Aloe-class net laying ship
The Aloe class net laying ships were a class of thirty-two steel-hulled ships built prior to World War II. The lead ship, USS Aloe, was laid down in October 1940 and launched the following January; the final member, USS Yew, was launched in October 1941. They were assigned tree and plant names in alphabetical order, but eight ships (in order Cottonwood, Dogwood, Fir, Juniper, Maple, Poplar, Sycamore, and Walnut) were renamed prior to launching, producing discontinuities in the name order. These ships were originally classed as YN and numbered 1-32, but were reclassified and renumbered in 1944 as AN-6 through AN-37.
These ships had a unique appearance with a pair of "horns" jutting out from either side of the bow, each functioning as a fixed crane with a capacity of 22 short tons (20 t). They were powered by a pair of diesel engines which provided electricity for both propulsion and lifting machinery; there were also two auxiliary diesels and an evaporator for fresh water. Between the "horns" was an opening through which nets could be hauled, bridged by a catwalk.
All members of this class survived the war though USS Mahogany was caught in a typhoon in September 1945 and decommissioned the following year. Three ships were transferred to the French Navy in 1944 and another three were so transferred in the 1960s; two others went to the Turkish and Ecuadoran navies respectively. Three others were retained for various purposes, while the remainder were put into the reserve fleet shortly after the war.
Class members
| Name | Original number | Launched | Decommissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Aloe (AN-6) | YN-1 | 11 January 1941 | 3 August 1946 | sold for scrap |
| USS Ash (AN-7) | YN-2 | 15 February 1941 | 13 December 1946 | sold for scrap |
| USS Boxwood (AN-8) | YN-3 | 8 March 1941 | 13 November 1946 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Butternut (AN-9) | YN-4 | 10 May 1941 | 18 July 1969 | used for test range support 1957-69; reclassed YAG-60 1969; sunk as target |
| USS Catalpa (AN-10) | YN-5 | 22 February 1941 | 21 October 1946/ 7 October 1955 | unknown |
| USS Chestnut (AN-11) | YN-6 | 16 March 1941 | 7 September 1946 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Cinchona (AN-12) | YN-7 | 2 July 1941 | 6 November 1946 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Buckeye (AN-13) | YN-8 | 26 July 1941 | March 1947 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Buckthorn (AN-14) | YN-9 | 27 March 1941 | 20 August 1947 | reserve fleet; scrapped 1976 |
| USS Ebony (AN-15) | YN-10 | 3 June 1941 | 23 March 1946 | reserve fleet; scrapped 1976 |
| USS Eucalyptus (AN-16) | YN-11 | 3 July 1941 | 6 March 1946 | reserve fleet; scrapped 1976 |
| USS Chinquapin (AN-17) | YN-12 | 15 July 1941 | 6 March 1946 | reserve fleet; scrapped 1976 |
| USS Gum Tree (AN-18) | YN-13 | 20 March 1941 | 20 June 1946 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Holly (AN-19) | YN-14 | 17 April 1941 | 7 June 1946 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Elder (AN-20) | YN-15 | 19 June 1941 | 18 December 1959 | unknown |
| USS Larch (AN-21) | YN-16 | 2 July 1941 | 28 June 1946 | transferred to Turkish Navy 1948 |
| USS Locust (AN-22) | YN-17 | 1 February 1941 | 8 July 1946 | transferred to French Navy; sank July 1978 |
| USS Mahogany (AN-23) | YN-18 | 18 February 1941 | September 1945 | damaged in Typhoon Ida; scrapped |
| USS Mango (AN-24) | YN-19 | 22 February 1941 | 4 April 1947 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Hackberry (AN-25) | YN-20 | 28 October 1941 | 12 November 1944 | transferred to French Navy as Araignée (A727) ; scrapped 1985 |
| USS Mimosa (AN-26) | YN-21 | 15 March 1941 | 27 December 1946 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Mulberry (AN-27) | YN-22 | 26 March 1941 | 11 April 1960 | transferred to Ecuadorian Navy 1965; scrapped 1980 |
| USS Palm (AN-28) | YN-23 | 1 February 1941 | 1 January 1947 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Hazel (AN-29) | YN-24 | 15 February 1941 | 11 February 1958 | reserve fleet; struck 1962 |
| USS Redwood (AN-30) | YN-25 | 22 February 1941 | 6 June 1947 | reserve fleet; fate uncertain |
| USS Rosewood (AN-31) | YN-26 | 1 March 1941 | 10 June 1946 | reserve fleet; transferred to French Navy 1969; sunk as target 1983 |
| USS Sandalwood (AN-32) | YN-27 | 6 March 1941 | 13 August 1946 | reserve fleet; transferred to French Navy 1967; sold, fate unknown |
| USS Nutmeg (AN-33) | YN-28 | 13 March 1941 | January 1947 | reserve fleet; sold 1971; fate unknown |
| USS Teaberry (AN-34) | YN-29 | 24 May 1941 | 14 December 1946/ 7 July 1961 | recommissioned 19 April 1953 for aux service; sold 1962 for scrapping |
| USS Teak (AN-35) | YN-30 | 7 July 1941 | 30 August 1946 | reserve fleet; sold for scrap 1976 |
| USS Pepperwood (AN-36) | YN-31 | 25 August 1941 | 15 December 1944 | transferred to French Navy; struck 1972 |
| USS Yew (AN-37) | YN-32 | 4 October 1941 | 1 January 1944 | transferred to French Navy; sank 1978 |