USS Sculptor (AK-103)
Encyclopedia
USS Sculptor (AK-103) was an commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
Sculptor was laid down as SS D. W. Harrington under Maritime Commission contract (MCE Hull 1671) on 18 May 1943 by California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, California; launched on 10 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. S. E. Joseph; acquired by the Navy on 22 June 1943; and commissioned on 10 August 1943, Lt. Comdr. George C. Bosson in command.
, supplying advanced bases in the western Pacific. She sailed on her first voyage on 28 August 1943 towing a section of the floating dock, ABSD-1, and delivered it and other cargo at Espiritu Santo
on 2 October. After carrying Lend-Lease
material to New Zealand
, she returned to San Francisco on 23 November.
Sculptor's remaining voyages followed the pattern of the first two. She sailed from San Francisco on 3 June with a section of ABSD-2 in tow, and made local cargo voyages in the Southwest Pacific between 15 July and 29 September before returning to San Francisco on 24 October.
for YFD-64. This large drydock was delivered by the combined efforts of Sculptor, and a sister ship, at San Pedro Bay
, Leyte
, Philippine Islands, on 13 February 1945. Sculptor then carried cargo between advanced bases until 28 April and returned to San Francisco on 21 May.
left San Diego with two 83' U.S. Coast Guard cutters on deck and a barge
in tow. The tow was dropped at Pearl Harbor, and the remainder of the cargo was offloaded at Saipan
after arrival on 13 July.
, and sailed from Guam on 23 December for the East Coast of the United States
.
shipping firm as SS Dimosthenis Pantaleon, under which name she remained in service until she was scrapped at Trieste
, Italy
, in 1969.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
Sculptor was laid down as SS D. W. Harrington under Maritime Commission contract (MCE Hull 1671) on 18 May 1943 by California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, California; launched on 10 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. S. E. Joseph; acquired by the Navy on 22 June 1943; and commissioned on 10 August 1943, Lt. Comdr. George C. Bosson in command.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations
Sculptor served in the Naval Transportation Service, making six voyages from San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, supplying advanced bases in the western Pacific. She sailed on her first voyage on 28 August 1943 towing a section of the floating dock, ABSD-1, and delivered it and other cargo at Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
on 2 October. After carrying Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
material to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, she returned to San Francisco on 23 November.
Towing a barge to the South Pacific
On her second voyage, beginning on 27 December, she towed a repair barge, YRDH-1, and carried a deck cargo of an LCT in sections to Espiritu Santo. After arriving there on 1 February 1944, she made voyages between advanced bases until departing from Espiritu Santo on 20 April for San Francisco, where she arrived on 12 May.Sculptor's remaining voyages followed the pattern of the first two. She sailed from San Francisco on 3 June with a section of ABSD-2 in tow, and made local cargo voyages in the Southwest Pacific between 15 July and 29 September before returning to San Francisco on 24 October.
Towing more barges
After overhaul, she sailed again on 16 December with two YF barges in tow which she exchanged at Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
for YFD-64. This large drydock was delivered by the combined efforts of Sculptor, and a sister ship, at San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Philippine Islands, on 13 February 1945. Sculptor then carried cargo between advanced bases until 28 April and returned to San Francisco on 21 May.
Carrying Coast Guard cutters to Saipan
On 15 June 1945, the freighterCargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
left San Diego with two 83' U.S. Coast Guard cutters on deck and a barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
in tow. The tow was dropped at Pearl Harbor, and the remainder of the cargo was offloaded at Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
after arrival on 13 July.
End-of-war activity
The ship returned to San Francisco on 1 September and began her sixth and last Navy voyage on the 29th. She delivered cargo to Saipan and GuamGuam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, and sailed from Guam on 23 December for the East Coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Post-war decommissioning
Sculptor arrived at Baltimore, Maryland, on 21 February 1946 and was decommissioned there on 26 February. The ship was redelivered to the Maritime Commission on 8 March and struck from the Navy List on 12 March 1946. In 1947, she was sold to a GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
shipping firm as SS Dimosthenis Pantaleon, under which name she remained in service until she was scrapped at Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in 1969.
Military awards and honors
Sculptor's crew members were eligible for the following medals:- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal