USS Pontotoc

USS Pontotoc (AK-206/AG-94/AVS-7) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship acquired by the US Navy shortly before the end of World War II. She was converted into a Gwinnett-class aviation stores issue ship to carry aviation parts and spares, and to issue them to the US Pacific Fleet and activities as needed.

USS Pontotoc (AVS-7)
History
United States
Name	Pontotoc
Namesake	Pontotoc County, Mississippi, and Pontotoc County, Oklahoma
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2160[1]
Builder	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Yard number	326[1]
Laid down	15 January 1944
Launched	2 July 1944
Commissioned	22 March 1945
Decommissioned	26 April 1946
Reclassified	prior to launch, Miscellaneous Auxiliary 25 May 1945, Aviation Stores Issue Ship
Refit	prior to 22 March 1945, converted to Gwinnett-class Aviation Stores Issue Ship
Stricken	8 May 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-206 Hull symbol: AG-94 Hull symbol: AVS-7 Code letters: NXNN
Fate	Sold to France, 14 August 1947
Republic of France
Name	Taurus
Operator	Messageries Maritimes
Acquired	14 August 1947
Fate	reflagged to Morocco, 1960
Morocco
Name	Tadjera
Acquired	1960
Fate	Scrapped, 1968[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship (1944–1945) Gwinnett-class aviation stores issue ship (1945–1946)
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,010 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard) 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine 1,750 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × propeller
Speed	11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated) 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement	15 Officers 70 Enlisted
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun (DP) 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons

Construction

Pontotoc was laid down for the US Maritime Commission (MARCOM), MC hull 2160, by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, 15 January 1944; classified AK-206 on 25 February 1944; launched 2 July 1944; acquired from MARCOM on a loan-charter basis 28 February 1945; reclassified AG–94 on 12 March 1945; and commissioned 22 March 1945.^[3]

World War II-related service

After shakedown, Pontotoc transited the Panama Canal and arrived Pearl Harbor 18 April 1945. Reclassified as Gwinnett-class aviation stores issue ship AVS-7 effective 25 May, Pontotoc steamed for the Philippine Islands, reporting for duty 8 July at Guiuan, Samar, Philippine Islands. She provided aviation stores on station in the Philippines through the end of hostilities.^[3]

Post-war inactivation

Pontotoc then proceeded to the 12th Naval District. She decommissioned and was delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) 26 April 1946, at San Francisco, California. She was struck from the Navy List 8 May 1946.^[3]

Merchant service

She was sold 14 August 1947, to the French firm Messageries Maritimes, and renamed Taurus. In 1960 she was sold to Morocco and renamed Tadjera.^[2][4]

Notes

Citations

1. C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
2. Navsource 2013.
3. DANFS 2015.
4. MARAD.

Bibliography

Online resources

• "Nicollet". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
• "Pontotoc (AG-94/AVS-7)". Navsource.org. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
• "Pontotoc (AK-206/AVS-7)". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 30 November 2016.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Pontotoc (AVS-7) at NavSource Naval History