USS Chatham (AK-169)

	USS Chatham (AK-169), departing an island port in the Pacific, c. mid-1945.
History
United States
Name	Chatham
Namesake	Chatham County, Georgia, and; Chatham County, North Carolina;
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2142
Builder	Froemming Brothers, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Yard number	14
Laid down	date unknown
Launched	13 May 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. G. C. Salisbury
Acquired	20 January 1945
Commissioned	22 February 1945
Decommissioned	2 April 1946
Stricken	17 April 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-169; Code letters: NEGW; ;
Fate	Removed from the Reserve Fleet, 28 February 1947, under GAA contract by Dickman, Wright and Pugh
History
Netherlands
Name	Helena
Owner	Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Mattschappij N.V.
Acquired	15 April 1947
Fate	Sold 1963
History
Panama
Name	Lincoln Express
Owner	Bahamas Lines, Panama
Acquired	1963
Fate	broke in two and sank in December 1972
General characteristics
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)
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	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine ; 1,750 shp (1,300 kW);
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	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun (DP); 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons;

USS Chatham (AK-169) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

Construction

The third Chatham commissioned by the Navy, was launched 13 May 1944 by Froemming Brothers, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2142; sponsored by Mrs. G. C. Salisbury; acquired by the Navy 20 January 1945; and commissioned at Galveston, Texas, 22 February 1945.^[3]

Service history

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

Chatham arrived at Pearl Harbor 6 May 1945 to carry cargo to Eniwetok, Saipan, and Guam, before returning to San Francisco, 18 July for a brief overhaul. She cleared San Francisco 13 August, and until 30 January 1946, when she returned to San Francisco once more, carried cargo from Okinawa to Guam, Manus, Saipan, Eniwetok, and the Philippines, aiding in the redeployment of American strength in the Pacific Ocean which followed the war.^[3]

Post-war decommissioning

From the US West Coast, she sailed to Baltimore, Maryland, where she was decommissioned 2 April 1946 and returned to the Maritime Commission, 4 April 1946.^[3]

Merchant service

Chatham was acquired by the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Mattschappij, N.V. of Amsterdam, Holland, and renamed Helena, the former Navy cargo ship operated out of Amsterdam, under the Dutch flag, from 1949 to 1963.^[2]

She was sold in 1963 to the Bahamas Line, Panama, and renamed Lincoln Express.^[4] She broke in two and sank 15 December 1972, in heavy weather West of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a load of Gypsum.^[2] All but one of her crew were rescued by the USCG buoy tender Sagebrush.^[5]

Military awards and honors

The record does not indicate any battle stars for Chatham. However, her crew was eligible for the following medals:

American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Notes

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Navsource 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c DANFS 2015.
^ Swiggum & Kohli 2006.
^ USCG.

Bibliography

Online resources

"Chatham III (AK-169)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 15 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 15 November 2016.
"USS Chatham (AK-169)". Navsource.org. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
"Sagebrush, 1944". United States Coast Guard. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
Swiggum, S.; Kohli, M. (10 June 2006). "Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Maatschappij, Amsterdam / Royal Netherlands Steamship Co". TheShipsList. Retrieved 18 November 2016.

External links

Photo gallery of USS Chatham (AK-169) at NavSource Naval History

[FOOTNOTEC1_Cargo_Ships2009-1] C1 Cargo Ships 2009.

[FOOTNOTENavsource2014-2] Navsource 2014.

[FOOTNOTEDANFS2015-3] DANFS 2015.

[FOOTNOTESwiggumKohli2006-4] Swiggum & Kohli 2006.

[FOOTNOTEUSCG-5] USCG.

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v t e Alamosa-class cargo ships
Alamosa Alcona Amador Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Beltrami Blount Brevard Bullock Cabell Caledonia Charlevoix Chatham Chicot Claiborne Clarion Codington Colquitt Craighead Doddridge^* Duval^* Fairfield Faribault Fentress Flagler Gadsden Glacier Grainger Gwinnett Habersham Hennepin Herkimer Hidalgo Kenosha Lebanon Lehigh Lancaster Marengo Midland Minidoka Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Pembina Pemiscot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulare^* Washtenaw^** / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^* Wexford^† / Coastal Crusader Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Short Splice Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca
* = Canceled August 1945 ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader
List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

v t e Type C1-M ships
Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch
Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator
Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet
Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar