USS Marengo (AK-194) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed by the US Navy during the closing period of World War II. She was declared excess-to-needs and returned to the US Maritime Commission shortly after commissioning.

History
United States
Name
  • Coastal Spartan (1944–1945)
  • Marengo (1945)
NamesakeMarengo County, Alabama
Orderedas type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2125[1]
BuilderWalter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number43[1]
Laid down4 July 1944
Launched4 December 1944
Sponsored byMrs. R. W. Higgins
Acquired24 August 1945
Commissioned21 September 1945
Decommissioned23 November 1945
Strickendate unknown
Identification
FateReturned to Maritime Commission, 23 November 1945
United States
NameCoastal Spartan
OwnerMaritime Commission
Operator
Acquired23 November 1945
In service23 November 1945
Out of service22 April 1948
FateSold, 19 July 1965
Notessold for non-transportation use
United States
NameCoastal Spartan
OwnerBoston Metals, Company
Acquired19 July 1965
FateSold
United States
Name
  • Cyclone (1971–1975)
  • Ocean Cyclone (1975–1989)
OwnerStorm Drilling Company
In serviceDecember 1971
Refit
  • converted to drilling ship, December 1971
  • converted to crane ship, 1975
FateSold late 1989
United States
NameNorthern Victor
OwnerSeafoods Wholesalers, Inc.
Acquired1989
In service19 October 1990
Out of service1999
Refitconverted to fish processing vessel, 1989–1990
FateSold
United States
NameNorthern Victor
OwnerIcicle Seafoods Inc.
Acquired1999
Identification
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeAlamosa-class cargo ship
TypeC1-M-AV1
Tonnage5,032 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

Construction

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Marengo (AK 194) was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2125, by Walter Butler Shipbuilders Inc., Superior, Wisconsin, 4 July 1944; launched 4 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. R. W. Higgins; acquired by the Navy at New Orleans, Louisiana, 24 August 1945; placed in service the same day she was acquired, and was used for ferrying from Beaumont, Texas, to Galveston, Texas. She was placed out of service on arrival the 29 August; and commissioned 21 September.[3]

Post-war decommissioning

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The end of World War Il reduced the need for cargo ships, so Marengo decommissioned 23 November and was transferred to War Shipping Administration (WSA) the same day. The ship was subsequently operated by North Atlantic & Gulf Steamship Co., under the name Coastal Spartan.[3]

Merchant service

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Coastal Spartan was contracted to North Atlantic & Gulf SS Company and South Atlantic SS Line until being laid up in the reserve fleet in Wilmington, North Carolina, on 22 April 1948.[2]

She was sold to Boston Metals, Company, on 19 July 1965, for non-transportation use.[2]

In December 1971, she was sold to Storm Drilling Company, and converted to a drilling ship. She was renamed Cyclone on 30 December 1971. She was again converted in 1975, to a crane ship and renamed Ocean Cyclone.[2]

She was sold in 1989, converted by the Eastern Shipbuilding Company, Panama City, Florida, to a fish processing vessel in 1989–1990.[2][4]

In late 1999, she was acquired by Icicle Seafoods, Inc.[2]

Notes

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Citations

Bibliography

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Online resources

  • "Marengo". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 19 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 19 November 2016.
  • "USS Marengo (AK-194)". Navsource.org. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  • "Coastal Spartan". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
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