USS Alshain (AKA-55)
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS Alshain |
| Namesake: | Alshain |
| Builder: | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey |
| Laid down: | 29 October 1943 |
| Launched: | 26 January 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 1 April 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 14 January 1956 |
| Reclassified: | USNS Alshain (T-AKA-55), 1 October 1949 |
| Struck: | 1 July 1960 |
| Honours and awards: |
5 battle stars (World War II) 3 battle stars (Korea) |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap, 16 February 1978 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Andromeda-class attack cargo ship |
| Type: | Type C2-S-B1 |
| Displacement: | 14,200 long tons (14,428 t) full |
| Length: | 459 ft 2 in (139.95 m) |
| Beam: | 63 ft (19 m) |
| Draft: | 26 ft 4 in (8.03 m) |
| Speed: | 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) |
| Complement: | 392 |
| Armament: | • 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun mount • 4 × twin 40 mm gun mounts • 18 × 20 mm gun mounts |
USS Alshain (AKA-55) (nicknamed "Johnny") was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship in the service of the United States Navy. She was named after the star Alshain in the constellation Aquila, and served as a commissioned ship for 11 years and 9 months.
Alshain (AKA-55) was laid down on 29 October 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 209) at Kearny, New Jersey, by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., launched on 26 January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. J. H. King, acquired by the Navy on 31 March 1944, and placed in commission at Brooklyn, New York, on 1 April 1944, Commander (later Captain) Roland E. Krause in command, succeeded by Comdr. (later Capt.) B.W. Strickland. Other officers on the ship included, Comdr. L.B. Swann, Lt.Comdr. G.R. Kilburn, Lt.Comdr. Mitchell Justice, Lt. Tierney, Lt. Batson, and Lt. Lexey R. Shields.
Read more about USS Alshain (AKA-55): Awards