USS Mindanao
ARG-3
1943
(Spider Navy SN-2-06)
- Class: Luzon - 12 internal combustion engine repair ships of 1943
- Displacement: 4,023 tons light
- Dimensions: 441'6" x 56'11" x 23'
- Machinery: 1 General Machine Corp VTE reciprocating steam engine, single screw, 2,500shp = 12.5 knots
- Armament: 1-5"/38, 1-3"/50, 4-40mm AA (2x2), 12-20mm AA guns
- Complement: 31+552
- Builder: Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard Inc, Baltimore, MD
- Keel Laid: 11 Apr 1943
- Launched: 13 May 1943
- Commissioned: 6 Nov 1943
- Decommissioned: 17 May 1947
- Notes: Laid down and launched as SS Elbert Hubbard, a type EC2 Liberty Ship, before being acquired by the Navy on 20 May 1943. Converted to internal combustion engine repair ship and commissioned as Mindanao (ARG-3). Assigned to Asia Pacific Theater after shakedown, she sailed via the Panama Canal to Noumea, New Caledonia, reporting for duty with Service Squadron South Pacific on 27 Jan 1944. Moved to Espiritu Santo in Feb and to Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands in Sep to support operations in the Philippines. It was there on 10 Nov 1944, when she was moored only 350 yards away from the ammunition ship USS Mount Hood (AE-11) that the latter blew up off the port bow. Mindanao suffered 23 dead and 174 injured and had extensive damage, keeping her under repair until 21 Dec. Moved to Ulithi in Mar 1945 to support the Okinawa campaign and after VJ day spent time at Okinawa and Shanghai supporting the occupation forces. Sailed for home 26 Mar 1946, arriving at Galveston, TX 12 Jul to prepare for decommissioning.
Postwar laid up in Atlantic Reserve Fleet; transferred to Maritime Commission 9 May 1961; title transferred to Artificial Reef Program, State of Florida 12 Mar 1980 and sunk as reef off Daytona Beach, 11 Nov 1980.
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