USS Stentor (ARL-26)
Encyclopedia
USS Stentor (ARL-26) was one of 39 Achelous-class
landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy
during World War II
. Named for Stentor
(a Greek
herald
in the Trojan War
noted for his loud, "stentorian" voice), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
Originally projected as a tank landing ship
, LST-858, Stentor was redesignated a landing craft repair ship on 14 August 1944; laid down at Seneca, Illinois
on 21 September 1944 by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 11 November 1944; and commissioned on 22 December 1944 with Lieutenant Charles J. Miller in command.
Stentor moved down the Mississippi River
after commissioning and arrived at New Orleans on Christmas Eve
. She departed the South Pass
on 2 January 1945 and arrived in Mobile, Alabama
on the following day. Stentor decommissioned at Mobile on 9 January and began conversion to a landing craft repair ship. She recommissioned on 28 April and completed fitting out and shakedown training in May. On 4 June she reported for duty with the Pacific Fleet at Coco Solo
, the western terminus of the Panama Canal
. Three days later, Stentor headed for the California
coast. She loaded pontoons
at Port Hueneme, near Los Angeles
, between 20 and 25 June, then sailed for San Francisco
. She stopped there on the 27th and headed for Hawaii
. The landing craft repair ship reached Pearl Harbor
on 16 July and there she remained through the waning days of World War II and into the fall of 1945.
On 20 October 1945 she departed the harbor and shaped a course for the Far East
. Stentor stopped at Guam
in the Marianas on 3 November and arrived in Shanghai, China three days before Christmas
. She served in China
until 6 October 1946, when she departed Tsingtao for the United States
. One month later, she entered port at San Pedro, California. For a little more than a year, she operated on the west coast, but spent most of her time in port at San Diego
, where she was decommissioned and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet in December, 1947. Stentor remained out of commission, in reserve, until 1 July 1960 when her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
. On 23 January 1961 her hulk was sold to the Diesel Parts Corporation of New York City
for scrapping.
Achelous class repair ship
The Achelous class repair ship was a class of ship built by the US Navy during World War II.As the US gained experience in amphibious operations, it was realized that some sort of mobile repair facility would be useful for repairing the damage that frequently occurred to smaller vessels such as...
landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Named for Stentor
Stentor
In Greek mythology, Stentor was a herald of the Greek forces during the Trojan War. Although he is mentioned only briefly in Homer's Iliad, in which Hera takes Stentor's character to encourage the Greeks to fight, his name has been living in the term "stentorian" voice, meaning loud-voiced, for...
(a Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
herald
Herald
A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
in the Trojan War
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including the Iliad...
noted for his loud, "stentorian" voice), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
Originally projected as a tank landing ship
Tank landing ship
Landing Ship, Tank was the military designation for naval vessels created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore....
, LST-858, Stentor was redesignated a landing craft repair ship on 14 August 1944; laid down at Seneca, Illinois
Seneca, Illinois
Seneca is a village in LaSalle and Grundy counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,371 at the 2010 census.The LaSalle County portion of Seneca is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion that lies in Grundy County is part of the...
on 21 September 1944 by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company; launched on 11 November 1944; and commissioned on 22 December 1944 with Lieutenant Charles J. Miller in command.
Stentor moved down the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
after commissioning and arrived at New Orleans on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
. She departed the South Pass
South Pass
South Pass is two mountain passes on the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Wyoming. The passes are located in a broad low region, 35 miles broad, between the Wind River Range to the north and the Oregon Buttes and Great Divide Basin to the south, in southwestern Fremont...
on 2 January 1945 and arrived in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
on the following day. Stentor decommissioned at Mobile on 9 January and began conversion to a landing craft repair ship. She recommissioned on 28 April and completed fitting out and shakedown training in May. On 4 June she reported for duty with the Pacific Fleet at Coco Solo
Coco Solo
Coco Solo was a United States Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama....
, the western terminus of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. Three days later, Stentor headed for the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast. She loaded pontoons
Pontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
at Port Hueneme, near Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, between 20 and 25 June, then sailed for San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. She stopped there on the 27th and headed for Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The landing craft repair ship reached Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 16 July and there she remained through the waning days of World War II and into the fall of 1945.
On 20 October 1945 she departed the harbor and shaped a course for the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. Stentor stopped at Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
in the Marianas on 3 November and arrived in Shanghai, China three days before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. She served in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
until 6 October 1946, when she departed Tsingtao for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. One month later, she entered port at San Pedro, California. For a little more than a year, she operated on the west coast, but spent most of her time in port at San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, where she was decommissioned and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet in December, 1947. Stentor remained out of commission, in reserve, until 1 July 1960 when her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
. On 23 January 1961 her hulk was sold to the Diesel Parts Corporation of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for scrapping.