USS Pinon

History
United States
Name	USS Pinon
Namesake	Any of a number of related pine trees with large, edible seeds
Builder	American Car & Foundry, Wilmington, Delaware
Laid down	9 March 1943 as Pinon (YN-87)
Launched	16 January 1944
Commissioned	31 March 1944 as USS Pinon (AN-66)
Decommissioned	5 March 1946
Reclassified	AN-66, 20 January 1944
Stricken	20 March 1946
Homeport	Tiburon, California
Fate	Sold and placed in merchant service as Alaska Reefer, she was lost at sea 28 August 1961
General characteristics
Class and type	Ailanthus-class net laying ship
Displacement	1,100 tons
Length	194 ft 6 in (59.28 m)
Beam	37 ft (11 m)
Draft	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Propulsion	diesel-electric, 2,500 hp, single propeller
Speed	12 knots
Complement	56 officers and enlisted
Armament	one single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount; two single 20 mm AA gun mounts

USS Pinon (AN-66/YN-87) was a Ailanthus-class net laying ship which was assigned to protect U.S. Navy ships and harbors during World War II with her anti-submarine nets.

Pinon (AN-66), a net tender, was laid down 9 March 1943 by American Car and Foundry Company, Wilmington, Delaware, as YN–87; launched 16 January 1944; designated Pinon (AN-66) 20 January 1944; and commissioned 31 March 1944.

After Atlantic coast shakedown and training, Pinon stood out of New York Harbor 24 June 1944 and steamed for Belfast, Northern Ireland, arriving 10 July. Pinon provided net-tending service in both Belfast and Plymouth, England, through the fall.

Departing Plymouth 6 November, she put in at Norfolk, Virginia 21 November through 10 December. She then underwent availability at Curtis Bay, Baltimore, Maryland, 11 December through 25 January 1945.

Pinon called at Hampton Roads, Virginia, 31 January and then cruised via Guantanamo Bay and the Panama Canal, reporting for duty to Commander, Pacific 13 February. After availability at San Diego, California, 19 March, she called at Pearl Harbor and thence tended nets at Eniwetok commencing 22 April, at Guam (27 April through 20 June), at Tinian/Saipan through the first week of July, and at Okinawa until 15 October.

Calling at Pearl Harbor 12 December, she pushed on to San Diego, California, arriving two days before Christmas. Pinon decommissioned at San Diego 5 March 1946, and was struck from the Navy List 20 March 1946. Sold and placed in merchant service as Alaska Reefer, she was lost at sea 28 August 1961.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Pinon (AN-66).

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - YN-87 / AN-66 Pinon