USS Demeter

USS Demeter (ARB-10) was planned as a United States Navy LST-542-class tank landing ship, but was redesignated as one of twelve Aristaeus-class battle damage repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Demeter (the Greek goddess of agriculture), she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS Demeter (ARB-10), laid up in reserve at East Boston Naval Annex, September 1960.
History
United States
Name	LST-1121 Demeter
Namesake	Demeter
Builder	Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois
Laid down	25 October 1944
Launched	19 January 1945
Commissioned	31 January 1945, reduced commission 3 July 1945, full commission
Decommissioned	2 March 1945 27 May 1947
Identification	Hull symbol: LST-1121 Hull symbol: ARB-10 Code letters: NJMJ
Fate	Placed in service in reserve, 27 May 1947, at Green Cove Springs Group Sold, 3 September 1959 Resold for merchant service, 1961
United States
Name	Motonave Demeter
Fate	Sunk, 12 January 1964
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship Aristaeus-class battle damage repair ship
Displacement	1,781 long tons (1,810 t) light 3,960 long tons (4,020 t) full load
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,800 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	11.6 kn (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph)
Complement	15 officers, 271 enlisted men
Armament	2 × quad 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns 8 × single 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons

Construction

Laid down as LST-1121 on 25 October 1944, by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company of Seneca, Illinois; launched 19 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. W. B. Wynn; placed in partial commission on 31 January 1945, under the command of Lieutenant P. P. Wynn, USNR; sailed down the Mississippi River on her way to Baltimore, where she was decommissioned on 2 March 1945, for conversion to a battle damage repair ship; and commissioned as Demeter (ARB-10) on 3 July 1945.

Service history

Demeter called at San Diego, from 1 to 6 September 1945, and arrived at Pearl Harbor ten days later. She embarked passengers for the United States and sailed 11 October, for the east coast, arriving at Charleston, South Carolina, on 11 November. She arrived at Green Cove Springs, Florida, on 27 November, and was placed in service in reserve on 27 May 1947, to provide services there to the reserve fleet group. Demeter was sold on 3 September 1959.

Resold in 1961, for merchant service and renamed Motonave, the ship was later renamed Demeter (date unknown). She sank on 12 January 1964.

Notes

Bibliography

Online resources

• "Demeter". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 28 July 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "USS Demeter (ARB-10)". Navsource.org. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Demeter(ARB-10) at NavSource Naval History