USS Prairie, from commissioning to decommissioning
Following is an unofficial history of the USS Prairie, compiled by me over the years. If you have any stories to add I'd love to hear them. [Information in brackets comes from a booklet produced for the occasion of the Prairie’s decommissioning in 1993]: “The ship has 16,500 tons displacement, is 530 feet long, 73 feet wide and 24 feet of it is underwater. “It was laid down 7 DEC 1938 and launched on 9 DEC 1939 and commissioned 5 AUG 1940. [Prairie was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in the South Camden Yards for a cost of $11,279,548.] It was in Argentia, Newfoundland on 7 DEC 1941. On 29 MAY 1942 there was a fire aboard and the Prairie went to Boston to get fixed and then back to Argentia. [Two men died in the fire and the ship’s library and conference room were named after them.] “On 22 FEB 1943 the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Campbell was rammed by a U-boat and the Prairie effected a complete overhaul on it. On 23 SEPT 1943 Prairie left Argentia for Boston and on ...