USS Chiron (AGP-18)

History
USA
Name:	USS Chiron
Builder:	Chicago Bridge & Iron Co.
Laid down:	16 December 1944
Launched:	10 March 1945
Commissioned:	23 March 1945
Decommissioned:	20 February 1946
In service:	1945
Out of service:	1946
Struck:	28 March 1946
Fate:	Lost, 30 March 1960
Notes:	Ship International Radio Callsign: NJZF
General characteristics
Displacement:	4,100 tons
Length:	328 feet
Beam:	50 feet
Draft:	11 feet, 2 inches
Propulsion:	two General Motors 12-568A Diesel engines
Speed:	11.6 knots
Complement:	41 Officers, 265 Enlisted
Armament:	two quad 40mm AA gun mounts eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
Aircraft carried:	None
Aviation facilities:	None

USS Chiron was a Portunus-class Motor Torpedo Boat Tender which saw brief service with the United States Navy during World War II. Laid down as Landing Ship, Tank LST-1133 by Chicago Bridge and Iron Company on 16 December 1944, she was launched on 10 March 1945 and placed into reduced commission on 23 March 1945. On 17 April 1945, she was decommissioned for her conversion into a Motor Torpedo Tender. With the conversion taking place in Baltimore, Maryland, it was complete by 18 September 1945, and she was recommissioned into active service as USS Chiron (AGP-18) with LCDR. Paul L. Mangold, USNR, in command. The ship had a brief naval career, spending only 5 months and 27 days in naval service. She was decommissioned on 20 February 1946, and on 28 March 1946 she was struck from the Naval Register.

Transfer to merchant service

On 19 May 1947, she was sold to Argentina and placed into Merchant Service by 1948 under the name M/V Altamar, reflagged as Argentinian. 22 years later, on 30 March 1960, she was lost at sea by unknown cause while carrying grain from Cabedello to Belem. The ships wreck was found on Manoel Luis Reef, at .

Ship Commissioning Officers

• LCDR. Paul L. Mangold, USNR, Commanding Officer
• LT. H.E. Wood, USNR, Executive Officer
• LT. J.B. Watson, Jr., USNR, Repair Officer
• LT. F.C. Culbert, USNR, Damage Control Officer
• LTJG. J.J. Lehman,USNR, Engineering Officer
• LTJG. A.W. MacLean, USNR, First Lieutenant
• LTJG. W.S. Mortimer, USNR, Gunnery Officer
• LTJG. A. Cohen, USNR, Communications Officer
• LTJG. P.S. Shaw, USNR, Medical Officer
• LTJG. J.E. Mellor, USN, Supply Officer
• ENS. R.G. Sanderson, USNR, Navigation Officer
• ENS. R.L. Scafford, USNR, Radar Officer
• ENS. E.L. Hollifield, USNR, Assistant Repair Officer
• Chief Torpedoman L. Carini, USN, Assistant Repair Officer
• Chief Machinist J.O. Darnell, USN, Assistant Engineering Officer
• Chief Carpenter K.B. Morrill, USNR, Assistant Repair Officer
• Machinist V.W. Sturdevant, USNR, Assistant Repair Officer
• Boatswain H.S. Atwell, USN, Assistant First Lieutenant
• Electrician H.J. Holcomb, USNR, Assistant Repair Officer
• Acting Pay Clerk D.D. Westfall, USN, Assistant Supply Officer

Ship awards

• American Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal

External links

• Ship details at Navsource.org
• Details at Shipscribe.com
• Wrecksite.eu information
• Naval Museum article
• Ibiblio.org site