USS Ariel (AF-22)

History
Name	Segovia (1931); Peten (1932–37); Jamaica (1937–42, 1946–1957); Ariel (1942–46); Blumenthal (1957–1969);
Namesake	Ariel in Shakespeare's The Tempest
Owner	United Mail Steamship Co (1933–37); United Fruit Company (1937– ); Union-Partenreederei ( –1969);
Operator	United Fruit Company (1933–42, 1946–1957); United States Navy (1941–46); Union-Partenreederei (1957–1969);
Port of registry	New York
Ordered	August 1930
Builder	Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co
Yard number	354
Laid down	9 March 1931
Launched	15 August 1931; Note: Ship christened Peten 15 August 1932, anniversary of original christening, after fire, rebuilding and renaming.;
Acquired	Delivered: 24 February 1933; Navy: 24 March 1942 ( bareboat charter through WSA);
Maiden voyage	2 March 1933
In service	1933
Out of service	1969
Identification	U.S. Official Number: 232139; Signal KDCY;
Fate	Scrapped 1969
Notes	Name Ariel struck from Navy list 3 July 1946
General characteristics
Class & type	"Mail class" passenger/cargo (United Fruit); Navy: Mizar-class stores ship;
Tonnage	6,968 GRT, 3,152 NRT
Displacement	7,068 long tons (7,181 t) light; 11,875 long tons (12,066 t) full load;
Length	447 ft 9 in (136.47 m) (LOA); 415.4 ft (126.6 m) (Registry);
Beam	60.2 ft (18.3 m)
Draft	26 ft (7.9 m)
Depth	24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power	4 oil fired Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 350 psi 230° superheat driving GE generator sets for main propulsion and auxiliary power
Propulsion	2 GE 4,200 kw, 5,500 hp at 125 rpm, twin 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m), 3 blade screws
Speed	17.5 kn (20.1 mph; 32.4 km/h) (Contract service speed); 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph);
Capacity	Commercial:; Passengers: design 113, postwar 95; 196,000 cu ft (5,550.1 m3);
Complement	Navy: 238
Crew	Commercial: 113
Armament	1 × 5"/38 caliber guns; 3 × 3"/50 caliber guns; 12 × 20 mm guns;

USS Ariel (AF-22) was the United Fruit Company cargo and passenger liner Peten, renamed Jamaica in 1937, that served as a United States Navy Mizar-class stores ship in World War II.

As Segovia it was launched on 15 August 1931 the same day as Talamanca, both ships christened by First Lady Lou Henry Hoover using water gathered from Central American rivers. Segovia burned at the fitting out pier and was almost completely destroyed. It was rebuilt under a different hull number and renamed Peten by Mrs. Hoover on the anniversary of the first, 15 August 1932. Peten was delivered to the company's United Mail Steamship Company subsidiary in February 1933. The ship served on the company's Atlantic routes between New York and Panama. In 1937 the ship was transferred to the direct ownership of the parent company and renamed Jamaica.

In March 1942 Jamaica was delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) under bareboat charter and delivered to the Navy under sub bareboat charter to be commissioned Ariel named after the "airy and playful spirit" Ariel in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. 21 June 1946 Ariel was de-commissioned and returned to WSA for re-conversion as Jamaica to commercial service. The ship was returned to United Fruit in December 1947 and operated for that company until sold to a German company in 1957 to be renamed Blumenthal. The ship was scrapped in 1969.

History


Name	Segovia (1931) Peten (1932–37) Jamaica (1937–42, 1946–1957) Ariel (1942–46) Blumenthal (1957–1969)
Namesake	Ariel in Shakespeare's The Tempest
Owner	United Mail Steamship Co (1933–37) United Fruit Company (1937– ) Union-Partenreederei ( –1969)
Operator	United Fruit Company (1933–42, 1946–1957) United States Navy (1941–46) Union-Partenreederei (1957–1969)
Port of registry	New York
Ordered	August 1930
Builder	Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co
Yard number	354
Laid down	9 March 1931
Launched	15 August 1931 Note: Ship christened Peten 15 August 1932, anniversary of original christening, after fire, rebuilding and renaming.
Acquired	Delivered: 24 February 1933 Navy: 24 March 1942 ( bareboat charter through WSA)
Maiden voyage	2 March 1933
In service	1933
Out of service	1969
Identification	U.S. Official Number: 232139 Signal KDCY
Fate	Scrapped 1969
Notes	Name Ariel struck from Navy list 3 July 1946
General characteristics
Class & type	"Mail class" passenger/cargo (United Fruit) Navy: Mizar-class stores ship
Tonnage	6,968 GRT, 3,152 NRT
Displacement	7,068 long tons (7,181 t) light 11,875 long tons (12,066 t) full load
Length	447 ft 9 in (136.47 m) (LOA) 415.4 ft (126.6 m) (Registry)
Beam	60.2 ft (18.3 m)
Draft	26 ft (7.9 m)
Depth	24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power	4 oil fired Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 350 psi 230° superheat driving GE generator sets for main propulsion and auxiliary power
Propulsion	2 GE 4,200 kw, 5,500 hp at 125 rpm, twin 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m), 3 blade screws
Speed	17.5 kn (20.1 mph; 32.4 km/h) (Contract service speed) 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph)
Capacity	Commercial: Passengers: design 113, postwar 95 196,000 cu ft (5,550.1 m³)
Complement	Navy: 238
Crew	Commercial: 113
Armament	1 × 5"/38 caliber guns 3 × 3"/50 caliber guns 12 × 20 mm guns