USS Agenor (ARL-3)

Vulcain participating in Operation Hirondelle, French Indochina July 1953
History
United States
Name: USS Agenor (ARL-3)
Builder: Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington
Laid down: 24 January 1943
Launched: 3 April 1943
Commissioned: 20 August 1943
Decommissioned: 15 November 1946
Struck: 26 March 1951
Fate: Transferred to France, 2 March 1951
France
Name: Vulcain (A656)
Acquired: 2 March 1951
Fate: Transferred to the Republic of China, 1957
Taiwan
Name: Wu Tai (ARL-336)
Acquired: 1957
Fate: 1983
General characteristics
Class and type: Achelous class repair ship
Displacement: 2,220 long tons (2,256 t) light, 4,200 long tons (4,267 t) full
Length: 328 ft (100 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft: 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
Propulsion: 2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts
Speed: 12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Complement: 255 officers and enlisted men
Armament: 12 × Bofors 40 mm guns with Mark 51 directors (2x4,2x2), 12 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannons (6x2)
Service record
Operations: World War II, First Indochina War
Awards: 3 battle stars (World War II)

USS Agenor (ARL-3) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Agenor (in history and Greek mythology, a king of Tyre), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Originally projected as LST-490 but redesignated ARL-3 and named Agenor on 13 January 1943; laid down on 24 January 1943 by Kaiser Company, Inc. of Vancouver, Washington; launched on 3 April 1943; and commissioned at San Francisco on 20 August 1943, Lieutenant Argyle W. Markley in command.

Service history

United States Navy

World War II

From December 1943-9 June 1944 Agenor provided repair services to numerous landing craft operating in the Solomon, Russell, and Marshall Islands. On 9 June the repair ship got underway for the Marianas. Eight days later, Japanese torpedo bombers attacked Agenor's convoy. Despite several near misses, the ship continued on safely to waters off Saipan where she arrived on the 24th. Agenor was then assigned duty with a salvage group, Task Group 52.7 (TG 52.7). While air raids were a constant threat, the vessel carried out her work successfully. On 15 July, she moved to Tinian to supply services to invasion forces there.

The ship sailed to Guam in early August and reported to Task Force 53 (TF 53). That island was her base of operations through 2 October, when the ship shifted to Ulithi in the Carolines. Agenor returned to Guam on 10 February 1945 to prepare for the Iwo Jima landings. On 20 February, the repair ship arrived off Iwo Jima and joined TG 51.3. During the operations there, Agenor carried out her work despite air attack and heavy seas. The ship remained at Iwo Jima until 25 June. She then got underway for Saipan, where she dropped anchor on the 29th. Soon after reporting to Service Squadron 10 for duty, Agenor left Saipan bound for Hawaii and a much-needed overhaul. The vessel reached Pearl Harbor on 18 July and entered the navy yard. The Japanese surrender found the ship still undergoing repairs at Pearl Harbor. Upon completion of the yard work, Agenor served in the Hawaiian operating area until placed out of commission, in reserve, on 15 November 1946.

First Indochina War

Agenor was transferred to the government of France on 2 March 1951 under the terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act and renamed RFS Vulcain (A-656). Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 26 March 1951.

Republic of China Navy

Transferred by France to the Republic of China Navy in 1957 and renamed Wu Tai (ARL-336), her final fate is unknown.

Awards

Agenor earned three battle stars for her World War II service.

References


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