USS Rockdale

USS Rockdale (AK-208) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy during the closing period of World War II. She served with distinction in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations and returned home in 1946 to be placed into the "mothball" fleet and sold in 1947.

History

United States
Name	Rockdale
Namesake	Rockdale County, Georgia
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2162[1]
Builder	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Yard number	327[1]
Laid down	15 January 1944
Launched	1 October 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. William R. Crawford
Acquired	5 June 1945
Commissioned	26 June 1945
Decommissioned	22 March 1946
Stricken	12 April 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-205 Code letters: NXNR
Fate	Sold 11 February 1947, Nerlof Andersens Rederi A/S
Norway
Name	Carina
Owner	Nerlof Andersens Rederi A/S
Acquired	11 February 1947
Fate	Wrecked and scrapped, 1969
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
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

Construction

Rockdale was laid down 15 January 1944, under US Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2162, by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; launched 1 October 1944; sponsored by Mrs. William R. Crawford; acquired by the Navy from MARCOM on loan-charter basis 5 June 1945; and commissioned at Galveston, Texas, 26 June 1945.[3]

Service history

World War II service

Following shakedown off Galveston, Texas, Rockdale got underway from Gulfport, Mississippi, for the Panama Canal. Transiting the Canal 27 July, she proceeded to Hollandia, New Guinea, where she arrived 2 September to unload her cargo. On 9 September she steamed for Australia, reaching Brisbane 17 September. She got underway for Manus Island 25 September arriving 3 October. Underway the next day, she made Saipan on the 10th.[3]

Rockdale got underway on 13 October for Okinawa where she arrived 5 days later. On 1 November she sailed for the Mariana Islands and operated in that island group until getting underway for the Panama Canal on 13 January 1946. She transited the Canal on 20 February and arrived Norfolk, Virginia, on 1 March.[3]

Post-war inactivation

Rockdale decommissioned there 22 March, was returned to the War Shipping Administration on the 26th for lay-up in the James River, and was struck from the Navy List 12 April 1946.[3]

Merchant service

Rockdale was sold, 11 February 1947, to Nerlof Andersens A/S, of Norway, for $693,862.00.[4] She was wrecked and scrapped in 1969.[1]

Notes

Citations

C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
Navsource 2014.
DANFS 2005.
MARAD.

Bibliography

Online resources

"Rockdale (AK-208)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 19 October 2005. Retrieved 1 December 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
"Rockdale (AK-208)". Navsource.org. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
"Poinsett (AK-205)". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 1 December 2016.

External links

Photo gallery of USS Rockdale (AK-208) at NavSource Naval History

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

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

Ships built by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Tacoma-class frigates	Brunswick Davenport Evansville Knoxville New Bedford Peoria Reading Uniontown
PC-461-class submarine chasers	PC-496 PC-550 PC-551 PC-588 PC-589 PC-590 PC-591 PC-821 PC-822 PC-823 PC-824 PC-825 PC-1171 PC-1172 PC-1173 PC-1174 PC-1175 PC-1176 PC-1177 PC-1178 PC-1179 / Morris PC-1180 PC-1225 PC-1226 PC-1227 PC-1228 / Munising PC-1229 PC-1230 / Grinnell PC-1260 PC-1261 PC-1262 PC-1263 PC-1560 PC-1561 PC-1562 PC-1563 PC-1564 PC-1565 PC-1566 PC-1567 PC-1568 PC-1569
Alamosa-class cargo ships Type C1-M-AV1 ships	Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulare^** Washtenaw^† / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^# Wexford^‡ / Coastal Crusader
Net laying ships	Passaic Shakamaxon Tonawanda
* = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Merchant ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Challenger † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide # = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Defender ‡ = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader

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