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 17 November 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
    • "C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
    • "Gwinnett (AK-185)". Navsource.org. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
    • "Gwinnett (AK-185)". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
    • Photo gallery of USS Gwinnett (AK-185) at NavSource Naval History


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