USS Monadnock (ACM-10)

Cavalier, yard hull 437, contract 1069, was launched 14 April 1938 by Pusey and Jones Corp., Wilmington, Delaware and delivered to the Philadelphia and Norfolk Steamship Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 5 August 1938.{{cite web |last=Colton |first=Tim |title=Pusey & Jones, Wilmington DE |publisher=ShipbuildingHistory |date=12 September 2014 |url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/pusey.htm |access-date=1 November 2020}}{{cite journal |last=Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast |date=May 1938 |title=Delivery and Launching at Pusey and Jones |journal=Pacific Marine Review |page=47 |location=San Francisco |publisher=J.S. Hines |url=https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev3538paci#page/n260/mode/1up |access-date=1 November 2020}}{{cite journal |last=Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast |date=September 1938 |title=Delivery and Launching at Pusey and Jones |journal=Pacific Marine Review |page=62 |location=San Francisco |publisher=J.S. Hines |url=https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev3538paci#page/n475/mode/1up |access-date=1 November 2020}} Cavalier was the second of two identical ships built at the yard for the Philadelphia and Norfolk Steamship Company, the first being Quaker. The design for the two ships was by Theodore E. Ferris and were unusual in that the design called for a speed of {{cvt|17|knots|mph km/h}}.{{cite journal |last=Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast |date=April 1937 |title=50,000 Gross Tons a Month |journal=Pacific Marine Review |page=44 |location=San Francisco |publisher=J.S. Hines |url=https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev3437paci#page/n196/mode/1up |access-date=1 November 2020}}Ferris was responsible for the World War I "Ferris design" ships of the Emergency Fleet Corporation.

Cavalier was registered with U.S. Official Number 237524, signal WNOQ as {{GRT|3056}}, 1,893 Net tons, {{cvt|280.2|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} registry lentth, {{cvt|48.7|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} beam and {{cvt|13.5|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} depth and a home port of Wilmington, Delaware.{{cite book |date=1 January 1941 |title=Merchant Vessels of the United States |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Department of Commerce, Bureau of Inspection and Navigation |page=18 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435066707217&view=image&seq=24&q1=237524 |access-date=1 November 2020}} As built cargo capacity was {{convert|190500|cuft|m3|1}}. The ship was propelled by a G.E. 4,000 horsepower cross compound turbine fed by two Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving a single shaft.

Cavalier was purchased by the U.S. Navy on 9 June 1941 from the Philadelphia and Norfolk Steamship Company for $1,250,000.{{cite DANFS |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/monadnock-iii.html |title=Monadnock III (ACM-10) |author=Naval History And Heritage Command |date=11 August 2018 |work=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher=Naval History And Heritage Command |access-date=1 November 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/6082 |title=Monadnock |author=Maritime Administration |work=Ship History Database Vessel Status Card |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration |access-date=1 November 2020}} The ship was converted at the Bethlehem Steel Co., Atlantic Works, East Boston, Massachusetts; and commissioned as the Coastal Minelayer Monadnock (CMc-4), 2 December 1941.

Following shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay area, Monadnock operated in the 5th Naval District until 25 March, when she sailed for the British West Indies. While in the Caribbean, 1 May 1942, she was redesignated Minelayer CM-9. Returning to Virginia, 20 May, she resumed operations in the 5th Naval District. In late October she joined a convoy bound for North Africa. Arriving off Casablanca on 8 November, she remained in the assault area through the 11th, when she got underway for her return voyage across the Atlantic, arriving at Yorktown, Virginia, on the 30th.

In the spring of 1943, Monadnock operated off the southern New England coast, first for the Minecraft Training Command and then under ComServFor, Atlantic Fleet, before resuming maneuvers in Chesapeake Bay. Reassigned to the Pacific Fleet in late fall, the minelayer departed Norfolk, Virginia, with TG 29.18, transited the Panama Canal and arrived at San Diego 28 December. Routed on to Pearl Harbor, she reported to Commander, Minecraft, Pacific Fleet, 7 January 1944, and by the 13th was underway for the South Pacific.

