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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
    For Full Size Image    		 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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index Back To The Landing Craft Repair Ship (ARL) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 5 January 2024