Palawan (ARG-10)
(ARG-10: dp. 14,250 (f.); l. 441'6"; b. 56'11"; dr. 23'; s. 12.5 k.; cpl. 501; a. 1 5", 3 3", 4 40mm.; cl. Luzon; T. EC2-S-C1)
An island in the Philippines.
Palawan (ARG-10), built as MCE hull 2668 by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Md., was launched as Palawan 12 August 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Louis Augustine; converted to an internal combustion engine repair ship at Bethlehem's Key Highway plant, Baltimore; and commissioned 3 May 1945, Comdr. P. Andersen in command.
Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Palawan took on ammunition and stores at Norfolk and sailed for Panama 12 June. Transiting the Canal on the 19th, she continued on into the Pacific, arriving at Tacloban, Philippines, 3 August. A unit of ServDiv 101, she repaired small craft, giving priority to minesweepers, in San Pedro Bay until 1 September. On that date she steamed north to join ServDiv 103 and support the ships of TF 52 during Western Japan minesweeping operations. Until 10 March 1946 she repaired ships at Sasebo, then shifted to Shanghai, remaining there until the end of April when she turned her bow toward the United States. Arriving at San Diego in June, she underwent inactivation, decommissioned, 15 January 1947, and was berthed there in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Palawan remained at San Diego until transferred to the Maritime Administration-s National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Calif., 23 February 1962 and remains there into 1970.
