USS Eridanus

USS Eridanus (AK-92), broadside view, in San Francisco Bay, 8 May 1943.
History
United States
Name	Luther Burbank Eridanus
Namesake	Luther Burbank The constellation Eridanus
Ordered	as a Type EC2-S-C1 hull, MCE hull 1099[1]
Builder	Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Cost	$982,446[2]
Yard number	1099[1]
Way number	8[1]
Laid down	12 March 1943[1]
Launched	9 April 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. Luther Burbank
Acquired	22 April 1943
Commissioned	8 May 1943
Decommissioned	8 May 1946
Stricken	21 May 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-92 Code letters: NJTD
Honors and awards	1 × battle star
Fate	Sold for commercial use, 14 February 1947
Greece
Name	Panagiotis
Namesake	Paul Kruger
Owner	John P. G. Livanos, Athens, Greece
Acquired	17 February 1947
Fate	Sold, 18 September 1956
South Korea
Name	Silla
Owner	Far Eastern Marine Transport Company, Ltd., Inchon, South Korea
Acquired	18 September 1956
Fate	Scrapped September 1972
General characteristics [3]
Class and type	Crater-class cargo ship
Tonnage	10,860 long tons deadweight (DWT)[4]
Displacement	4,023 long tons (4,088 t) (standard) 14,550 long tons (14,780 t) (full load)
Length	441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam	56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft	28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power	2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa) ,  (manufactured by Babcock & Wilcox) 2,500 shp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine,  (manufactured by Joshua Hendy) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	12.5 kn (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)
Capacity	7,800 t (7,700 long tons) DWT 444,206 cu ft (12,578.5 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement	206
Armament	1 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose (DP) gun 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber DP gun 2 × 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) gun mounts 6 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannon AA gun mounts
General characteristics 1956[3]
Tonnage	11,000 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Length	449 ft (137 m)

USS Eridanus (AK-92) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II and manned by a US Coast Guard crew. She was named after the constellation Eridanus. She was responsible for delivering goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

Eridanus was launched 9 April 1943, as Luther Burbank, MCE hull 1099, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract; sponsored by Mrs. Luther Burbank; acquired by the Navy 22 April 1943; and commissioned 8 May 1943.^[5]

Eridanus carried cargo and passengers between US West Coast ports and bases in the southwest Pacific, the Hawaiians, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the Palaus from 26 June 1943 to 3 February 1946, often making lengthy tows in addition to her cargo operations. Almost constantly at sea, she played her part in the Navy's gigantic task of carrying supplies for its ships and shore bases, as well as for the US Marines and US Army, halfway round the world at the same time as it carried on combat operations. In February 1944 she made a direct contribution to the troops seizing islands in the northern Solomons, bringing cargo and passengers to Bougainville.^[5]

Her last service was a long and difficult towing job, in which she took section of a floating dry dock from Eniwetok, sailing 4 February 1946, to Hampton Roads, Virginia, arriving 16 April.^[5]

She was decommissioned at Baltimore, Maryland, 8 May 1946, and returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA), 15 May 1946, her name reverted to Luther Burbank.^[3] She was then laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, Virginia, the same day.^[4]

On 14 February 1947, she was sold for commercial service to John P. G. Livanos, Athens, Greece, for $544,546. She was re-flagged for Greece and renamed Panagiotis.^[3]

On 15 November 1955, she ran aground at Kunsan, Korea while carrying a load of coal from Baltimore, Maryland, to Inchon. She broke in two, 21 November 1955, and was declared a total loss. Far Eastern Marine Transport Co Ltd, Inchon, bought her 18 September 1956. Both parts were refloated, towed to Pusan, then to Shimonoseki, Japan. The aft section arrived 18 September 1956, with the name Silla. The forepart arrived three days later, 21 September 1956. Both parts were then towed to Tokyo where they were rejoined by I.H.I. and lengthened to 449 ft (137 m), which increased her to 11,000 long tons deadweight (DWT). She resumed service as Silla, flagged South Korean. She was laid up 31 January 1972, at Masan, South Korea. She was finally sold to local breakers, where she resumed trading for short period before being eventually being scrapped at Masan, September 1972.^[3]

Eridanus received one battle star for World War II service.^[5] Her crew was eligible for the following medals:^[3]

• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
• World War II Victory Medal (with Asia clasp)

• Photo gallery of Eridanus (AK-92) at NavSource Naval History