Hamul-class destroyer tender

The Hamul class were a class of destroyer tenders that were initially constructed as attack cargo ships for the United States Navy during World War II. They operated from 1941 to 1969.

Hamul at anchor in Great Sound, Bermuda, on 15 July 1944
Class overview
Name	Hamul class
Operators	United States Navy
Preceded by	Dixie class
Succeeded by	Klondike class
Completed	2
Retired	2
General characteristics
Type	Destroyer tender
Displacement	8,560 long tons (8,700 t) light 14,800 long tons (15,000 t) full load
Length	492 ft 5 in (150.09 m) oa
Beam	69 ft 8 in (21.23 m)
Draft	28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
Propulsion	Geared turbines, 8,500 shp (6,300 kW), single propeller
Speed	18.4 knots (34.1 km/h; 21.2 mph)
Complement	857
Armament	1 × 5 in (127 mm) gun 4 × 3 in (76 mm) guns 4 × 1.6 in (40 mm) guns

Design and description

Markab underway on 7 October 1942

Initially both ships were commercial cargo ships of the C3 type^[1] taken over by the United States Navy during World War II and converted to attack cargo ships. The ships measured 465 feet (142 m) long between perpendiculars and 492 ft 5 in (150.09 m) overall with a beam of 69 ft 8 in (21.23 m) and a draft of 28 ft 6 in (8.69 m).^[2][3] As attack cargo ships, they had a displacement of 11,755 long tons (11,944 t).^[3][4] After their conversion to destroyer tenders, they had a light displacement of 8,860 long tons (9,000 t) and measured 14,800 long tons (15,000 t) at full load. They were powered by steam generated from two Foster Wheeler boilers turning geared turbines creating 8,500 shaft horsepower (6,300 kW). This gave them a maximum speed of 18.4 knots (34.1 km/h; 21.2 mph). The ships were armed with a single 5-inch (127 mm)/38-caliber gun, four single-mounted 3 in (76 mm)/50 cal. guns and four 1.6 in (40 mm) guns.^[a] They had a complement of 857 officers and enlisted personnel.^[5]

Ships in class

Hamul class construction data[4][6]
Hull number	Name	Builder	Launched	Acquired by US Navy	Commissioned	Fate
AK-30/AD-20	Hamul (ex-Doctor Lykes)	Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey	6 April 1940	5 June 1941	15 June 1941	Broken up for scrap 1975
AK-31/AD-21/AR-23	Markab (ex-Mormacpenn)	Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi	21 December 1940	2 June 1941	15 June 1941	Broken up for scrap 1977[7]

Notes

1. The 50 and 38 calibers denote the length of the guns. This means that the length of the gun barrel is 50 and 38 times the bore diameter respectively.