USS PEE DEE RIVER (LSM(R)-517)

Career	United States Navy Jack
Ordered:	1945, as ''LSM-517''
Redesignated:	9 February 1945, as ''LSM(R)–517''
Laid down:	28 April 1945
Launched:	2 June 1945
Commissioned:	21 July 1945
Decommissioned:	13 April 1955
Renamed:	1 October 1955, as ''Pee Dee River''
Struck:	1 February 1960
Fate:	Sold to civilian concerns, 22 June 1960
General Characteristics
Displacement:	Light: 758 tons Attack: 993 tons Fully loaded: 1,175 tons
Length:	206 ft 3 in
Beam:	34 ft 6 in
Draft:	Light: 5 ft 4 in (mean) Attack: 6 ft 9 in (mean) Fully loaded: 7 ft 9 in (mean)
Propulsion:	Two General Motors (non-reversing with airflex clutch) diesels, direct drive with 1,440 BHP each at 720 rpm, twin screws.
Speed:	13 knots
Range:	3,000 NMs at 13 knots
Complement:	6 officers, 137 enlisted men
Armament:	1 × 5 in/38 dual purpose gun mount 2 × twin 40mm gun mounts 4 × twin 20mm gun mounts 4 × 4.2 in mortars 20 × continuous loading 5 in Ship-to-Shore rocket launchers
Armor:	10-lb. STS on conning station, pilot-house, radio room, radar plot, and rocket control 10-lb. ASPP around 40 and 20mm gun mounts and directors

'USS ''Pee Dee River''' (LSM(R)–517), a medium landing ship (rocket), originally designed as a LSM but redesignated 9 February 1945 as '''LSM(R)–517''', was laid down by Brown Shipbuilding Corporation, Houston, TX, 28 April 1945, launched 2 June 1945; and accepted and commissioned 21 July 1945, Lieutenant Leo H. Bishkin in command.
''LSM(R)–517'' underwent final fitting out at the Charleston Navy Yard and then reported for shakedown 25 August 1945 at Little Creek, VA. Assigned to the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, she conducted training operations out of Little Creek. She was utilized chiefly to assist in fulfilling amphibious and midshipman training commitments until her deactivation in October 1947.
Reactivated in September 1954, she called at Fall River, MA for repairs and then operated briefly out of Little Creek in the Virginia Capes and Chesapeake Bay Operating Areas. After taking part in LantFlEx 1–55, she departed Little Creek 1 February 1955 and arrived Orange, TX 8 February. She decommissioned there 13 April and was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group.
Named '''Pee Dee River''' 1 October 1955 while still in a reserve status, she remained berthed at Orange, TX until struck from the Navy Register 1 February 1960. She was sold 22 June 1960 to Petrommer Corp., Rockport, TX for use as a shallow drilling ship. She was resold in 1989 to Western Sea Inc., Seattle, WA, for service as a fish factory ship and renamed '''Western Sea'''. Her final fate is unknown, though it seems unlikely that she is still in service.

Contents

References

External links

References

External links

★ navsource.org: USS ''Pee Dee River'' ''(Note: Non-Public domain images of the USS Pee Dee River are available here.)''

★ history.navy.mil: USS ''Pee Dee River''