Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Naval History Division • Washington

USS Coronis (ARL-10)

Several characters in Greek mythology, including the mother of Asclepius , god of medicine and healing, have this name.

[A Grecian maiden of such surpassing beauty that Apollo fell madly in love with her. After a short passionate love affair with Apollo, Coronis fell in love with a mortal. New of this development was brought Apollo by a raven, then a white bird, and so enraged him that he changed the raven into the black bird which it has been ever since. He then ordered Coronis slain. Just before she was consumed on the funeral pyre, however, Apollo succeeded in rescuing therefrom his about-to-be-born son, who was named Aesculapius. The latter became a physician of unnatural skill, even bringing people back from death, for which he himself was slain by Zeus. Aesculapius is considered the mythological progenitor of all doctors and is the source of the word, Aesculapes, the symbol of the medical profession.]

(ARL-10: dp. 2,220; l. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 15'; s. 11 k.;' cpl. 255; a. 1 3"; cl. Achelous)

LST-1003 was launched 8 June 1944 by Boston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. V.M. Rines; named and reclassified Coronis (ARL-10) on 12 June 1944; placed in partial commission 29 June 1944; and sailed to Baltimore, Md., for conversion to a landing craft repair ship; and commissioned in full 28 November 1944, Lieutenant J.J. Ready, Jr., USNR, in command.

Departing Norfolk 4 January 1945, Coronis arrived at Purvis Bay, Solomon Islands, to repair battle-damaged landing craft in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa. Arriving at Ulithi, the staging area, on 25 March, she joined the Service and Salvage Unit, and 5 days later sortied with them for Okinawa, arriving off the island 3 April. Here she repaired landing craft and the smaller radar picket ships, and operated a fog generator to five protective cover from air attack to ships lying in her area. On 18 June Coronis sailed for Saipan and Guam to load spare parts and supplies, continuing to Subic Bay where she acted as repair ship for the training group preparing for the invasion of Japan.

After the close of the war, Coronis returned to Okinawa 26 August to repair landing ships of the 5th Fleet. She also converted LST-494 into a minecraft tender. She arrived in Wakayama Wan 25 September to operate a boat pool, and service ships of the 5th Fleet carrying out occupation activities until 16 March 1946. After calling at Shanghai, China, she sailed for Astoria, Oreg., arriving 2 May. Coronis was placed out of commission in reserve at Vancouver, Wash., 29 July 1946. [The Coronis was sold in 1961; in 1965 she became the merchant ship Trailer Princess.]

Coronis received one battle star for World War II service.