USS Chimon
USS Chimon – also known as USS LST-1102 -- was an launched by the U.S. Navy during the final months of World War II. Chimon served as a transport and stores ship for the U.S. 7th Fleet, and was decommissioned after service in the Korean War.
Constructed in Evansville, Indiana
Chimon was launched as LST-1102 10 January 1945 by Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Works, Evansville, Indiana; sponsored by Mrs. O. Snyder; and commissioned 29 January 1945.World War II-related service
Sailing from Gulfport, Mississippi, 7 March 1945, LST-1102 arrived at Pearl Harbor 4 April to load cargo for delivery to bases at Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Ulithi.This duty completed, she joined a convoy at Leyte 21 June and arrived at Okinawa 5 days later to complete offloading her cargo. After transporting Marines from Naha to Hagushi, she sailed from Okinawa 10 July and returned to Pearl Harbor 5 August. At the close of the war, she loaded men and equipment for the occupation of Japan, and on 27 September arrived at Wakayama, Japan.
LST-1102 continued to support the occupation of Japan until 4 November 1945. She called at Guam to embark homeward bound servicemen and arrived back at Pearl Harbor 1 December to undergo conversion to a mobile spare parts ship.
Converted into a spare parts ship
Her conversion completed, LST-1102 got underway from Pearl Harbor 4 April 1946 to return to Far Eastern duty at Shanghai, and Qingdao, China until 8 October 1947. Arriving at San Pedro, California, 7 November, she shifted to San Diego, California, a week later and was placed out of commission in reserve there 21 November 1947.She was reclassified AG-150, 27 January 1949 and assigned the name Chimon on 1 February 1949.
Korean War service
Recommissioned 27 December 1950 Chimon was assigned to Service Squadron 3 and sailed for the Far East on 2 May 1951. Arriving at Sasebo, Japan, 13 June, she alternated operations from that port and Yokosuka in support of the Korean War.Reclassified AKS-31 on 18 August 1951, she remained in the Far East serving the 7th Fleet in its watchful operations to keep peace until 20 November 1957, occasionally visiting Hong Kong and the Philippines.