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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Adonis (ARL-4)
ex
USS LST-83 (1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Victor - Echo
NJVE
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal


Achelous Class Landing Craft Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 31 March 1943, as LST-83, at Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.
  • Launched, 14 June 1943
  • Commissioned, USS LST-83, 6 August 1943
  • Decommissioned, 21 August 1943, at Baltimore, MD., for conversion to an Achelous Class Landing Craft Repair Ship
  • Reclassified and renamed USS Adonis (ARL-4), 26 August 1943
  • Recommissioned, 12 November 1943, LT. Matthew E. Thompson, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Adonis was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 8 to 25 June 1944
    "[Adonis]... lost both anchors, had both rudders bent up rendering them useless
    and the ships hull had several bad ruptures, during the terrible storm that struck Omaha Beach a
    couple weeks after we arrived. We returned after a sea-tug got us to dry-dock repair."
    Hans Bakke USS Adonis

  • Decommissioned, 10 October 1946
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1960
  • USS Adonis (ARL-4) earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Sold to Virgil G. Thomas of California, 14 October 1960, for conversion to an oil tanker
  • Registered in 1962 by Sause Towing Co., Portland, OR. as lumber barge Mendocino Woodman
  • Final Disposition, stranded, 25 May 1963 on the South Jetty at the entrance to Reedsport Harbor, OR.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,900 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 11' 2" (lim)
    Speed 11.6 kts.
    Largest Boom Capacity 60 t.
    Complement
    Officers 20
    Enlisted 230
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal. dual purpose gun mount
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    six twin 20 mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,715 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.
    two propellers, 1,800shp
    twin rudders

    Click On Image
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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Adonis 44k USS Adonis (ARL-4) leaving Norfolk Navy Yard, 12 July 1945. Adonis is painted Measure 31 'tropical' design. US Navy photo, courtesy Floating Drydock Robert Hurst
    Adonis 34k USS Adonis (ARL-4) anchored at Shanghai, China, 4 February 1946. The bow of USS Amycus (ARL-2) is just visible at the far left of this photo. Vicki Bruzas for her father Rinaldo A. Rossi, S1/c USNR USS Adonis

    USS LST-83 / USS Adonis (ARL-4)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
     Ferry Command6 August 1943 - 21 August 1943
     Decommissioned21 August 1943 - 12 November 1943
    01LT. Thompson, Matthew Ellis, USNR12 November 1943 - 19 September 1945
    02LCDR. Anderson, Ray Daniel, USNR19 September 1945 - ?
    04LT. Caulfield, Joseph A., USNR1 December 1945 - 3 December 1945
    05LT. Giesmann Jr., Jacob Henry, USN3 December 1945 - 5 June 1946
    06ENS. Pack, Richard Perry, USN5 June 1946 - 10 October 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Russ Moody

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 5 January 2024