The USS Laertes (AR-20) was a Xanthus-class repair ship that served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1972. Originally laid down as the Liberty ship SS Dutiful by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard on August 7, 1944, she was launched on September 14, 1944, with Mrs. F. A. R. McNab serving as the sponsor. The vessel was acquired by the Navy shortly afterward and underwent conversion into a repair ship by the Maryland Drydock Company in Baltimore. She was commissioned as USS Laertes on March 24, 1945. Constructed with the typical design of a repair ship, Laertes's primary role was to provide maintenance and repair services to damaged ships, especially during wartime operations. After shakedown in Norfolk, she departed on May 6, 1945, heading to the Pacific theater. She arrived at Pearl Harbor on June 6 and moved to Eniwetok on June 19, where she spent nearly four months repairing ships damaged during the final battles of World War II. In October, she proceeded to Okinawa, and after the war's end, she sailed for the U.S. West Coast, arriving in Bremerton, Washington, on December 1, 1945. She later moved to San Diego for similar duties, serving until her decommissioning on January 15, 1947, and entering the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Recommissioned in December 1951, Laertes operated out of San Diego and was deployed to the Far East in 1952, supporting the U.S. Seventh Fleet at Sasebo and Pusan during the Korean War. Her service included repairs off the coasts of Japan and Korea, earning her two battle stars for her contributions during this conflict. After returning to the U.S., she alternated between active service and reserve status, decommissioning again in 1954 and eventually joining the Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet in 1961. Laertes was sold for scrapping in 1972. Her service history highlights her significance as a support vessel during critical periods of mid-20th-century naval operations, particularly in wartime repair and fleet logistical support.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.