1941 Navy Experimental Freighter IX-53 USS Sea Otter II
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Sea Otter II was launched on 23 August 1941 by the Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, Tex.; sponsored by Mrs. Eads Johnson, wife of the designer; acquired by the Navy on 26 September 1941 and placed in service on 26 October 1941.
Sea Otter II proceeded to the Charleston Navy Yard on 26 October 1941, arriving on 2 November. After completion of voyage repairs,
Sea Otter II got underway for sea trials on 4 November.
Constructed during the height of enemy submarine attacks along the Atlantic coast,
Sea Otter II was designed to allow torpedoes to pass beneath her shallow draft. The draft, however, proved to be almost twice the amount expected, and her 16 unmuffled gasoline engines would be noisy enough to alert any submarine in the area.
Consequently,
Sea Otter II, like her predecessor, the 80' shallow draft Sea
Otter I, was destined for little use. She remained at Charleston until being placed out of service on 28 May 1942. On 26 June, she was transferred to the War Shipping Administration, subsequently transferred to Cargoes, Incorporated, and struck from the Navy list on 8 May 1946.
Published: Tue Sep 08 10:07:33 EDT 2015
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