USS Gwinnett (AK-185/AG-92/AVS-5) was originally an Alamosa-class cargo ship acquired by the U.S. Navy shortly before the end of World War II and converted into a Gwinnett-class aviation stores issue ship. She was found to be excess-to-needs and was placed into reserve in 1946.

History
United States
NameGwinnett
NamesakeGwinnett County, Georgia
Orderedas type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2116[1]
BuilderWalter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number34[1]
Laid down21 December 1943
Launched14 May 1944
Sponsored byMrs. Oliva Dionne
Acquired13 March 1945
Commissioned10 April 1945
Decommissioned11 February 1946
Reclassified
  • prior to launch, Miscellaneous Auxiliary
  • 25 May 1945, Aviation Stores Issue Ship
Refitprior to 13 March 1945, converted to Gwinnett-class Aviation Stores Issue Ship
Stricken26 February 1946
Identification
FateSold, 14 August 1947
History
FranceRepublic of France
NameSainte Helene
Acquired14 August 1947
FateScrapped 1970
General characteristics [2]
Class and type
TypeC1-M-AV1
Tonnage5,010 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

Constructed

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Gwinnett was originally designated AK-185 and was launched as AG-92 under U.S. Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2116, by Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin, 14 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Oliva Dionne, mother of the Dionne quintuplets. After being taken down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana, the ship was outfitted at Port Houston Iron Works, Houston, Texas, and commissioned there 10 April 1945.[3]

Service history

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Soon after commissioning, Gwinnett was redesigned AVS-5 on 25 May 1945. After shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico she was ordered to the Pacific coast for disposal.[3]

Inactivation

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Gwinnett arrived San Francisco, 25 January 1946. She decommissioned and was simultaneously redelivered to the U.S. Maritime Commission 11 February 1946.[3]

Merchant service

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Gwinnett was initially leased to the General Steamship Corporation, on 11 July 1947, but then sold to the Republic of France on 14 August 1947.[4] She was reflagged for France and renamed Sainte Helene.[2] She was scrapped in January 1970.

Notes

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Citations

Bibliography

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Online resources

  • "Gwinnett". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 17 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 17 November 2016.
  • "Gwinnett (AK-185)". Navsource.org. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  • "Gwinnett (AK-185)". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
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  • Photo gallery of USS Gwinnett (AK-185) at NavSource Naval History