USS Lehigh (AK-192)
| Career (USA) |   |
|---|---|
| Name: | Lehigh |
| Namesake: | A county in Pennsylvania |
| Ordered: | as type (C1-M-AV1) hull |
| Builder: | Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin |
| Laid down: | 8 June 1944, as Coastal Expounder |
| Launched: | 25 November 1944 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Stanley Butler |
| Acquired: | by the U.S. Navy, 30 July 1945 |
| Commissioned: | 13 September 1945 as USS Lehigh (AK-192) at New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Decommissioned: | 6 November 1945 |
| Struck: | date unknown |
| Fate: | transferred to the U.S. Maritime Commission for disposal, 6 November 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Alamosa-class cargo ship |
| Tonnage: | 2,382 tons |
| Tons burthen: | 7,435 tons |
| Length: | 388' 8" |
| Beam: | 50' |
| Draft: | 21' 1" |
| Propulsion: | Diesel, single screw, 1,700shp |
| Speed: | 11.5 knots |
| Complement: | 85 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | one 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount; six 20mm guns |
USS Lehigh (AK-192) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed by the U.S. Navy during the closing period of World War II. She was declared excess-to-needs and returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission shortly after commissioning.
Service career
The second ship to be so named by the Navy, Lehigh (AK-192) was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract by Walter Butler Shipbuilding Co., Superior, Wisconsin, 8 June 1944; launched 25 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Stanley Butler; acquired by the Navy 30 July 1945.
Lehigh placed in service the same day for ferrying from Beaumont, Texas, to Galveston, Texas; placed out of service on the 31st; and commissioned at New Orleans 13 September 1945, Lt. George Kotnick in command. Because of the reduced need for cargo ships following World War II, Lehigh decommissioned 6 November 1945 and was turned over to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) the same day.
Her ultimate fate is not known.
References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-192 Lehigh
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