View source for Aloe-class net laying ship

{|{{Infobox ship begin <!-- warship classes -->
|infobox caption= <!-- keywords: yes, nodab; or caption text -->
|display title= <!-- keywords: none, ital; or article title with markup -->
|sclass= <!-- keyword: 2 -->
}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS ASH AN-7.jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|Ship caption={{USS|Ash|AN-7|6}} showing unique bow appliances of this class
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Aloe'' class
|Builders=(6 companies in 6 states)
|Operators= * {{navy|United States|1912}}
* {{navy|Ecuador}}
* {{navy|France}}
* {{navy|Turkey}}
|Class before=
|Class after={{sclass|Ailanthus|net laying ship|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Built range=
|In commission range=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships on order=
|Total ships building=
|Total ships completed=32
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships scrapped=
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[net laying ship]]
|Ship displacement=
|Ship length=
|Ship beam=
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft=
|Ship propulsion=diesel-electric, single reduction gears, 1 shaft, 800hp
|Ship speed=
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=1 × [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|3in/50]]
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|} 


The '''''Aloe''-class net laying ships''' were a class of thirty-two steel-hulled [[net laying ship]]s built prior to the US entry into [[World War II]]. The lead ship, {{USS|Aloe|AN-6|6}}, was [[Keel laying|laid down]] in October 1940 and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] the following January; the final member, {{USS|Yew|AN-37|6}}, was launched in October 1941. They were assigned tree and plant names in alphabetical order, but eight ships (in order ''Cottonwood'', ''Dogwood'', ''Fir'', ''Juniper'', ''Maple'', ''Poplar'', ''Sycamore'', and ''Walnut'') were renamed prior to launching, producing discontinuities in the name order. These ships were originally classed as YN and numbered 1-32, but were reclassified and renumbered in 1944 as AN-6 through AN-37.

These ships had a unique appearance with a pair of "horns" jutting out from either side of the bow, each functioning as a fixed [[crane (machine)|crane]] with a capacity of {{convert|22|ST|t}}. They were powered by a pair of [[diesel engine]]s which provided electricity for both propulsion and lifting machinery; there were also two auxiliary diesels and an [[evaporator (marine)|evaporator]] for fresh water. Between the "horns" was an opening through which nets could be hauled, bridged by a catwalk.

* two 700hp [[Enterprise Engine and Foundry Co.|Enterprise]] diesels, [[Westinghouse Brake & Signal Company|Westinghouse]] reduction gears driving 2 WH generators, one WH motor<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TIAPAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA11-PA17|title=Pacific Yards Get Navy Contracts|magazine=The Log|date=August 1940|page=17}}</ref>
** AN-6 ... AN-17 
* [[Cleveland Diesel Engine Division|General Motors 6-278]], [[Farrel Corporation|Farrel-Birmingham]] gears
** AN-22 ... AN-33
* uncertain
** AN-34 ... AN-37

All members of this class survived the war though {{USS|Mahogany|AN-23|6}} was caught in a [[typhoon]] in September 1945 and [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] the following year. Three ships were transferred to the [[French Navy]] in 1944 and another three were so transferred in the 1960s; two others went to the [[Turkish Navy|Turkish]] and [[Ecuadorian Navy|Ecuadorian]] navies respectively. Three others were retained for various purposes, while the remainder were put into the [[reserve fleet]] shortly after the war.

