USS Almaack (AKA-10) was an Almaack class attack cargo ship named after Almaack, a star system in the constellation Andromeda. She served as a commissioned ship for 4 years and 11 months.
The vessel was laid down as the merchant ship Executor on 14 March 1940, under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 104), at Quincy, Massachusetts, by the Fore River yard of Bethlehem Steel Co. She was launched on 21 September 1940, sponsored by Mrs. A.R. Winnett, and delivered to her owners, the American Export Lines, on 22 October 1940. Executor made two voyages to India before being acquired by the Navy on 3 June 1941 for conversion to a cargo ship. She was renamed Almaack and classified as AK-27. The ship was converted at the Tietjen and Lang Dry Dock Co., Hoboken, N.J.; Almaack was commissioned at the Army Transport Service Base, Brooklyn, on 15 June 1941, with Comdr. Thomas R. Cooley in command.
Early World War II North Atlantic convoy operations
Almaack—with a cargo of heavy roadbuilding equipment and coal—cleared New York in convoy on 27 July 1941, bound for Iceland. Screened by a battleship, three heavy cruisers, and seven destroyers, the convoy included Almaack, a transport, a storeship and an oiler, and the aircraft carrier —the latter with planes of the 33d Pursuit Squadron (Curtiss P-40s) on board, earmarked for the defense of the base in Iceland. The convoy reached Reykjavík on 6 August, with Wasp launching the planes without incident. Almaack discharged her cargo at Reykjavík over the ensuing days, and departed that port on 12 August.
After loading at New York, Almaack proceeded to Trinidad, arriving there, via San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 20 September 1941. Returning thence to New York, the cargo ship sailed independently for Halifax, Nova Scotia, there joining convoy HX 154 for her second run to Iceland. On 13 November 1941, Almaack, together with the storeship , an Iceland-registry freighter, and five American destroyers, cleared Iceland for a rendezvous with west-bound convoy ON 35 south of Iceland.
Within 24 hours of sailing, one of the escorts, , picked up a definite sound contact and attacked, dropping depth charges. Over the next 36 hours, the ships marched and countermarched through rough seas, awaiting the tardy convoy which ultimately arrived on the morning of 15 November.
Difficulty in maintaining position in convoy
As Comdr. Cooley later reported, Almaack, "being light and big, was unable to maintain position in the convoy at speeds less than ." The heavy weather wrought havoc on the abilities of the ships to stay in formation, and Almaack found herself on her own on three occasions, each time managing to rejoin the convoy. Upon rejoining for the third time, Comdr. Cooley informed the escort commander "what speed he would make and what positions he would pass through if separated again." When this came to pass, and the cargo ship was again on her own, Almaack proceeded independently to New York without incident. Reflecting back on the voyage, on 6 December 1941, Almaack's commanding officer opined that his ship would have been far safer "steaming alone... than in any convoy that does not maintain a speed of at least ." He also used that occasion to press for his ship to be armed with at least two 4-inch or guns. In endorsing Comdr. Cooley's report on 19 December, Admiral Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet, agreed to recommend independent routing for fast cargo ships such as Almaack unless "available information indicates undue danger from submarine concentration ... ."
Preparations for war
Almaack then proceeded to Norfolk, where she underwent an overhaul at the Norfolk Navy Yard. During this refit, she was armed with a gun, four guns and eight .50-caliber machine guns. She also received a new paint job, Measure 12 (mod.) designed to alter her silouhette. She then loaded cargo, and sailed for Bermuda, returning thence to New York.
World War II North Atlantic convoy operations
Loaded with a cargo of heavy construction equipment, Almaack sailed from New York on 19 January 1942, as an element of Convoy AT 12: 13 ships carrying 14,688 men—of this number 8,493 were Army troops being transported to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and 1,153 were sailors to man the new naval operating base being established at Derry. Other transports in the host were to take Army troops to Iceland to relieve the marines that had been there since July 1941. Almaack then returned to the United States in ballast, and, after again loading at New York, sailed for the Pacific on 9 April 1942.
Pacific Theatre operations
Transiting the Panama Canal for the first time on 19 April 1942, Almaack sailed for the Tonga, or Friendly Islands, arriving at Tongatapu on 8 May. Discharging cargo there, the ship then sailed for the West Coast of the United States, arriving ultimately at San Diego on 5 June. Assigned to Transport Division 2 with Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, Almaack underwent repairs and alterations at the Craig Shipbuilding at Long Beach, before she returned to San Diego on 15 July for landing exercises off the southern California coast.
Supporting the invasion of North Africa
Returning to the East Coast of the United States and arriving at Norfolk on 12 September, Almaack underwent further alterations and repairs before proceeding to New York to load cargo. She sailed on 26 September for Scotland in TF 38. There, at Loch Fyne, the cargo ship participated in training for the invasion of North Africa until 21 October. Five days later, Almaack sailed for her first amphibious operation.
