USS Tipton

History
United States
Name	Tipton
Namesake	Tipton County, Indiana, and; Tipton County, Tennessee;
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2169
Builder	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Yard number	335
Laid down	28 December 1944
Launched	13 March 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs. W. F. Maister
Acquired	7 September 1945
Commissioned	9 October 1945
Decommissioned	4 March 1946
Stricken	20 March 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-215; Code letters: NXQH; ;
Fate	Transferred to the US Coast Guard on 4 March 1946
United States
Name	Unalga
Namesake	Unalga Island
Commissioned	4 March 1946
Decommissioned	1 June 1950
Identification	Hull symbol: WAK-185
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 6 January 1971
General characteristics
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Displacement	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard); 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load);
Length	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine ; 1,750 shp (1,300 kW);
Propulsion	1 × propeller
Speed	11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT; 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated); 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated);
Complement	15 Officers; 70 Enlisted;
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun (DP); 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons;

USS Tipton (AK-215) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy during the closing period of World War II. She was commissioned; however, the war ended and she was declared "excess to needs." She was then transferred to the US Coast Guard in 1946.

Construction[edit]

Tipton was laid down under US Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2169, on 28 December 1944, at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by the Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company; launched on 13 March 1945; sponsored by Mrs. W. F. Maister; transferred to the Navy Department on 7 September 1945; and commissioned on 9 October 1945.^[3]

Service history[edit]

Upon commissioning, the cargo ship was transferred to the custody of the US Coast Guard for maintenance and operation and was manned by a Coast Guard crew.^[3]

Inactivation[edit]

Tipton was decommissioned and permanently transferred to the Coast Guard on 4 March 1946. She was struck from the Navy list on 20 March 1946.^[3]

US Coast Guard service[edit]

Tipton was renamed Unalga by the Coast guard. She was one of two MARCOM C1-M-AV1 freighters acquired by the Coast Guard after World War II, along with her sister Kukui,^[1]^{[USCG 1]} which provided service in the construction of the many LORAN stations planned for operation around the globe.^[4]

She was converted for use as a construction supply freighter at the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland. After her conversion was complete she was ordered to the Pacific Northwest.^[4]

She was stationed at Seattle, Washington and used primarily for the construction of the Alaskan LORAN stations. On 28 November 1948 she rendered assistance to the M/V Kasilof. She was decommissioned on 19 January 1950 and turned back over to MARCOM.^[4]

Merchant service[edit]

On 1 June 1950, she entered the Reserve Fleet in Olympia, Washington. Marine Power & Equipment Company, Inc. purchased her on 6 January 1971 for $32,200 to be scrapped. However, she was renamed Sea-Alaska and converted to a Fish Factory ship owned by Trident Seafoods Inc. She was scrapped in 2007.^[5]

Notes[edit]

^ The USCG site says three ships were obtained but only two can be found in references.

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
^ Navsource 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c DANFS Tipton.
^ ^a ^b ^c USCG.
^ Bay Shipbuilding. ""Bay Shipbuilding Registry"". shipbuildinghistory.com. Retrieved 2 May 2021.

Bibliography[edit]

Online resources

"Tipton". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 7 December 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
"USS Tipton (AK-215)". Navsource.org. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
"Unalga". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
"Unalga, 1946" (PDF). US Coast Guard. Retrieved 7 December 2016.

External links[edit]

Photo gallery of USS Tipton (AK-215) at NavSource Naval History

[note-4] The USCG site says three ships were obtained but only two can be found in references.

[FOOTNOTEC1_Cargo_Ships2009-1] C1 Cargo Ships 2009.

[FOOTNOTENavsource2014-2] Navsource 2014.

[FOOTNOTEDANFS_Tipton-3] DANFS Tipton.

[FOOTNOTEUSCG-5] USCG.

[Bay_Shipbuilding_Registry-6] Bay Shipbuilding. ""Bay Shipbuilding Registry"". shipbuildinghistory.com. Retrieved 2 May 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[USCG 1]

[4]

[5]

v t e Alamosa-class cargo ships
Alamosa Alcona Amador Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Beltrami Blount Brevard Bullock Cabell Caledonia Charlevoix Chatham Chicot Claiborne Clarion Codington Colquitt Craighead Doddridge^* Duval^* Fairfield Faribault Fentress Flagler Gadsden Glacier Grainger Gwinnett Habersham Hennepin Herkimer Hidalgo Kenosha Lebanon Lehigh Lancaster Marengo Midland Minidoka Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Pembina Pemiscot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulare^* Washtenaw^** / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^* Wexford^† / Coastal Crusader Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Short Splice Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca
* = Canceled August 1945 ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader
List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

v t e Type C1-M ships
Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch
Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator
Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet
Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar

v t e Ships built by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Tacoma-class frigates	Brunswick Davenport Evansville Knoxville New Bedford Peoria Reading Uniontown
PC-461-class submarine chasers	PC-496 PC-550 PC-551 PC-588 PC-589 PC-590 PC-591 PC-821 PC-822 PC-823 PC-824 PC-825 PC-1171 PC-1172 PC-1173 PC-1174 PC-1175 PC-1176 PC-1177 PC-1178 PC-1179 / Morris PC-1180 PC-1225 PC-1226 PC-1227 PC-1228 / Munising PC-1229 PC-1230 / Grinnell PC-1260 PC-1261 PC-1262 PC-1263 PC-1560 PC-1561 PC-1562 PC-1563 PC-1564 PC-1565 PC-1566 PC-1567 PC-1568 PC-1569
Alamosa-class cargo ships Type C1-M-AV1 ships	Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulare^** Washtenaw^† / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^# Wexford^‡ / Coastal Crusader
Net laying ships	Passaic Shakamaxon Tonawanda
* = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Merchant ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Challenger † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide # = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Defender ‡ = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader