(ARB-8: dp. 3,960; 1. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 11'2" (lim.); s. 11.6 k.; cpl. 286; a. 2 40mm., 8 20mm.; cl. Aristaeus)
One of the Argonauts of Greek mythology, King of Salamis and father of Ajax.
On 28 April 1944, before her construction began, LST-976 was redesignated ARB-8 and named Telamon. She was laid down on 5 December 1944 at Hingham, Mass., by Bethelehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc.; launched on 10 January 1945; and commissioned on 5 February 1945. After steaming to Baltimore, she was decommissioned, underwent conversion at Maryland Drydock Co., and was recommissioned on 1 June 1945 as ARB-8.
On 14 July, the new battle damage repair ship reported for duty with the Pacific Fleet and on the 23rd was assigned Pearl Harbor as her home port and yard. She joined Service Squadron 10 at Guam in September shortly before being placed in the Pacific Fleet Reserve on 11 September 1945. In the spring of 1946, as part of Service Group 1.8,- she took part in preparations for Operation "Crossroads" at Bikini Atoll. On 21 June 1946, before the nuclear tests took place, she departed the atoll and steamed to Kwajalein. She was decommissioned on 20 May 1947 and joined the San Diego Group Reserve Fleet that same day. She remained inactive until June 1973 when her name was struck from the Navy list. She was subsequently scrapped.
