USS Diomedes (ARB-11)

USS Diomedes (ARB-11) was an Aristaeus-class repair ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Diomedes (in Greek mythology, a prince of Argos, one of the bravest heroes of the Trojan War), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS Diomedes (ARB-11) at anchor in Hong Kong Harbor, 1 December 1945
History
United States
Name:	USS LST-1119
Builder:	Bethlehem Steel Company, Hingham, Massachusetts
Laid down:	19 October 1944
Launched:	11 January 1945
Sponsored by:	Mrs. M. D. Hembree
Commissioned:	23 January 1945
Decommissioned:	21 February 1945
Renamed:	USS Diomedes (ARB-11)
Namesake:	Diomedes
Recommissioned:	23 June 1945
Decommissioned:	3 December 1946
Fate:	Transferred to West Germany, 7 June 1961
History
West Germany
Name:	Wotan (A513)
Namesake:	Wotan
Acquired:	7 June 1961
Commissioned:	20 January 1966
Decommissioned:	23 August 1991
Fate:	used for training and public events of the Bundeswehr
General characteristics
Class and type:	Aristaeus-class repair ship
Displacement:	1,781 long tons (1,810 t) light 3,700 long tons (3,759 t) full
Length:	328 ft (100 m)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Draft:	11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
Propulsion:	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed:	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement:	260 officers and enlisted men
Armament:	2 × 40 mm guns 8 × 20 mm guns

LST-1119 was launched on 11 January 1945 by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company of Seneca, Illinois; sponsored by Mrs. M. D. Hembree; placed in partial commission from 23 January to 21 February 1945 for the passage to Baltimore, Maryland; converted to a battle damage repair ship as USS Diomedes (ARB-11); and commissioned on 23 June 1945 with Lieutenant Commander S. H. P. Read, Jr., USNR, in command.

Service history

Diomedes arrived at Okinawa on 25 September, and on 3 October got underway for Hong Kong to provide repair services. She sailed from Hong Kong on 8 December and called at Kiirun, Formosa before arriving at Taku, China on 19 December to continue her repair work. Departing Taku on 20 March 1946 Diomedes called at Pearl Harbor, and arrived at Charleston, South Carolina on 28 May. She arrived in Jacksonville, Florida on 2 June, and was placed out of commission in reserve there on 3 December 1946.

Diomedes was transferred on 7 June 1961 to West Germany, whereupon she was renamed Wotan (A513). Her final fate is unknown.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• "LST-1119 / ARB-11 Diomedes". Service Ship Photo Archive. Retrieved April 12, 2007.