USS Charlevoix (AK-168) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

History
United States
NameCharlevoix
NamesakeCharlevoix County, Michigan
Orderedas type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2141[1]
BuilderFroemming Brothers, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Yard number13[1]
Laid downdate unknown
Launched20 April 1944
Sponsored byMrs. E. Buchanan
Commissioned1 February 1945
Decommissioned18 January 1946
Stricken17 April 1946
Identification
FateSold, 7 February 1947, D/S A/S Imica
Norway
Name
  • Benny (1947–1959, 1963)
  • Benny Viking (1959–1963)
  • Stella Oceanica (1963–1965)
Acquired26 February 1947
FateSold 1965
Panama
NameJasolinan
Acquired1965
FateSold 1965
Panama
NameParaskevi
Acquired1965
FateScrapped in Spain in 1970
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeAlamosa-class cargo ship
TypeC1-M-AV1
Tonnage5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement
  • 2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard)
  • 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam50 ft (15 m)
Draft21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power
Propulsion1 × propeller
Speed11.5 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

Construction

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Charlevoix, was launched 20 April 1944. by Froemming Brothers, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2141; sponsored by Mrs. E. Buchanan; and commissioned 1 February 1945.[3]

Service history

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World War II Pacific Theatre operations

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Charlevoix, cargo laden, cleared Gulfport, Mississippi, 24 February 1945 for Manus, arriving 5 April. Here she was assigned to a convoy bound for the Philippines, and after a passage marked by one possible submarine contact depth charged by the convoy's escorts, reached Subic Bay 24 April to discharge her cargo. Returning to Manus 1 June, she quickly reloaded, and took departure 7 June, for Samar, Philippine Islands, where she unloaded on 28 June, returning to Manus 5 July.[3]

Next underway 11 July 1945, Charlevoix loaded aviation gas at Lae for the New Zealand Air Force based on New Britain. She delivered her flammable cargo safely 20 July, supporting our Allies in their twice-daily raids on the Japanese at by-passed Rabaul. She made one more voyage from Manus, to deliver cargo to Hollandia, returning with rolling stock for repair at Manus in August, then sailed north to Samar and Subic Bay, where she was briefly overhauled in October.[3]

Post-war decommissioning

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She then proceeded to Norfolk, Virginia, which she reached 23 December, decommissioned there 18 January 1946, and was returned to the Maritime Commission 25 January 1946.[3]

Merchant service

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Charlevoix was purchased for a Norwegian shipper 7 February 1947, by D/S A/S Imica. She was transferred 26 February 1947 and renamed Benny. In 1959 her name was changed to Benny Viking before changing back to Benny and then Stella Oceanica in 1963.[2]

In 1965 she was sold and reflagged in Panama, being renamed Jasolinan. However, she was sold later that year and this time renamed Paraskevi.[2]

She was finally scrapped in Spain in 1970.[2]

Notes

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Citations

Bibliography

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Online resources

  • "charlevoix". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 14 February 1999. Retrieved 15 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 15 November 2016.
  • "USS Charlevoix (AK-168)". Navsource.org. 5 April 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
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  • Photo gallery of USS Charlevoix (AK-168) at NavSource Naval History