USS Lehigh (AK-192)

History
United States
Name	Coastal Expounder (1944–1945); Lehigh (1945);
Namesake	Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2123
Builder	Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
Yard number	41
Laid down	8 June 1944
Launched	25 November 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Stanley Butler
Acquired	30 July 1945
Commissioned	13 September 1945
Decommissioned	6 November 1945
Stricken	date unknown
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-192; Code letters: NEOC; ;
Fate	returned to Maritime Commission, 6 November 1945
History
United States
Name	Coastal Archer
Owner	Maritime Commission
Operator	T.J. Stevenson & Company (1945); New York and Cuba Mail (1946); Agwilines Inc. (1946);
Acquired	6 November 1945
In service	6 November 1945
Out of service	15 February 1948
Fate	Sold, 7 March 1947
History
Brazil
Name	Rio Solimões
Namesake	Solimões River
Operator	Lloyd Brasileiro, Patrimonio Nicional
Acquired	15 February 1947
In service	7 March 1947
Fate	Scrapped 1969
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 Lehigh (AK-192) was an Alamosa class cargo ship that was constructed by the United States Navy during the closing period of World War II. She was declared excess-to-needs and returned to the United States Maritime Commission shortly after commissioning.

Construction

The second ship to be so named by the Navy, Lehigh was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2123, by Walter Butler Shipbuilding Co., Superior, Wisconsin, 8 June 1944; launched 25 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Stanley Butler; acquired by the Navy 30 July 1945; placed in service the same day for ferrying from Beaumont, Texas, to Galveston, Texas; placed out of service on the 31st; and commissioned at New Orleans 13 September 1945.^[3]

Post-war decommissioning

Because of the reduced need for cargo ships following World War II, Lehigh decommissioned 6 November 1945 and was turned over to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) the same day,^[3] and her name was reverted to Coastal Expounder.^[2]

Merchant service

Coastal Expounder was used by several shipping companies from 1945–1947, when she was placed in the reserve fleet before being transferred then sold to Lloyd Brasileiro, Patrimônio Nicional, of Brazil.^[2]

On 7 March 1947, she was sold for $693,862 and renamed Rio Solimões.^[4] She was scrapped in 1969.

Notes

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Navsource 2013.
^ ^a ^b DANFS 2015.
^ MARAD.

Bibliography

Online resources

"Lehigh II (AK-192)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
"USS Lehigh (AK-192)". Navsource.org. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
"Coastal Expounder". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 18 November 2016.

External links

Photo gallery of USS Lehigh (AK-192) at NavSource Naval History

[FOOTNOTEC1_Cargo_Ships2009-1] C1 Cargo Ships 2009.

[FOOTNOTENavsource2013-2] Navsource 2013.

[FOOTNOTEDANFS2015-3] DANFS 2015.

[FOOTNOTEMARAD-4] MARAD.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

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