>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” (1969) Vol. 4, pp.86, 476. LENOIR A county and town in North Carolina. AKA-74 Displacement: 13,910 t. Length: 450’2” Beam: 63’ Draft: 26’4” Speed: 16.5 k. Complement: 247 Armament: 1 5”; 8 40mm; 16 20mm Class: TOLLAND CLASS STATISTICAL SUMMARY AKA 64-87, 101-108 Length Overall: AKA 64-69, 71-87, 101-108: 459’2” AKA 70: 459’0” Extreme Beam: AKA 64-87, 101, 102, 104-108: 63’0” AKA 103: 63’2” Trail Displacement: 13,910 t. Limiting Draft: 26’4” Trial Speed: 16.5 k. Accommodations: AKA 64: Officers: 48 Enlisted: 326 AKA 65-80: Officers: 62 Enlisted: 333 AKA 81-87, 101-108: Officers: 38 Enlisted: 387 Cargo Capacity: 380,000 cu.ft. 5,275 t. Armament: AKA 64-75, 77-87, 101-108: 1 single 5”/38 4 twin 40mm 16 single 20mm AKA 76: 1 single 5”/38 4 twin 40mm 12 single 20mm Engines: General Electric; geared turbine drive Boilers: AKA 64, 77, 78: 2 Babcock & Wilcox header-type AKA 65-71, 74, 75, 79-87: Foster-Wheeler header-type AKA 101, 102, 104-108: Combustion Engineering header-type AKA 103: Foster-Wheeler 2-drum boiler Propulsion: Propellers: 1 Shaft Horsepower: 6,000 LENOIR (AKA-74) was laid down by North Carolina Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, N.C., 7 September 1944; launched under Maritime Commission contract 6 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. John M. Kerr; acquired and commissioned 14 December 1944, Lt. Comdr. Marcus L. Whitford in command. LENOIR departed Norfolk 21 January 1945 and arrived Pearl Harbor 20 February. After touching Eniwetok 22 to 25 March, she sailed from Ulithi 13 April for the Okinawa landings, arriving off Hagushi beach 17 April. Within 72 hours, she had discharged her cargo; through coming under air attack, she sustained no battle damage. She then voyaged to Saipan, Guadalcanal, and Guam, and arrived San Francisco 10 July. LENOIR returned to Pearl Harbor 25 August to embark men of the Army 6th Division for Japan, arriving there 22 October. She departed 4 November for Portland, Oreg., arriving the 18th. The ship next sailed from Alameda, Calif., for Tsingtao, China, and Jinsen, Korea, on a “Magic Carpet” voyage. She returned to San Francisco 11 March 1946, sailed on to Norfolk, and decommissioned there 13 June 1946. Returned to the Maritime Commission 14 June 1946, she was sold in 1947 to Lykes Bros. S.S. Co., Inc., and operated out of Tampa, Fla., as MARGARET LYKES. Resold the same year to the Gulf & South American S.S. Co., she was renamed GULF MERCHANT. LENOIR received one battle star for World War II service. Transcribed by Michael Hansen mhansen2@home.com