USS ''ARL-5'' was one of 39 ''Achelous''-class

landing craft Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. ...

repair ships built for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Originally laid down as ''LST-81'' on 8 March 1943, at

Jeffersonville, Indiana Jeffersonville is a city and the county seat of Clark County, Indiana, Clark County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It lies directly across the Ohio Riv ...

by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company; launched on 28 May 1943; sponsored by Miss Bettie Meador; and commissioned on 21 July 1943. She was decommissioned on 19 July 1943, and redesignated ''ARL-5'' on 20 July 1943. On 29 July 1943, she was transferred to the United Kingdom and served the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

as HM ''LSE-1'' until 21 May 1946, when she was returned to the United States. She was struck from the

Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...

on 29 October 1946. On 20 August 1947, LST-81 was sold to Argentina and served that government as ARA ''Ingeniero Hodesh'' (Q-21), then renamed ARA ''Ingeniero Iribas'' (Q-21). She was sold by the

Argentine Navy The Argentine Navy (ARA; ). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Argentine Army, Army and the Argentine ...

in 1967.

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Arl-5 Achelous-class repair ships Achelous-class repair ships converted from LST-1-class ships Ships built in Jeffersonville, Indiana 1943 ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United Kingdom Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the Royal Navy