_underway_in_the_1950s.jpg) USSElectra (AKA-4) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USSElectra |
| Namesake | Electra, a star in thePleiades star cluster in the constellationTaurus |
| Builder | Tampa Shipbuilding Company,Tampa, Florida |
| Laid down | as MVMeteor |
| Launched | 18 November 1941 |
| Acquired | 16 April 1941 |
| Commissioned | 17 March 1942, as USSElectra (AK-21) |
| Decommissioned | 19 March 1946 |
| Reclassified | AKA-4 (attack cargo ship), 1 February 1943 |
| Recommissioned | 3 May 1952 |
| Decommissioned | 13 May 1955 |
| Honours and awards | 6battle stars (World War II) |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 7 June 1974 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Arcturus-classattack cargo ship |
| Type | Type C2 ship |
| Displacement | 14,225 long tons (14,453 t) |
| Length | 459 ft 1 in (139.93 m) |
| Beam | 63 ft (19 m) |
| Draft | 20 ft 1 in (6.12 m) |
| Speed | 16knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 267 |
| Armament |
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USSElectra (AKA-4) was anArcturus-classattack cargo ship named afterElectra, a star in thePleiades star cluster in the constellationTaurus. She served as a commissioned ship for seven years.
Electra (AK-21) was launched 18 November 1941 asMeteor by Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Fla., under aMaritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. C. O. Andrews, wife of the Senator from Florida; transferred to the Navy 16 April 1941; andcommissioned 17 March 1942. She was reclassifiedAKA-4, 1 February 1943.
After a fast voyage fromNorfolk, Va., toWellington, New Zealand, between 10 May and 18 July 1942, to deliver men of the1st Marines,Electra, upon her return trained in theChesapeake Bay with troops assigned to the initial north African landings. On 23 October she sailed forFrench Morocco and saw action during theinvasion landings offSafi on 8 November. Although several of herlanding boats were lost under intensive fire from the beach, she unloaded her cargo by the 14th and got underway with wounded soldiers on board. Bound forFedhala, she wastorpedoed on the starboard side by German U-boatU-173 .USS Cole (DD-155) took off all ofElectra's crew and passengers except for a ship's salvage party, and with the assistance of several ships,Electra was beached atCasablanca two days later. Her remaining cargo was discharged, and her ship's company with the aid of salvage facilities ashore performed a herculean repair job which enabled her to return toCharleston 30 April 1943.
Following an overhaul and permanent repairs,Electra carried out amphibious training inChesapeake Bay until the end of the year, then sailed from Norfolk on 11 December 1943 for thePacific. She departedPearl Harbor 23 January 1944 for theinvasion of the Marshalls, and during the capture ofKwajalein furnished her boats for the occupation of the small islands north of the atoll, and refueledminecraft and small craft of the invasion force. After discharging part of her cargo, she sailed toEniwetok where she supplied boats and equipment for the initial landings 18 February. After unloading the remainder of her cargo,Electra returned toPearl Harbor 8 March.
In June 1944,Electra served in theassault landings on Saipan, debarking her troops 15 June and unloading cargo and embarking casualties for return to Pearl Harbor until 26 June. She arrived atGuadalcanal in August to stage for the invasion of thePalaus, and on 15 September took part in the feint assault onBabelthuap to divert attention fromthe main landings on Peleliu. Two days later she was engaged as control boat for the initial assault onAngaur, remaining there to unload cargo until the 23d.
After a brief respite atManus,Electra sortied for the invasion of thePhilippines, landing her troops and cargo atTacloban,Leyte, 20 October 1944, sailing 2 days later for the Palaus. She lifted troops fromGuam for support landings on 23 November, then sailed toHollandia,New Guinea, to prepare for the next invasion. On 9 January 1945,Electra arrived atLingayen Gulf,Luzon for theinitial assault, made under air attack, and successfully offloaded her troops and cargo by the 17th. She returned toNew Guinea briefly to embarkArmy troops for transfer to support operations atMindoro, then sailed toUlithi, arriving 19 February.
On 18 March 1945,Electra arrived offIwo Jima to embark men of the fighting5th Marines for transportation to Pearl Harbor, arriving 15 April. The transport then continued on to theWest Coast of the United States for overhaul.When the war ended,Electra was back at Pearl Harbor. She carried occupation troops toWakayama andHiro Wan from Pearl Harbor and thePhilippines, then embarked returning veterans for the States, arriving at San Francisco 10 November 1945. She was placed out of commission in reserve 19 March 1946, and returned to the Maritime Commission 1 July 1946.
Reacquired from the Maritime Commission 16 October 1951 as a result of theKorean War,Electra was recommissioned 3 May 1952. She operated along theWest Coast of the United States, taking part in amphibious exercises and acting as a submarine target vessel. In June 1953 she loaded cargo atLong Beach for a supply mission in theArctic, then sailed fromSeattle 10 July with TF 9 to arrive atIcy Cape on the 21st.Electra furnished provisions, fuel, and water to other ships in the force, as well as unloading cargo for northern bases. She returned toSan Diego 2 September, and except for a supply mission to thePribilof Islands from 10 July to 7 September 1954,Electra continued training and upkeep along the west coast until placed out of commission in reserve again 13 May 1955.Electra was sold for scrap on 7 June 1974 to Van Komodo International Inc.[1]
Electra received six battle stars forWorld War II service.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere. United States Navy | |
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 Peruvian Navy |
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