USS Coasters Harbor
USS Coasters Harbor (AG-74) was a Basilan-class miscellaneous auxiliary acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was configured as a repair ship and sent to the Pacific Ocean just as the war ended. She was retained to participate in atomic testing at Bikini Atoll.
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} United States | |
| Name | Coasters Harbor |
| Namesake | An island in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island |
| Builder | New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine |
| Laid down | 4 October 1944 as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, (MCE 3073) |
| Launched | 17 November 1944 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. M. M. Naples |
| Acquired | by the Navy 26 November 1944 |
| Commissioned | 29 July 1945 as USS Coasters Harbor (AG-74) |
| Decommissioned | 3 July 1947, at San Diego, California |
| In service | 26 November 1944 |
| Out of service | 30 November 1944 |
| Reclassified | AKS-22, 18 August 1951 |
| Refit | Todd Shipbuilding Company, Brooklyn, New York |
| Stricken | 1 April 1960 |
| Fate | sold for scrapping, 5 December 1960 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Basilan-class miscellaneous auxiliary |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 441' 6" |
| Beam | 66' 11" |
| Draft | 23' |
| Propulsion | reciprocating steam engine, single shaft, 1,950hp. |
| Speed | 12 knots |
| Complement | 891 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | one single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount; four single 40 mm AA gun mounts |
Constructed in Portland, Maine
Coasters Harbor was launched 17 November 1944 by New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine, under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. M. M. Naples; transferred to the Navy 26 November 1944; commissioned the same day, ferried to Todd Shipbuilding Company, Brooklyn, New York; decommissioned 30 November 1944 for conversion to an electronics repair ship; and was recommissioned 29 July 1945.
World War II-related service
Sailing from Norfolk, Virginia, 29 August, Coasters Harbor reached San Diego, California, 19 September and Sasebo, Japan, 31 October. She remained there servicing vessels of the occupation force until 5 March 1946.
Atomic testing at Bikini Atoll
Coasters Harbor sailed westward to take part in Operation Crossroads. Following the atomic weapons tests Coasters Harbor returned to the U.S. West Coast, arriving at San Pedro, California, 14 September.
Post-war decommissioning
She was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego, California, 3 July 1947. She was redesignated AKS-22, 18 August 1951 and stricken from the Navy List on 1 April 1960.
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 - USS Coasters Harbor (AG-74)