Marine Fiddler AK-267

Marine Fiddler

A merchant name retained.

(AK-267: dp. 22,094 (f) ; 1. 520'; b. 721; d. 33'; s. 17.5 k.; cpl. 57: a. none; cl. Alchiba)

Marine Fiddler, a C-1 class cargo ship built for U.S. Maritime Commission by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pa., was laid down 15 December 1944; launched 15 May 1945; and delivered 31 August 1945.

The ship was operated by Agwillines, Inc., until placed in the Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Calif., 23 May 1946.

From 7 February to 27 March 1952, Marine Fiddler was activated and operated by American President Lines for the Maritime Administration before returning to the Reserve Fleet at Suisin Bay.

On 8 October 1952, she was again reactivated by MARAD and was operated by American President Lines. Marine Fiddler was acquired by the Navy 10 December 1952 and was designated T-AK-267. The ship, under control of MSTS Pacific, provided support for American and U.N. forces in Korea combatting Communist aggression.

Converted to a heavy lift cargo ship 29 March 1954, she saw worldwide service, carrying oversized and bulky equipment in her special holds, In 1960, she carried the components for the portable nuclear powerplant, which was installed at Thule AFB, Greenland.

On 4 December 1962, the ship rescued the crew of the storm-damaged sloop Seascape, which was drifting 355 miles east of Cape Hatteras.

The AK carried the French bathyscape Archimedes from Toulon, France, to San Juan, P.R., in April 1964. The heavy bathyscape was being used in oceanographic research operations in the Puerto Rican Trench.

When U.S. forces left France in early 1967, Marine Fiddler, with other MSTS ships, transported heavy equipment to other bases in Europe.

The heavy lift cargo ship continues to supply American oversea bases in the Atlantic and Mediterranean areas, with occasional special cargo runs to Southeast Asia into 1969. Marine Fiddler is under the operational control of MSTS Atlantic.