The voyage toward the coast of North Africa proved uneventful until 7 November 1942. Almaack—in column 01 of convoy KMFA1—went to general quarters at 0515, and soon thereafter heard an aircraft close by, on her port hand. At 0538, her watch noted the torpedoing of the nearby transport . Ultimately, at 1800 the section of KMFA1 to which Almaack had been attached was directed to proceed to the waters off Algiers. As she stood toward the coast, she observed navigation lights—still burning but with reduced visibility—at Cape Matifu and Cape Caxine.
Reaching her release position at 2200, Almaack commenced lowering boats at that time, and completed the evolution in a little over an hour, at 2307. At 0145 on Sunday, 8 November 1942, the ship's boats began making their way shoreward, from about off the beachhead. At 0208, all ships in "Charlie" sector stood shoreward to a position off "Charlie-Red" beach, where they would ultimately anchor several hours later. In the interim, Almaack's first boat returned from the beach at 0304, shortly before the ship reached her position.
Under fire from enemy beach batteries
About 0346, Almaack observed gunfire starting in the vicinity of the city of Algiers; action continued intermittently until dawn. Anchoring off Beach Red at 0904, Almaack ceased cargo operations at 1015, "evidently because of excessive congestion of boats" at beach Charlie Red Two. Within the hour, however, the ship resumed unloading, but only vehicles and guns, as directed. As she did so, she observed three German Junkers Ju 88 bombers pass overhead at —evidently looking for bigger game or possessing empty racks, since they dropped no bombs.
Working to get high priority vehicles and antiaircraft guns unloaded, Almaack soon found the wind and sea making operations difficult. A strong breeze from the northeast rendered the operation of small boats hazardous by 1400, but the unloading continued in the face of mounting difficulties. By 1645, however, after the ship had managed to put ashore some 52 vehicles and guns during the day, "loading became impossible" in the teeth of a fresh to strong breeze and a rough sea.
Under attack by German aircraft
Almaack sighted three more Ju 88s at shortly after sunset, and went to general quarters, opening fire with her antiaircraft battery soon thereafter as the three Junkers dive-bombed the nearby Samuel Chase. Following the dive bombers, other enemy planes, identified as Heinkel He 111s, attacked the disposition in the twilight, varying their manner of attack with shallow dives and low-level horizontal attacks from all directions, cleverly utilizing a land background to cover their approach.
Almaack's lookouts noted bombs or torpedoes dead ahead and on the starboard bow, and witnessed the torpedoing of around 1715. Almaack ceased fire at 1735, and stood down from general quarters at 1801. At 2020, the ship secured her cargo-handling details because of the wind and sea conditions, with six of her boats secured to the stern—a condition that soon changed with worsening weather; two boats swamped, and the remainder were sent ashore. All night the wind continued to blow, and Almaack's coxswains put their landing craft on the beach.
The following day saw more attacks from German aircraft; Almaack went to general quarters twice before dawn, once during the mid watch, once during the morning watch. She went to general quarters again five more times before the day ended: once during the forenoon watch, thrice during the afternoon watch, and once during the first dog watch. She seemed to bear a charmed life; while her guns were busy adding to the general curtain of fire to repel the attacks of German planes (principally Ju 88s), ships nearby came under attack. Bombs apparently aimed at Almaack struck a British antiaircraft cruiser some astern. Underway late that afternoon, standing toward the port of Algiers, Almaack eventually anchored at 1721; the last attack for the day ended some 40 minutes later, with nightfall.
Underway at 0530 on 10 November, the cargo ship stood in to Algiers harbor and secured to a berth at the Mole Louis Billiard shortly before the commencement of the forenoon watch. Completing cargo operations early the following afternoon (11 November), Almaack cleared the mole and anchored in Algiers Bay, having completed her part in Operation "Torch."
On 12 November, Almaack departed Algiers, and soon thereafter rendezvoused with the nine transports and five escort vessels of Convoy MKFl(y) at Gibraltar. Bound for the British Isles on the morning of 15 November, Almaack, shortly before 0315, noticed escort vessels on her port beam firing' machine guns; almost simultaneously the convoy commodore called for an immediate right turn.
Struck by a torpedo
Almaack had just completed the turn and steadied on her new course when she was struck by a torpedo launched from . Kapitanleutnant Adolf Piening's marksmanship proved deadly. About the same time, torpedoes from his U-boat struck the freighter Ettrick (she later sank at 0836 that morning) and the escort carrier ; the latter blew up, taking with her almost all of her complement.
Almaack went to general quarters; a quick investigation of the damage revealed the engine and fire rooms, as well as hold number five and the shaft alley, flooded. Fortunately, the strength of the bulkheads contained the flooding and the ship remained afloat, although in a dangerous state. Four engineers on duty were lost: Gerald Keith Brown, F3c, of Atlantic, Iowa; Herbert Jess Kramer MM2cm, of Philadelphia; Frank Aloyousis Keefe Jr., F1c, of Philadelphia; and Dominick Virgilio, F2c, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania; and four more were badly burned in the explosion in the engine room.
Towed to Gibraltar for repairs