USS Marengo (AK-194)
| Career (USA) |  100x35px |
|---|---|
| Name: | Marengo |
| Namesake: | A county in west central Alabama named for a village in northwestern Italy where Napoleon defeated the Austrians 14 June 1800 |
| Ordered: | as type (C1-M-AV1) hull |
| Builder: | Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin |
| Laid down: | 4 July 1944 |
| Launched: | 4 December 1944 |
| Acquired: | by the U.S. Navy, 24 August 1945 |
| Commissioned: | 21 September 1945 as USS Marengo (AK-194) |
| Decommissioned: | 23 November 1945 |
| In service: | 24 August 1945 for ferrying services |
| Out of service: | 29 August 1945 |
| Struck: | date unknown |
| Fate: | transferred to the U.S. Maritime Commission on 23 November 1945; ultimate fate not known |
| 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 Marengo (AK-194) 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
Marengo (AK 194) was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract 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. Marengo was 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 29th; and commissioned 21 September.
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.
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-194 Marengo
