USS Minidoka

History
United States
Name	Coastal Herald (1944–1945) Minidoka (never commissioned)
Namesake	Minidoka County, Idaho
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2127
Builder	Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number	45
Laid down	26 August 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. R. N. Elder
Completed	5 May 1945
Commissioned	canceled 25 August 1945
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-196 (never commissioned) Code letters: NEOK
Fate	returned to the Maritime Commission
United States
Name	Coastal Herald
Owner	Maritime Commission
Operator	Waterman SS Corp. (1945) United Fruit Company (1946–1948)
Acquired	4 December 1945
In service	4 December 1945
Out of service	2 July 1948
Fate	Sold 13 July 1956
Brazil
Name	Coastal Herald
Operator	Companhia Nacional de Navegacao Costerira, Patrimonio Nacional
Acquired	13 July 1956
In service	3 January 1957
Fate	Scrapped 1977
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 Minidoka (AK-196) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy during the closing period of World War II. She was declared excess-to-needs and returned to the US Maritime Commission.

Construction

Minidoka, a C1-M-AV1 type cargo ship, was laid down under Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2127, by Walter Butler Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Superior, Wisconsin, 26 August 1944; launched 13 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. R. N. Elder; and completed 5 May 1945. While under conversion for Navy use at the Superior yard of Walter Butler, her conversion was canceled 25 August 1945.

Merchant service

Subsequently, she was returned to the Maritime Commission, renamed Coastal Herald, and operated for the Maritime Commission by Waterman Steamship Corporation and then the United Fruit Company until 1948. She was then sent to the reserve fleet awaiting sale.

On 13 July 1956, she was sold to Companhia Nacional de Navegacao Costerira, Patrimonio Nacional, of Brazil, for $693,682, under the condition that she be used for coastal shipping. She was delivered on 3 January 1957. She was scrapped in 1977.

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Online resources

• "Minidoka". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 20 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 19 November 2016.
• "USS Minidoka (AK-196)". Navsource.org. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
• "Coastal Herald". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 20 November 2016.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Minidoka (AK-196) at NavSource Naval History