History
United States
Name	Becket Bend
Namesake	Becket bend
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2486[1]
Builder	Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation, Savannah, Georgia
Yard number	AV2[1]
Laid down	8 January 1945
Launched	26 February 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs. L. S. deSevilla
Commissioned	delivered to the Maritime Commission (MARCOM) prior to commissioning, 6 July 1945
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-247 (never received number)
Fate	Transferred to the War Shipping Administration (WSA), 23 July 1946
United States
Name	Becket Bend Private John F. Thorson
Namesake	John F. Thorson, awarded Medal of Honor during WWII
Owner	WSA
Operator	US Army
Acquired	25 July 1946
In service	25 July 1946
Out of service	1 March 1950
Renamed	31 October 1947
Fate	Transferred to the US Navy, 1 March 1950
United States
Name	Private John F. Thorson
Owner	US Navy
Operator	Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS)
Acquired	1 March 1950
In service	1 March 1950
Out of service	1954
Stricken	1 October 1958
Identification	Hull symbol: T-AK-247
Fate	Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 29 August 1960
United States
Name	Private John F. Thorson
Owner	MARAD
Acquired	29 August 1960
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 29 August 1960
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard) 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine 1,750 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × propeller
Speed	11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated) 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement	15 Officers 70 Enlisted
Armament	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun (DP) 6 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons

USNS Private John F. Thorson (T-AK-247) was a US Maritime Administration (MARCOM) C1-M-AV1 type coastal cargo ship, originally planned as an Alamosa-class cargo ship. Constructed as Becket Bend for MARCOM, completed in August 1945 and placed in operation by the War Shipping Administration. However, the war ended, and she was transferred to the US Army as USAT Private John F. Thorson who kept her in service until transferred to the US Navy in 1950. She was struck in 1960, ending her military career.

Becket Bend was laid down under MARCOM contract, MC hull 2486, by the Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation, Savannah, Georgia on 8 January 1945; launched 26 February 1945; sponsored by Mrs. L. S. deSevilla; and delivered via MARCOM to Moore–McCormack Lines, Inc., 6 July 1945.^[3]

As Becket Bend, the cargo ship was operated by Moore–McCormack under General Agency Agreement (GAA). Title for the ship was transferred from the War Shipping Administration to the Army 23 July 1954 and the actual transfer to custody took place two days later at New Orleans, Louisiana.^[3]

Renamed Private John F. Thorson 31 October 1947, she operated as an Army Transportation Service ship until transferred to the Navy 1 March 1950.^[3]

Placed in service as T–AK–247, she was assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and operated from Gulf ports until 1954. Transferred to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston Group, she decommissioned 2 August 1954 and was struck from the Navy List 1 October 1958.^[3]

Private John F. Thorson remained at Charleston until transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) 29 August 1960. The same day she was sold to Hugo New Steel Products, New York City, for scrap.^[3]

Citations

• Photo gallery of USS Private John F. Thorson(AK-247) at NavSource Naval History