USS Alcona (AK-157)

A post-war image of USS Alcona (AK-157) underway, date and location unknown. Note her armament has been removed
History
United States
Name:	Alcona
Namesake:	Alcona County, Michigan
Ordered:	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2102
Builder:	Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Richmond, California
Yard number:	59
Laid down:	27 November 1943
Launched:	9 May 1944
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Morris Chamberlain
Acquired:	15 September 1944
Commissioned:	15 September 1944
Decommissioned:	5 May 1955
Struck:	1 April 1960
Identification:	Hull symbol: AK-157 Code letters: NEFH
Fate:	sold for scrapping, 28 July 1960
Status:	dismantling completed, 31 October 1961
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 Alcona (AK-157) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship 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.

Alcona was laid down as the unnamed Maritime Commission contract hull, MC hull 2102, on 27 November 1943 at Richmond, California, by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Co.; named Alcona by the Navy and designated AK-157 on 25 February 1944; launched on 9 May 1944 and sponsored by Mrs. Morris Chamberlain of Oakland, California, transferred there by the Maritime Commission to the Navy on 15 September 1944, and commissioned the same day, Lieutenant Lester J. Lavine, USNR, in command. Alcona then shifted to the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California, to be fitted out.

Following shakedown training out of San Pedro, California, Alcona reported by dispatch, for duty with Service Squadron 7 on 22 October 1944 the same day that she sailed for San Francisco, California. Arriving there on the 23d, Alcona took on board cargo and got underway on the last day of October to commence operations supplying American advanced bases in New Guinea and later, in the Philippines which would keep her occupied for the rest of the war.

Pausing briefly at Pearl Harbor on 10 and 11 November, Alcona then continued, via Finschhafen, New Guinea, to Manus where she arrived on 29 November. After discharging her cargo, Alcona then proceeded via Hollandia, New Guinea, to Mios Woendi, in the Padaido Islands, where she spent Christmas before getting underway on 27 December for Australia.