The USS Kailua (IX-71), originally known as CS Dickenson, was a civilian cable-repair and supply vessel built for the Commercial Pacific Cable Company. Designed by Cox & Stevens and constructed by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Chester, Pennsylvania, the ship's keel was laid on November 16, 1922, and she was launched on February 17, 1923. The vessel was delivered to her owner on May 4, 1923, and named after Samuel S. Dickenson, a key figure in early trans-Pacific cable planning. Measuring approximately 200 feet in length, the Dickenson featured a superstructure with a forward deck house housing the bridge, pilot house, and quarters for officers and the superintendent. The aft superstructure contained additional staterooms and facilities, including lavatories and bathrooms. The ship's interior was well-ventilated and heated, with living quarters for a crew of around 28 personnel, and included provisions for passengers and cargo, notably two refrigerated spaces totaling 2,000 cubic feet. Power was supplied by four corrugated furnaces feeding two single-ended boilers, which generated steam at 185 psi to operate a triple-expansion engine producing 800 horsepower. This engine propelled the vessel at a speed of roughly 9.8 knots. The vessel was equipped with cable-handling gear, including a 20-foot diameter cable storage tank, bow sheaves, and a cargo winch, supporting her dual role as a cable repair ship and a supply vessel for Pacific island stations. During her commercial service, Dickenson supported cable stations in Midway and Fanning Island, evacuating personnel during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Acquired by the U.S. Navy on May 19, 1942, and renamed USS Kailua, she was commissioned on May 5, 1943. During wartime, Kailua served in the Pacific, operating as an auxiliary vessel for the Seventh Fleet, laying cables, and supporting anti-submarine defenses in New Guinea and other islands. After the war, she was decommissioned on October 29, 1945, and sunk as a target on February 7, 1946. In 2013, her wreck was discovered approximately 20 miles off Oahu at a depth of 2,000 feet, providing a maritime heritage site linked to the wartime Pacific theater.

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