The USS Bellona (ARL-32) was an Achelous-class landing craft repair ship constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Originally laid down as LST-1136 on December 27, 1944, at Seneca, Illinois, by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Works, she was launched on March 26, 1945. The vessel was sponsored by Miss Huberta Jean Malsie. Shortly after launching, she was placed in reduced commission on April 6, 1945, for her voyage to Baltimore for conversion into a landing craft repair ship. She was decommissioned at Baltimore on April 27, 1945, and subsequently converted at the Bethlehem Steel Key Highway Shipyard. Fully commissioned on July 28, 1945, the USS Bellona underwent shakedown training in Chesapeake Bay after departing Baltimore on August 6, 1945. Following post-shakedown repairs at Norfolk, she set out for the Pacific theater on September 5, 1945. Her journey took her through the Panama Canal, arriving in the Canal Zone on September 12, before transiting the canal and proceeding to San Diego on September 14. After a brief stop at Pearl Harbor, she continued to the Bonin Islands, arriving at Iwo Jima on November 14, where she served as a station repair ship, supporting Allied operations in the Pacific. Her service was cut short when she ran aground on the north side of Kama Rock on December 1, 1945. Despite multiple attempts to refloat her, the vessel was deemed unsalvageable. After removing all salvageable equipment, the USS Bellona was destroyed with explosives on May 14, 1946. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on June 5, 1946. The USS Bellona's brief but active service exemplifies the rapid wartime shipbuilding efforts and the logistical support provided to Pacific operations during the final months of World War II.

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