USS ''Dionysus'' (AR-21) was a in the service of the United States Navy from 1945 to 1955.

Construction and commissioning

''Dionysus'' was originally launched as the Liberty ship SS ''Faithful'' by

Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard The Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard of Baltimore, Maryland, was a shipyard in the United States from 1941 until 1945. Located on the south shore of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River which serves as the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, Ba ...

on 10 October 1944, sponsored by Mrs. H. C. McClelland. She was acquired by the Navy on 25 October 1944 and commissioned as USS ''Dionysus (AR-21) on 28 April 1945.

World War II service

''Dionysus'' arrived at Pearl Harbor on 30 June 1945. On 13 July she was underway for Eniwetok where she was stationed as repair ship from 24 July to 8 September. Entering Tokyo Bay on 17 September, ''Dionysus'' served there until 10 November when she sailed for overhaul at Bremerton, Washington, where she arrived on 28 November. On 30 May 1946 she arrived at San Pedro, where she was placed out of commission in reserve on 31 January 1947.

Post-war service and decommissioning

Recommissioned on 13 February 1952, ''Dionysus'' sailed from Long Beach on 8 April to join the Atlantic Fleet. She arrived at Naval Station Norfolk on 29 April and served primarily at this base. An exception was a period in 1953 when she relocated to the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

to repair ships operating from Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico, ending on 16 April 1954 when she sailed to visit

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

. She arrived at Newport, Rhode Island on 11 May and continued her repair services there until 3 February 1955. At

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

from 4 February to 11 April, she then sailed for

Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat, seat of government of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur, Texas, Port Arthur Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, metropo ...

, where she was placed in commission in reserve upon her arrival on 20 April. She arrived at Orange, Texas on 25 April and was placed out of commission in reserve there as of 1 July 1955. ''Dionysus'' was withdrawn from the

James River Reserve Fleet The James River Reserve Fleet (JRRF) is located on the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia at () near Fort Eustis. James River Reserve Fleet, a "ghost fleet,", is part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. The Reserve Fleet ships in s ...

on 31 May 1978 and designated for use in an artificial reef program in North Carolina.Maritime Administration Ship Record Detail: ''Dionysus''
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dionysus (Ar-21) World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Xanthus-class repair ships Ships built in Baltimore 1944 ships