==Class members==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! {{abbr|Hull|Hull number}} !! {{abbr|Orig|Original Hull number}} !! Builder || Launched !! {{abbr|Decomm.|Decommissioned}} !! Fate
|-
| {{USS|Aloe|AN-6|2}} || AN-6 || YN-1 || rowspan=4 | [[Lake Washington Shipyards]], WA || 11 Jan 1941 || 3 Aug 1946 || sold for scrap
|-
| {{USS|Ash|AN-7|2}} || AN-7 || YN-2 || 15 Feb 1941 || 13 Dec 1946 || sold for scrap
|-
| {{USS|Boxwood|AN-8|2}} || AN-8 || YN-3 || 8 Mar 1941 || 13 Nov 1946 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Butternut|AN-9|2}} || AN-9 || YN-4 || 10 May 1941 || 18 Jul 1969 || used for test range support 1957–69; reclassed YAG-60 1969; sunk as target
|-
| {{USS|Catalpa|AN-10|2}} || AN-10 || YN-5 || rowspan=4 | [[Commercial Iron Works]], OR || 22 Feb 1941 || 21 Oct 1946/<br/>7 Oct 1955 || unknown
|-
| {{USS|Chestnut|AN-11|2}} || AN-11 || YN-6 || 16 Mar 1941 || 7 Sep 1946 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Cinchona|AN-12|2}} || AN-12 || YN-7 || 2 Jul 1941 || 6 Nov 1946 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Buckeye|AN-13|2}} || AN-13 || YN-8 || 26 Jul 1941 || Mar 1947 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Buckthorn|AN-14|2}} || AN-14 || YN-9 || rowspan=4 | [[General Engineering & Dry Dock Company]], CA || 27 Mar 1941 || 20 Aug 1947 || reserve fleet; scrapped 1976
|-
| {{USS|Ebony|AN-15|2}} || AN-15 || YN-10 || 3 Jun 1941 || 23 Mar 1946 || reserve fleet; scrapped 1976
|-
| {{USS|Eucalyptus|AN-16|2}} || AN-16 || YN-11 || 3 Jul 1941 || 6 Mar 1946 || reserve fleet; scrapped 1976
|-
| {{USS|Chinquapin|AN-17|2}} || AN-17 || YN-12 || 15 Jul 1941 || 6 Mar 1946 || reserve fleet; scrapped 1976
|-
| {{USS|Gum Tree|AN-18|2}} || AN-18 || YN-13 ||rowspan=4 | Marietta Manufacturing Co., WV || 20 Mar 1941 || 20 Jun 1946 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Holly|AN-19|2}} || AN-19 || YN-14 || 17 Apr 1941 || 7 Jun 1946 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Elder|AN-20|2}} || AN-20 || YN-15 || 19 Jun 1941 || 18 Dec 1959 || unknown
|-
| {{USS|Larch|AN-21|2}} || AN-21 || YN-16 || 2 Jul 1941 || 28 Jun 1946 || transferred to Turkish Navy 1948
|-
| {{USS|Locust|AN-22|2}} || AN-22 || YN-17 || rowspan=6 | [[American Ship Building Company]], Cleveland, OH || 1 Feb 1941 || 8 Jul 1946 || transferred to French Navy; sank July 1978
|-
| {{USS|Mahogany|AN-23|2}} || AN-23 || YN-18 || 18 Feb 1941 || Sep 1945 || damaged in [[Typhoon Ida (1945)|Typhoon Ida]]; scrapped
|-
| {{USS|Mango|AN-24|2}} || AN-24 || YN-19 || 22 Feb 1941 || 4 Apr 1947 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Hackberry|AN-25|2}} || AN-25 || YN-20 || 28 Oct 1941 || 12 Nov 1944 || transferred to French Navy as ''Araignée'' (A727) ; scrapped 1985
|-
| {{USS|Mimosa|AN-26|2}} || AN-26 || YN-21 || 15 Mar 1941 || 27 Dec 1946 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Mulberry|AN-27|2}} || AN-27 || YN-22 || 26 Mar 1941 || 11 Apr 1960 || transferred to [[Ecuadorian Navy]] 1965; scrapped 1980
|-
| {{USS|Palm|AN-28|2}} || AN-28 || YN-23 || rowspan=6 | [[American Ship Building Company]], Lorain, OH || 1 Feb 1941 || 1 Jan 1947 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Hazel|AN-29|2}} || AN-29 || YN-24 || 15 Feb 1941 || 11 Feb 1958 || reserve fleet; struck 1962
|-
| {{USS|Redwood|AN-30|2}} || AN-30 || YN-25 || 22 Feb 1941 || 6 Jun 1947 || reserve fleet; fate uncertain
|-
| {{USS|Rosewood|AN-31|2}} || AN-31 || YN-26 || 1 Mar 1941 || 10 Jun 1946 || reserve fleet; transferred to French Navy 1969; sunk as target 1983
|-
| {{USS|Sandalwood|AN-32|2}} || AN-32 || YN-27 || 6 Mar 1941 || 13 Aug 1946 || reserve fleet; transferred to French Navy 1967; sold, fate unknown
|-
| {{USS|Nutmeg|AN-33|2}} || AN-33 || YN-28 || 13 Mar 1941 || Jan 1947 || reserve fleet; sold 1971; fate unknown
|-
| {{USS|Teaberry|AN-34|2}} || AN-34 || YN-29 || rowspan=4 | [[John H. Mathis & Company]], NJ || 24 May 1941 || 14 Dec 1946/<br />7 July 1961 || recommissioned 19 April 1953 for auxiliary service; sold 1962 for scrapping
|-
| {{USS|Teak|AN-35|2}} || AN-35 || YN-30 || 7 Jul 1941 || 30 Aug 1946 || reserve fleet; sold for scrap 1976
|-
| {{USS|Pepperwood|AN-36|2}} || AN-36 || YN-31 || 25 Aug 1941 || 15 Dec 1944 || transferred to French Navy; struck 1972
|-
| {{USS|Yew|AN-37|2}} || AN-37 || YN-32 || 4 Oct 1941 || 1 Jan 1944 || transferred to French Navy; sank 1978
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/18/1800014.htm]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/18/1800011.htm]

 <!-- non-breaking space to keep AWB drones from altering the space before the navbox -->
{{Aloe class net laying ship}}

[[Category:Auxiliary gateship classes]]
[[Category:Aloe-class net laying ships| ]]
[[Category:Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy]]