USS ''Pentheus'' (ARL-20) 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

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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 ...

. Named for

Pentheus In Greek mythology, Pentheus (; ) was a king of Ancient Thebes (Boeotia), Thebes. His father was Echion, the wisest of the Spartoi. His mother was Agave (Theban princess), Agave, the daughter of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, and grandson of the ...

(a king of Thebes, according to Greek legend), she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. Originally laid down as ''LST–1115'' by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company of

Seneca, Illinois Seneca is a village in LaSalle and Grundy counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,353 at the 2020 census, down from 2,371 at the 2010 census. The LaSalle County portion of Seneca is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan St ...

on 29 September 1944; launched 22 December 1944; and placed in reduced commission 4 January 1945. Proceeding to

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

, Maryland, she decommissioned 6 February 1945; underwent conversion; and was commissioned in full as USS ''Pentheus'' (ARL–20) 7 June 1945.

Service history

Following shakedown in

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, ''Pentheus'' took on pontoons at

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

, and on 15 July got underway for the

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. Crossing into the

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26 July, she steamed on to

Subic Bay Subic Bay is a bay on the west coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, about northwest of Manila Bay. An extension of the South China Sea, its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility, U.S. Naval Base Subi ...

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. Arriving 17 October, she engaged in repair work there until sailing for

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5 January 1946. From Pearl Harbor, she steamed to

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for two weeks duty prior to getting underway for

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and inactivation. Arriving 20 April she decommissioned and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, where she remained until 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 ...

1 January 1960. She was sold on 13 June 1960 to Ships, Inc. of

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. Her final fate is unknown.

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pentheus (Arl-20) Achelous-class repair ships Achelous-class repair ships converted from LST-542-class ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Ships built in Seneca, Illinois 1944 ships