USS Macaw (ASR-11)
| History | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name: | USS Macaw |
| Laid down: | 15 October 1941 |
| Launched: | 12 July 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 12 July 1943 |
| Struck: | 25 March 1944 |
| Fate: | Sunk, 13 February 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Chanticleer-class submarine rescue ship |
| Displacement: | 1,780 long tons (1,809 t) |
| Length: | 251 ft 4 in (76.61 m) |
| Beam: | 42 ft (13 m) |
| Draft: | 14 ft 3 in (4.34 m) |
| Speed: | 16.5 knots (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h) |
| Complement: | 122 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: |
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The USS Macaw (ASR-11) was a Chanticleer-class submarine rescue ship in the United States Navy.
Macaw was laid down 15 October 1941 by the Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, California; launched 12 July 1942; sponsored by Miss Valnessa Easton of Berkeley, Calif.; and commissioned exactly one year later, Lt. Comdr. Paul Willits Burton in command.
Departing California 28 August 1943, after shakedown and training exercises, Macaw steamed in convoy to Espiritu Santo, arriving 2 October. Thence proceeding to Funafuti, via Wallis Island, she charted previously unknown reefs. She anchored off Funafuti on the 16th and remained until 13 November when she was ordered back to Pearl Harbor. After six weeks in Hawaii, Macaw departed for Midway Island.
Macaw sank at Midway Island on the night of 12–13 February 1944, having run aground while attempting to rescue USS Flier (SS-250) which had herself run aground, 16 January 1944. During the sinking her commanding officer Paul Burton and four crewmen died after abandoning ship amid heavy seas.
Macaw was struck from the Navy list 25 March 1944.
Macaw was awarded one battle star for World War II service.
In 2003 the wreck of Macaw was surveyed by NOAA.[1]
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
External links
- Photo gallery at Navsource.org
- On Eternal Patrol - USS Macaw
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