USS Chimon (AG-150)

USS Chimon (AG-150/AKS-31) – also known as USS LST-1102 -- was an LST-511-class tank landing ship launched by the U.S. Navy during the final months of World War II. Chimon served as a transport and stores ship for the U.S. 7th Fleet, and was decommissioned after service in the Korean War.

History
United States
Name: USS Chimon
Namesake: An island off the coast of Connecticut
Builder: Missouri Bridge and Iron Works, Evansville, Indiana
Laid down: date unknown
Launched: 10 January 1945
Sponsored by: Mrs. O. Snyder
Commissioned: 29 January 1945 as USS LST-1102
Decommissioned: 21 November 1947
In service: 27 December 1950 as USS Chimon (AKS-31)
Out of service: 22 April 1958
Renamed: Chimon, 1 February 1949
Reclassified: AG-150, 27 January 1949; AKS-31, 27 December 1950
Stricken: 2 November 1959
Honours and
awards:		 one battle star for World War II service
Fate: sold, 2 November 1959; ultimate fate unknown
General characteristics
Type: LST-511-class tank landing ship
Tonnage: 1,780 tons
Tons burthen: 3,640 tons
Length: 328'
Beam: 50'
Draft: loaded bow 8' 2" stern 14' 1"
Propulsion: two General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed: 12 knots
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 LCVP
Troops: 140 officers and enlisted
Complement: 8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted
Armament: one twin 40 mm bow gun mount, eight 40 mm guns, 12-20 mm guns

Constructed in Evansville, Indiana

Chimon was launched as LST-1102 10 January 1945 by Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Works, Evansville, Indiana; sponsored by Mrs. O. Snyder; and commissioned 29 January 1945, Lieutenant Lloyd. J. Patterson, USNR, in command.[1]

Sailing from Gulfport, Mississippi, 7 March 1945, LST-1102 arrived at Pearl Harbor 4 April to load cargo for delivery to bases at Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Ulithi.

This duty completed, she joined a convoy at Leyte 21 June and arrived at Okinawa 5 days later to complete offloading her cargo. After transporting Marines from Naha to Hagushi, she sailed from Okinawa 10 July and returned to Pearl Harbor 5 August. At the close of the war, she loaded men and equipment for the occupation of Japan, and on 27 September arrived at Wakayama, Japan.

LST-1102 continued to support the occupation of Japan until 4 November 1945. She called at Guam to embark homeward bound servicemen and arrived back at Pearl Harbor 1 December to undergo conversion to a mobile spare parts ship.

Converted into a spare parts ship

Her conversion completed, LST-1102 got underway from Pearl Harbor 4 April 1946 to return to Far Eastern duty at Shanghai, and Tsingtao, China until 8 October 1947. Arriving at San Pedro, California, 7 November, she shifted to San Diego, California, a week later and was placed out of commission in reserve there 21 November 1947.

She was reclassified AG-150, 27 January 1949 and assigned the name Chimon on 1 February 1949.

Korean War service

Recommissioned 27 December 1950 under the command of Lieutenant G. W. Hessemer, USNR, Chimon was assigned to Service Squadron 3 and sailed for the Far East on 2 May 1951. Arriving at Sasebo, Japan, 13 June, she alternated operations from that port and Yokosuka in support of the Korean War.

Reclassified AKS-31 on 18 August 1951, she remained in the Far East serving the 7th Fleet in its watchful operations to keep peace until 20 November 1957, occasionally visiting Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Post-war decommissioning

Arriving at San Francisco, California, 22 December, Chimon was placed in commission in reserve 22 January 1958 and out of commission in reserve 22 April 1958. Chimon was sold, and removed from naval custody on 2 November 1959.

Honors and awards

Chimon received one battle star (as LST-1102) for World War II service.

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See also

References
Specific
  1. Williams, Greg H. (2012-12-31). World War II U.S. Navy Vessels in Private Hands: The Boats and Ships Sold and Registered for Commercial and Recreational Purposes Under the American Flag. McFarland. ISBN 9781476600406.


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