USS Coasters Harbor (AG-74)

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
United States
Name: Coasters Harbor
Namesake: An island in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, site of the Naval War College
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: 5,766 tons
Tons burthen: 14,200 tons
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, Commander T. H. Mover, USNR, in command.

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


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