>From the "Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships," 

(1969) Vol. 4, p.94





LESUTH





	A star in the constellation Scorpius representing the 

sting of the scorpion.





AK-125

Displacement:  4,023 t.

Length:  441'6"

Beam:  56'11"

Draft:  28'4"

Speed:  12.5 k.

Complement:  237

Armament:  1 4"; 1 3"; 8 20mm

Class:  CRATER

Maritime Commission Standard Type:  EC2-S-C1





	LESUTH (AK-125) was laid down as WILLIAM M. GWIN, 

24 March 1943 by California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, 

Calif., under a Maritime Commission contract; launched 

17 April 1943; sponsored by Miss M. B. Follis; acquired by 

the Navy 9 October 1943; renamed LESUTH 11 October 1943; 

converted at United Engineering, Alameda, Calif.; and 

commissioned 1 November 1943, Lt. Comdr. B. H. Bassett in 

command.



	After loading cargo, LESUTH departed San Pedro 

14 November, arriving Page Pago, Samoa, on the 30th.  Four 

days later she arrived Funafuti, Ellice Islands and for the 

next 3 months engaged in training exercises in the South 

Pacific.



	From Funafuti she steamed to the Marshall Islands, 

arriving Kwajalein 6 March 1944 as a unit of Service 

Squadron 8.  LESUTH remained in the Marshall Islands until 

she departed Kwajalein 6 August for Guadalcanal.  She loaded 

cargo in the Solomons and Russell Islands, then sailed from 

Manus 14 September en route to the Palau-Western Caroline 

campaign.



	The Palau Islands were of strategic importance as an 

advance base for the invasion of Leyte.  The initial 

landings took place 15 September, 5 days before LESUTH 

arrived off Kossol Passage.  For the next 2 months, she 

remained off Peleliu unloading cargo needed for the 

Philippine assault.  Sailing to Tulagi and Guadalcanal in 

late November, the cargo ship departed on the 26th for San 

Francisco.



	After overhaul, LESUTH rejoined Service Squadron 8 at 

Eniwetok 11 February 1945.  Later that month she sailed for 

the Philippines, arriving San Pedro Bay, Leyte, on the 28th.  

Following 6 weeks of cargo operations off Leyte, she steamed 

to the United States during May and June for additional 

supplies, then returned to Ulithi 25 July.  When the 

Japanese surrender ended World War II, LESUTH was used to 

carry provisions to the occupation troops in the Far East.  

>From September 1945 to May 1946, she made cargo runs to 

Japan, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Saipan, finally 

departing Saipan 5 May.  Arriving San Francisco on the 24th, 

LESUTH remained there until 2 July when she sailed for Pearl 

Harbor, and decommissioned there 16 August 1946.  LESUTH was 

returned to the Maritime Commission 29 May 1947 and was 

struck from the Navy list 17 July.



	LESUTH received one battle star for World War II 

service.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com