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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Eridanus (AK-92)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Tango - Delta
 NJTD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USS Eridanus (AK-92) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
Crater Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as SS Luther Burbank, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1099) at Permanente Metals Corp., Yard No.2, Richmond, CA.
  • Launched, 9 April 1943
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 22 April 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Eridanus (AK-92), 8 May 1943, LCDR. F. W. Johnson, USCGR, in command.
  • During World War II USS Eridanus was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign;

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Consolidation of Solomon Islands
    Consolidation of northern Solomon Islands, 1 to 7 February 1944

  • Decommissioned, 8 May 1946, at Baltimore, MD.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 May 1946
  • USS Eridanus earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Returned to the War Shipping Administration, 15 May 1946, name reverted to SS Luther Burbank
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group. Lee Hall, VA.
  • Merchant Service
    Sold for $544,546.00, 14 February 1947, for merchant service to John P. G. Livanos, Athens, removed, 17 February 1947, re-flagged Greece and renamed SS Panagiotis
    Ran aground at Kunsan, Korea while bound from Baltimore to Inchon with coal, 15 November 1955, broke in two, 21 November 1955, declared total loss
    Sold to Far Eastern Marine Transport Co Ltd, Inchon, South Korea, 18 September 1956, both parts refloated, towed to Pusan then to Shimonoseki, Japan, aft section arrived 18 September 1956, with the name SS Silla, forepart arrived 21 September 1956
    Both parts towed to Tokyo where they were rejoined by I.H.I. and lengthened to 449ft, (grt7321) (dwt11000) and resuming service as SS Silla, flagged South Korean
    Laid up 31 January 1972 at Masan, South Korea
    Final Dispensation, sold to local breakers, resumed trading for short period before being scrapped at Masan, September 1972
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 12.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 16
    Enlisted 190
    Cargo Capacity 7,750 DWT
    non-refrigerated 400,000 Cu ft
    Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 7,285 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Joshua-Hendy vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    Ship's Service Generators
    three recip-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
    one turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Eridanus (AK-92)
    Eridanus 60k USS Eridanus (AK-92), stern view, underway in San Francisco Bay, 8 May 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3538-43, 5/8/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Eridanus 67k USS Eridanus (AK-92), broadside view, in San Francisco Bay, 8 May 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3540-43, 5/8/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Eridanus 56k USS Eridanus (AK-92), bows on view, in San Francisco Bay, 8 May 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3540-43, 5/8/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Eridanus 111k Forward plan view of USS Eridanus (AK-92) moored pierside, San Francisco, CA., 8 May 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3546-43, 5/8/43    		 Darryl Baker
    Merchant Service
    Eridanus 84k Ex-USS Eridanus (AK-92) in merchant service as the Greek flagged SS Panagiotis underway in the Grand Canal at Venice, Italy, date unknown. David Nixon
    Eridanus 58k Ex-USS Eridanus (AK-92) in merchant service as the South Korean flagged SS Silla underway in the Malacca Strait, circa late 1960s, by the late ©Capt. R. A. P. Foxley (RAF ret.) of the no longer existing Airfoto Malacca. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Eridanus (AK-92)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Johnson, F. W. USCG8 May 1943 - 1944
    02LCDR. Wadman, Lucius E. USCG1944 - 8 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    1944 Thanksgiving Day Menu with Crew List
    U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office - USS Eridanus AK-92
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 June 2014