Amphion (AR 13) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 5 text:

MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE OF THE USS AMPHION AR-13

Page 4 text:

: {

Page 6 text:

U. S. S. AMPHION AR-13 During World War II, ships were re- quired to move almost overnight to areas for distant from sites of routine and emer- gency repair facilities. Thus, there arose need for mobile repair units designed to work on virtually all ship types. Tenders, built primarily to operate only with parti- cular ship classes, were not equipped for thisfunction. Therefore, repair ships with general capabilities were constructed. As a repairship, the USS AMPHION (AR-13) has OS its mission emergency and routine repair work on ships of the fleet during periods of technical availability. The AMPHION was authorized for construction 17 June 1943. Her keel was laid 20September 1944atthe Tampa Ship- building Company, Tampa, Florida. ■: Launched 15 May 1945, the AMPHION was commissioned 30 January 1946. She is named for a character in Greek Mythology , the son of Zeus and Antiore and the eldest of Greek musi- cians. A vessel of 14,000 tons, the AMPHION has a complement of nearly 800 Officers and Enlisted men. Her sea-going activities have been necessarily limited, for most of her work is accomplished in port, the ships she is repairing moored to her side. Each quarter, she is required to make an Independent Ship exercise Cruise, in which she competes for Service Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet efficiency awards. In 1952 and again in 1954, the AMPHION won honors for excellence in Battle Efficiency. The AMPHION is equipped with Flag spaces, and not infrequently has served as auxiliary flagship to Commander, Service Squadron TWO and his Staff, Within the general framework of the AMPHION ' s mission, seven types of services are provided: repair, salvage, alongside, supply, medical, dental and special. Repair shops aboard include: shipfitter shop, carpenter shop, foundry, pipe and copper shop, sheet metal, welding, canvas, watch, optical, typewriter, electrical, print, photo, blueprint, paint, spray and baking, ordnance, fire control, range finder, silvering gyro compass, electrical instrument, elec- tronic, gas mask and OBA, rigging diving and salvage, light and heavy machine shop, hydraulic, refri- geration internal combustion engine, guage and boiler shops. On 8 July 1957the AMPHION hauled in her lines and made ready for a seven months cruise in the Mediterranean to serve as flag ship for Commander Service Force, Sixth Fleet. At approximately 1300 she was sailing through the Hampton Roads heading for the operation area in the Virginia Capes. On the morning of the ninth at approximately 0745 she sent her crew to their battle stations for a test of her gunnery power and proved she could dish out protection if needed. At approximately 1020 she pointed her bow in course for Gilbraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. In the evening of 18 July she had completed her journey across the Atlantic and stopped at Gilbraltar for a couple hours rest while loading and off loading passengers for other destinations, and then continued on toward Cannes, France.