USS Chinaberry

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History
United States
NameUSS Chinaberry
NamesakeA tree of southern United States and Mexico
BuilderSnow Shipyards, Inc., Rockland, Maine
Laid downdate unknown
Launched19 July 1943 in Rockland, Maine as YN-82
Commissioned12 March 1944
Decommissioned26 March 1946 at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California
RenamedChinaberry 20 January 1944
ReclassifiedAN-61, 20 January 1944
Strickendate unknown
FateSold 27 February 1950
General characteristics
Class and typeAilanthus-class net laying ship
Displacement1,100 tons
Length194' 6"
Beam37'
Draft13' 6"
Propulsiondiesel electric, 2,500hp
Speed12 knots
Complement56
Armamentone single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount; four twin 20 mm AA gun mounts

USS Chinaberry (AN-61/YN-82) was a Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served the U.S. Navy during World War II. Chinaberry operated in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean before being decommissioned at war's end.

Built in Maine[edit]

Chinaberry (AN-61) was launched 19 July 1943 by Snow Shipyards, Inc., Rockland, Maine, as YN-82; reclassified AN-61 and named Chinaberry 20 January 1944; and commissioned 12 March 1944.

World War II service[edit]

Atlantic Ocean Theatre operations[edit]

Chinaberry sailed from New York City 24 June 1944 in a convoy bound for Belfast, Northern Ireland, arriving 10 July. She operated as net tender in European waters, principally off the coast of France until 12 December, when she cleared Plymouth, England in convoy for Charleston, South Carolina, arriving 6 February 1945. After overhaul she sailed 26 March for Narragansett Bay to conduct experimental net operations and to train pre-commissioning crews for net tenders.

Pacific Ocean operations[edit]

From New York City, Chinaberry sailed 11 May in convoy for the Panama Canal Zone, continuing independently for San Diego, California, San Francisco, and Pearl Harbor, arriving 28 June.

Between 19 July 1945 and 5 November, Chinaberry tended nets at Eniwetok.

Post-war decommissioning[edit]

On 5 December, she arrived at San Pedro, California, Chinaberry was decommissioned 26 March 1946 at Mare Island, California, and sold 27 February 1950.

References[edit]