USS Pee Dee River (LSM(R)-517)

USS "Pee Dee River" (LSM(R)-517), an sclass|LSM(R)-501|landing ship medium (rocket)|1, originally designed as an LSM but redesignated 9 February 1945 as "LSM(R)–517", was laid down by Brown Shipbuilding Corporation, Houston, TX, 28 April 1945, launched 2 June 1945; and accepted and commissioned 21 July 1945, Lieutenant Leo H. Bishkin in command.

"LSM(R)–517" underwent final fitting out at the Charleston Navy Yard and then reported for shakedown 25 August 1945 at Little Creek, VA. Assigned to the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, she conducted training operations out of Little Creek. She was utilized chiefly to assist in fulfilling amphibious and midshipman training commitments until her deactivation in October 1947.

Reactivated in September 1954, she called at Fall River, MA for repairs and then operated briefly out of Little Creek in the Virginia Capes and Chesapeake Bay Operating Areas. After taking part in LantFlEx 1–55, she departed Little Creek 1 February 1955 and arrived Orange, TX 8 February. She decommissioned there 13 April and was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group.

Named "Pee Dee River" 1 October 1955 while still in a reserve status, she remained berthed at Orange, TX until struck from the Navy Register 1 February 1960. She was sold 22 June 1960 to Petrommer Corp., Rockport, TX for use as a shallow drilling ship. She was resold in 1989 to Western Sea Inc., Seattle, WA, for service as a fish factory ship and renamed "Western Sea". Her final fate is unknown, though it seems unlikely that she is still in service.

References

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/06517.htm navsource.org: USS "Pee Dee River"] "(Note: Non-Public domain images of the USS Pee Dee River are available here.)"
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/p4/pee_dee_river.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Pee Dee River"]