AP-4
Displacement 8400
Length 448'
Beam 68'6"
Draw 23'9"
Speed 15.5 k
Complement 249
Armament
Class Argonne
The second Argonne (AP 4) was built in 1920 by American International Shipbuilding Corp., Hog Island, Pa.. for the Shipping Board. She was loaned to the Navy by the Army 5 November 1921 and permanently transferred August 1924. She was commissioned November 1921, Commander W. Smith in command.
Assigned to the Naval Transport Service, Argonne operated on both coasts and in trans-Pacific duty until March 1924 when she was converted to a submarine tender (reclassified AS 10, 1 July 1924). She operated along the Pacific coast (1924-31) as flagship and tender of Submarine Division 20. From 1931 to 1941 she flew the flags of Commander, Base Force, U. S. Fleet, and Commander, Train, Fleet Base Force, while operating with the fleet in the Pacific. Not until 25 July 1940, however, was she reclassified AG-31
Argonne was at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, but escaped the holocaust without damage. After assisting in the repair of vessels at Pearl Harbor. Argonne attempted salvage of the steamer President Taylor at Cauton Island (18 Aprll-5 May 1942). Between May 1942 and the end of World War II Argonne served the fleet with repair and salvage operations at the following locations: Pearl Harbor; Noumea, New Caledonia, Auckland, New Zealand; Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, Russell Islands, Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands; Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island; Kossol Passage, Palau Islands; Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands; and Eniwetok, Marshall Islands.
On 10 November 1944 while at Seeadler Harbor, Mount Hood (AE 11), which was berthed adjacent to Argonne, exploded. Argonne suffered several casualties and damages. She effected self-repair and then proceeded to Kossol Passage, Palau Islands. While operating here she suffered minor damage when a depth charge was accidentally set off by the impact caused when a small craft bumped into a subchaser which was moored alongside Argonne. No personnel casualties were suffered.
After the surrender of Japan, Argonne continued to operate in the Western Pacific as a unit of the naval occupation force (17 September 1945-5 April 1946). Returning to the United States, she was decommissioned 15 July 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission 31 July 1946.
Argonne received one battle star for her Pacific service.
From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/ap4.htm)
Please provide corrections as needed....
Researcher::
Jim Radja
Vienna, Virginia, US of A
