USNS Grommet Reefer - Misplaced Pages

Cargo ship of the United States Navy

History

United States
Ordered	as MV Kenneth E. Gruennert C1-M-AV1 hull, MC hull 2243
Laid down	1 January 1944
Launched	29 July 1944
Acquired	1 March 1950
In service	as USNS Grommet Reefer (T-AF-53) 1 March 1950
Stricken	date unknown
Fate	Ran aground, off Livorno, Italy, 15 December 1952
General characteristics
Displacement	2,382 t.(lt) 6,240 t.(fl)
Length	338 ft 8 in (103.23 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draught	21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion	Diesel, single propeller, 1,700shp
Speed	10.5 kts
Complement	40 civilian mariners
Armament	none

USNS Grommet Reefer (T-AF-53) was a Grommet Reefer-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

Grommet Reefer was laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Riverside Yard, Duluth, Minnesota, 1 January 1944: launched as Kenneth E. Gruennert 29 July 1944: sponsored by Mrs. Walter A. Blodsoe: and delivered to War Shipping Administration (WSA) December 1944 for use as a merchant cargo ship. Prior to 1950 she was owned by WSA and the Maritime Commission; and, as Kenneth E. Gruennert and later as Grommet Reefer, she was operated by several merchant lines, including Grace Lines, Inc.. and Alaska Transportation Company.

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service

Grommet Reefer was transferred to the Navy by the Maritime Commission 1 March 1950 and assigned to MSTS. Manned by a civilian crew, she operated in the Pacific Ocean out of U.S. West Coast ports, carrying military cargo and frozen and refrigerated foodstuffs. She steamed to American bases in the Marshalls, the Marianas, and other islands in the Western Pacific for more than a year. After returning to San Francisco, California, 25 March 1951, she departed for the U.S. East Coast 4 April and reached New York City 25 April.

Operating in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic

Departing New York 29 June, Grommet Reefer sailed to the Mediterranean where she steamed to ports in North Africa and Italy before returning to New York 13 August. After completing a cargo run to Bremerhaven and back, she sailed 22 October for a 2-month deployment to the Mediterranean. From January to April 1952 she made three round-trip voyages to Western Europe, and during the next 2 months she supplied American bases in Labrador and Greenland.

Running aground and breaking in two

Grommet Reefer resumed Mediterranean duty in September and operated between North Africa and Italy before returning to New York 10 November. After loading cargo, she departed for North Africa 5 days later. On 10 December she departed Casablanca, Morocco, for Livorno, Italy. Loaded with Army cargo, she went aground on a reef during a storm off Leghorn 15 December 1952. She broke in half the next day, and her stern section sank without loss of life. The bow section and cargo were salvaged, and the bow section was recovered and transferred to the Maritime Administration 23 July 1953 for disposition.

Military awards and honors

Grommet Reefer’s crew was eligible for the following medal:

National Defense Service Medal

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - T-AF-53 Grommet Reefer

v t e Type C1-M ships
Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch
Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator
Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet
Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1952
Shipwrecks	10 Jan: Flying Enterprise, Pennsylvania 24 Jan: Arahura 18 Feb: Fort Mercer, Pendleton 5 Apr: Brattind, Buskøy, Pels, Ringsel, Vårglimt 26 Apr: USS Hobson 10 May: Chervona Ukraina 3 Jun: Inger Skou 30 Jun: Mahenge Aug: Cha-194 1 Sep: Derwentfield 4 Sep: Stream Fisher 5 Sep: Foundation Star 7 Sep: Princess Kathleen 9 Sep: Niš 24 Sep: Kaiyō No. 5 28 Sep: La Sibylle 3 Oct: HMS Plym 21 Nov: Krasnyi Kavkaz Nov: Bremen 15 Dec: USNS Grommet Reefer, Shch-117 29 Dec: City of New York Unknown date: Buskø
Other incidents	9 Jan: Robin Doncaster 28 Jan: North Britain 30 Jan: MV Aqueity, Cutty Sark 18 Feb: CG 36500 19 Feb: Arkaba 25 Feb: Tynwald 12 Mar: Caronia 3 Apr: RFA Wave Ruler 26 Apr: USS Wasp April (unknown date): Esso Appalachee 7 May: SS Orcades 8 May: HMS Tenacious 21 May: ROKS Apnok, USS Mount Baker,Nathaniel B. Palmer 3 Aug: USS Bugara, USS Whitehurst Unknown date: Southern Collins
1951 1953

Categories: