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

(1976) Vol. 6, pp.452-453.





SERPENS





	A constellation in the Northern Hemisphere.





AK-97

Displacement:  14,250 t.

Length:  441'6"

Beam:  56'11"

Draft:  27'7"

Speed:  11 k.

Complement:  206

Armament:  1 5"; 1 3"

Class:  CRATER

Maritime Commission Standard Type:  EC2-S-C1





	The first SERPENS was laid down under Maritime 

Commission contract (MCE hull 739) on 10 March 1943 by the 

California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington Calif.; launched 

on 5 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. H.P. Needham; transferred 

to the Navy on 19 April 1943; renamed SERPENS and designated 

cargo ship AK-97; and commissioned at San Diego on 28 May 

1943, Lt. Comdr. M. J. Johnson, USCGR, in command.



	Following shakedown off southern California, SERPENS 

loaded general cargo at Alameda and, on 24 June, sailed west 

to assume provision ship duties in support of operations in 

the Solomons.  By mid-July, she was in the Tonga Islands.  

At the end of the month, she was en route from New Caledonia 

to New Zealand; and, by mid August, she had emptied her 

holds at Wellington.  She then took on more cargo, returned 

to New Caledonia, and commenced a series of short hauls to 

Vitu Levu, Tutuila, Penrhyn, Bora Bora, Aitutaki, and 

Tongatabu.



	On 9 November, SERPENS returned to New Caledonia.  In 

early December, she moved into the southern Solomons, and, 

after completing a Florida Island-Banika Island run, she 

stood off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, to load cargo for 

Bougainville.  During January 1944, she completed two runs 

into Empress Augusta Bay.  In February, she was ordered back 

to New Zealand for drydocking before loading dry provisions.



	For the next four months, SERPENS delivered 

consignments to bases in the New Hebrides and the Solomons, 

returning to New Zealand to reload only once.  In July, she 

was at Purvis Bay for the installation of SF-1 radar.  She 

then resumed operations and, through October, carried 

general cargo and rolling stock between ports and anchorages 

in the Solomons.  In mid-November, she loaded repairable 

vehicles from the Russells and from Guadalcanal and sailed 

for New Zealand where, after offloading, three of her holds 

were converted for ammunition stowage.



	Late in December 1944, the Liberty ship commenced 

loading at Wellington, finished it at Auckland, and returned 

to the Solomons in mid-January 1945.  On the 29th, she was 

anchored off Lunga Beach.  The commanding officer and seven 

others, one officer and six enlisted men, were ashore.  The 

remaining 198 members of SERPENS crew and 57 members of an 

Army stevedore unit were on board the ship, loading depth 

charges into her holds.  During the loading, SERPENS 

exploded.  After the explosion, only the bow of the ship was 

visible.  The rest had disintegrated, and the bow sank soon 

afterward.  Only two of those aboard survived.  The cause of 

the explosion is unknown.



	SERPENS (AK-97) earned one battle star for her World 

War II service.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com