(AVP‑47: dp. 1,695; l. 310'9"; b. 41'1"; s. 20 k.; a 4 5"; cl. Barnegat)
A barrier island off the east coast of Virginia.
The name Metomkin was assigned to AVP‑47 on 23 August 1942; but the contract to build the small seaplane tender with Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, Wash., was canceled 29 April 1943.
I
(AG‑136: dp. 465 (lt.); l. 177'; b. 32'; dr. 10'; s. 13 k.; cpl. 26; a. 2 mg.; cl. Camano)
The first Metomkin (AG‑136) was built by John A. Mathis Co., Camden, N.J., in 1944; operated by the Army as a freight supply ship in the Pacific during and after World War II; acquired by the Navy as FS‑316 at Subic Bay, Luzon, 28 February 1947; renamed Metomkin 3 April 1947; and commissioned at Apra, Guam, 16 August 1947, Lt. (jg.) W. O. Ball in command.
Following completion of conversion for Navy use, Metomkin began passenger and cargo shuttle duty in the central and western Pacific. Assigned to the Service Force, Pacific Fleet, she made runs to American bases in the Marianas, the Marshalls, and the Carolines. Operating out of Apra Harbor, she completed numerous runs from the Palaus eastward to Pearl Harbor, and during the next 4 years she maintained a busy schedule while transporting military and civilian passengers as well as tons of general cargo. On 31 March 1949 she reclassified as AKL‑7.
Metomkin continued her important logistics support duty to military bases in the Pacific until 22 June 1951 when she completed her final run from the Carolines. She decommissioned at Guam 3 August 1951 and was transferred the same day to the Department of Interior. Her name was struck from the Navy list 16 January 1952.