Arriving at Nouméa on the 29th, she joined ServRon 6 and until 15 April carried out exercises and duty assignments in the New Hebrides. From the end of April until July, she worked in the Solomons and then moved on to New Guinea, where she was briefly employed off Finschhafen. Operating again in the New Hebrides, based at Espiritu Santo, by October, she sailed, with passengers, to Brisbane, and upon her return replenished her stores and departed, 13 November, for Manus, Admiralty Islands, to join the 7th Fleet.

Monadnock conducted training exercises at Manus until 23 December, when she departed for Leyte. Arriving on the 30th, she soon sailed for Mangarin Bay, on the southwest coast of Mindoro, where she remained from 3 January to 6 February 1945. She then shifted, with TU 78.3.19, to Subic Bay, Luzon, returning at the end of the month to Leyte. Thence, she steamed to Ulithi to stage for the forthcoming Okinawa campaign.

On 5 April, she departed in convoy for Nansei Shoto, as a unit of TF 52. Operating as a unit of TG 52.2, she conducted minelaying operations at Kerama Retto and off the Hagushi anchorage during May. Then, in convoy with TU 51.29.18, she departed for the United States, arriving at San Francisco, 24 June, for overhaul and conversion to Auxiliary Mine Layer ACM-10 (effective 10 July 1945).

Conversion completed, she departed for Japan 6 September, transporting troops to Eniwetok, Guam, and Okinawa while en route. Arriving at Sasebo, 22 October, for occupation duty, she remained until 9 March 1946, when, with military passengers again embarked, she sailed for San Francisco. Arriving 7 April, she decommissioned 3 June, was struck from the Navy List 3 July 1946, and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 20 August 1946 by a Navy declaration of surplus.DANFS date of 20 June 1947 transfer to MC is incorrect. MARAD data shows the ship was transferred in 1946 with a declaration of surplus message dated 20 August and the ship sold on 17 June 1947. A note dated 22 August 1946 shows the ship was transferred from Naval anchorage to the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet.

Monadnock earned three battle stars for her service in World War II.

The ship remained in the reserve fleet until sold for $104,000 17 June 1947 to James J. Wilkinson for operation with signal WNOQ and home port of Norfolk, Virginia.{{cite book |date=1 January 1948 |title=Merchant Vessels of the United States |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Department of Treasury, Bureau of Customs |page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fjPuFb80L_QC&pg=PA80 |access-date=1 November 2020}}

Monadnock was sold to a Panamanian company in 1949, and renamed Karukara. Sold again in 1952 and renamed Monte de la Esperanza she operated for more than 20 years transporting bananas from the Canary Islands to the United Kingdom. Sold to the Instituto Social de la Marina (Social Institute of the Navy), Spain and renamed Esperanza del Mar, she was equipped as a hospital ship and operated out of the Canary Islands assisting fishing boats for more than 10 years.Two later ships of the same name served this function. Esperanza del Mar was deliberately sunk as an Artificial reef in 2000 off the coast of Spain.{{cite web |last1=Priolo |first1=Gary P. |last2=Radigan |first2=Joe |title=Monadnock (ACM 10) |website=NavSource Online |year=2020 |url=http://www.navsource.net/archives/11/0609.htm |access-date=1 November 2020}}

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{reflist}}

• {{DANFS}}

• [https://digital.hagley.org/72350_4658i Christening of S.S. Cavalier, built for Philadelphia and Norfolk S.S. Company] (Hagley Museum and Library)
• [https://digital.hagley.org/72350_4658_2 Launching of Cavalier #437 (bow view on ways)] (Hagley Museum and Library)
• [https://digital.hagley.org/72350_4658_12 Launching of Cavalier #437 (in river)] (Hagley Museum and Library)
• [https://digital.hagley.org/72350_4661 S.S. Quaker and S.S. Cavalier, built for Philadelphia and Norfolk S.S. Company] (Hagley Museum and Library)
• [http://www.shipscribe.com/usnaux/CMC/CMC04.html Monadnock at shipscribe.com]

{{Commons category|USS Monadnock (ACM-10)}}

{{WWII US ships}}

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Category:Ships built by Pusey and Jones

Category:World War II mine warfare vessels of the United States

Category:Minesweepers of the United States Navy

Category:1941 ships