USS Brevard

	USS Brevard (AK-164), at anchor in the stream on the Whangpoo River at Shanghai, China, 27 October 1945.
History
United States
Name	Brevard
Namesake	Brevard County, Florida
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2109
Builder	Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Richmond, California
Yard number	66
Laid down	2 September 1944
Launched	18 November 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. C.S. Wieringa
Commissioned	19 February 1945
Decommissioned	3 July 1946
Stricken	8 October 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-164; Code letters: NEGE; ;
Fate	Sold, 17 March 1947, Netherlands owner
History
Netherlands
Name	Zeehond
Namesake	(Dutch: Seal)
Acquired	17 March 1947
Status	Sold 1948
History
Netherlands
Name	Hestia
Namesake	Hestia
Owner	Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Mattschappij N.V.
Acquired	1948
Status	Sold 1962
History
Saudi Arabia
Name	Leila B
Namesake	Leila (name)
Owner	Saudi Lines
Acquired	1963
Fate	sold for scrapping at Tienstsin, China in August 1970
Status	fate unknown
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass-
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 Brevard (AK-164) was an Template:Sclass- commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

Construction

Brevard was laid down on 2 September 1944 at Richmond, California, by Kaiser Cargo Inc., under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 2109; launched on 18 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. C.S. Wieringa, wife of the out-fitting superintendent at the builders’ yard; delivered to the Navy and commissioned on 19 February 1945, Lieutenant Paul J. Wild, USNR, in command.^[3]

Service history

“In orderly procession,” Lt. Wild later wrote, “came ‘Fitting-Out Availability’ at Treasure Island, California, loading of stores and material at Oakland, California, two weeks of shakedown in San Pedro, California, and post-shakedown availability at San Pedro.” Following those post-commissioning details, Brevard loaded cargo at San Francisco, California, and put to sea for Hawaii on 8 April.^[3]

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

Brevard carried fleet freight, spare parts and equipment either consigned directly to operating units or to tenders in the forward areas for subsequent installation; she also carried tanks, trucks, and amphibious vehicles for Marine Corps’ replacements, and ship’s store stock. She arrived in Pearl Harbor on the 16th. She delivered cargo both at Pearl Harbor and at Hilo on the island of Hawaii before departing the islands on 1 May. Brevard reached Eniwetok on the 11th but departed again on the 13th. Her next stop was Guam where she remained from 17 May to 7 June. From there, she moved to Ulithi Atoll, in the Carolines, arriving on 8 June and staying until the 27th. She headed from Ulithi to the Palaus, where she paused between 29 June and 1 July.^[3]

End-of-war activity

Reaching Leyte on 2 July, Brevard spent the next seven weeks there, during which time hostilities with Japan ceased, allowing her commanding officer to observe later that “the ship neither encountered nor observed the enemy.” Departing Leyte on 19 August, Brevard steamed to Ulithi, where she stopped over from 24 August to 3 September, and to the Marianas, where she stayed from 5 to 18 September. The cargo ship returned to Leyte on 23 September and remained there almost a month. On 19 October, she left Leyte on her way to occupation duty in China. Brevard arrived in Chinese waters on 28 October and provided logistics support for the occupation troops.^[3]

Post-war return Stateside and decommissioning

On 22 January 1946, Brevard left Shanghai and sailed for the United States.^[3] On that day, beginning at 1520 Brevard crew rescued 4,296 Japanese civilian repatriots from the ship Enoshima Maru as it sank near Shanghai. Later called an incredible "act of humanity" by the Embassy of Japan, this rescue was completed by 1550—in less than 30 minutes—and is listed by Guinness for "Most people rescued at sea. (civilians)".^[4] [NOTE: Guinness has date wrong. 22 January 1946 is correct and taken directly from RESTRICTED copies of ship's record of this event.]

She stopped at Pearl Harbor from 16 February to 2 March. She then continued her voyage to the west coast, reaching San Francisco, California, on 14 March. Although slated to proceed thence to Norfolk, Virginia, to be returned to the Maritime Commission and be laid up in the James River, Virginia, to relieve the workload of yards on the U.S. East Coast, Brevard received orders the next day to proceed instead to Olympia, Washington, where she was decommissioned and returned to the Maritime Commission on 3 July 1946. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 8 October 1946, and she was sold into merchant service 17 March 1947.^[3]

Final Disposition: she was scrapped in 1970.^[2]

Military awards and honors

The record does not indicate any battle stars for Brevard. However, her crew was eligible for the following medals:^[2]

China Service Medal (extended)
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Philippines Liberation Medal

Notes

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Navsource 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Mann 2005.
^ Guinness 2009, p. 151.

Bibliography

Books

Guinness World Records 2009. Random House. 2009. p. 151. Retrieved 13 November 2016.

Online resources

Mann, Raymond A. (7 December 2005). "Brevard". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 13 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 13 November 2016.
"USS Brevard (AK-164)". Navsource.org. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2016.

External links

Photo gallery of USS Brevard (AK-164) at NavSource Naval History

[FOOTNOTEC1_Cargo_Ships2009-1] C1 Cargo Ships 2009.

[FOOTNOTENavsource2014-2] Navsource 2014.

[FOOTNOTEMann2005-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Mann 2005.

[FOOTNOTEGuinness2009151-4] Guinness 2009, p. 151.

[1]

[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