Silver Cloud II (IX-143)
(IX-143: displacement 15,333; length 446 feet; beam 58 feet; draft 27 feet; speed 10.7 knots; complement 132; armament 1 4-inch gun, 1 3-inch gun; cl. Silver Cloud)
II
The second Silver Cloud (IX-143) was laid down in 1919 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa., as the merchant tanker Alameda (q.v.); disposed of in 1922 after a fire and served in merchant service as Olean and Sweep; and acquired by the Navy from the War Shipping Administration on a bare-boat basis while at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, on 12 July 1944; commissioned on 12 July 1944, Lt. Comdr. H. R. Will, USNR, in command.
Silver Cloud was acquired by the Navy for use as a mobile floating storage tanker, capable of holding 84,277 barrels of fuel oil. Three days later, she fueled her first two destroyers. She remained in the Marshall Islands until 17 August when she sailed for Manus Island, Admiralty Islands. Silver Cloud dropped anchor in Seeadler Harbor on 28 August and before departing, on 28 December 1944, had fueled almost 200 ships.
The tanker's next destination was San Pedro Bay, Leyte, P.I., via Hollandia, New Guinea. She arrived at Leyte on 15 January 1945 and remained in the Philippine Islands until 30 December when she sailed for New Orleans, via Panama, for disposal.
Silver Cloud arrived at New Orleans on 10 March 1946 and sailed the next day for Mobile, arriving on the 12th. She was decommissioned and delivered to the War Shipping Administration on 29 March. Silver Cloud was struck from the Navy list on 17 April 1946 and sold to Pinto Island Metals Co. on 21 January 1947.
15 April 2004
