USS Skimmer (AMCU-41)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS LCI(L)-1093 |
| Builder |
|
| Laid down | 11 September 1944 |
| Launched | 23 September 1944 |
| Commissioned | 28 September 1944 |
| Decommissioned | July 1946 |
| In service | 20 April 1947 as Naval Reserve training ship |
| Out of service | January 1950 |
| Renamed | USS Avocet (AMCU-41), 7 March 1952 |
| Namesake | avocet |
| Refit |
|
| Recommissioned | 23 January 1954 |
| Reclassified | MHC-41, 7 February 1955 |
| Decommissioned | 1 July 1955 |
| Stricken | 1 January 1960 |
| Fate | fate unknown |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 387 (full) |
| Length | 159 ft 0 in (48.46 m) |
| Beam | 23 ft 8 in (7.21 m) |
| Draft | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Propulsion | two sets of 4 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600, twin variable pitch propellers |
| Speed | 14.4 knots (tl.) |
| Endurance |
|
| Capacity | 75 tons |
| Troops | 6 Officers, 182 Enlisted |
| Complement | 4 officers, 24 enlisted |
| Armament | 5 × 20 mm guns |
USS Skimmer (AMCU-41/LCIL-1093) was an
U.S. Navy
for the task of landing troops in combat areas.
The second ship to be named Skimmer by the Navy was laid down as LCI(L)-1093, a large, infantry landing craft, on 11 September 1944 by the
Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Bay City, Michigan
; launched on 23 September 1944; and commissioned on 28 September 1944.
World War II service
LCI(L)-1093 made her way through
drydocked at New Orleans, then commenced her shakedown cruise to Galveston, Texas. After completing shakedown and amphibious
training, she departed Galveston on 25 November 1944.
Transfer to the Pacific Theatre
She transited the
Marianas
. She arrived at Guam on 8 April and stayed there until the 24 April.
Saipan and Okinawa operations
From there she sailed to
Okinawa. She spent the next month, 30 May to 30 June, providing smoke screens, carrying troops and supplies, and helping other landing craft
retract from the beaches.
End-of-war operations
The conquest of
Boston, Massachusetts. She then decommissioned at Boston and was towed to the berthing area at Hingham, Massachusetts
.
Reactivation in 1947
She returned to
U.S. Naval Reserve training ship. In January 1950, she was taken to Charleston, South Carolina, to be inactivated. This time, she was berthed at Green Cove Springs, Florida
.
Reactivation in 1953 as AMCU-41
In August 1953, she returned to Charleston to be converted to a
1st Naval District
in late February 1954 and, on 6 March, departed Charleston for Boston.
She headed via the
1st Naval District for the next year participating in LANTSUBMINEX-54 and LANTFLTEX-55 and representing the 1st Naval District at the Rhode Island State American Legion
Convention from 18 to 20 June 1954.
Final deactivation and decommissioning
On 1 March 1955, she commenced Phase Able inactivation at Boston and was redesignated MHC-41. By 20 April, she was back at
Navy list
.
Military awards and honors
Skimmer (LCI(L)-1093) received one
battle star for World War II
service.
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.