USS Minos (ARL-14)

USS Minos (ARL-14) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Minos (in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Europa, who was a king and lawgiver of Crete), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Minos underway in Chesapeake Bay, c. 1951
History
Name:	USS Minos
Builder:	Chicago Bridge & Iron Company
Launched:	15 September 1944
Commissioned:	26 September 1944
Decommissioned:	18 June 1946
Recommissioned:	22 September 1950
Decommissioned:	19 August 1955
Stricken:	1 January 1960
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, 18 October 1960
General characteristics
Class and type:	Achelous class repair ship
Displacement:	2,220 long tons (2,256 t) light 3,960 long tons (4,024 t) full
Length:	328 ft (100 m)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Draft:	11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
Propulsion:	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed:	12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Complement:	255 officers and enlisted men
Armament:	2 × 40 mm gun mounts 8 × 20 mm gun mounts

Originally laid down as LST-644 by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company of Seneca, Illinois; launched 15 September 1944; sponsored by Miss Ruth D. Rix; redesignated USS Minos (ARL 14) effective 14 August 1944; and commissioned 26 September 1944 at New Orleans, Louisiana with Lieutenant W. Gray in command.

Service history

1st commission

Following commissioning, Minos sailed to Jacksonville, Florida where she completed conversion at the Gibbs Gas Engine Company. After training, she steamed to join amphibious force repair units in the Pacific. However, upon termination of hostilities, she returned home, arriving in 1946 in Green Cove Springs, Florida and decommissioning 18 June 1946 to enter the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston Group.

2nd commission

With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, she was recommissioned 22 September 1950. She reported to Commander Amphibious Forces, Atlantic Fleet, at Little Creek, Virginia 6 December 1950. She took part in amphibious exercises and performed repair services for the next four years. Under the command of CDR Harold C. "Brownie" Brown, she was decommissioned 19 August 1955 at Green Cove Springs and was assigned to Sub Group 1, Florida Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Minos was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register 1 January 1960 and sold to the Portsmouth Salvage Company of Virginia 18 October 1960 for scrapping.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• "LST-644 / ARL-14 Minos". Amphibious Photo Archive. Retrieved 26 April 2007.