USS Relief (AH-1)

USS Relief in 1945
History
United States
Name	USS Relief (AH-1)
Namesake	Relief: Aid given in time of need
Builder	Philadelphia Navy Yard
Laid down	14 June 1917
Launched	23 December 1919
Commissioned	28 December 1920
Decommissioned	11 June 1946
Stricken	19 July 1946
Honours and awards	Five battle stars for World War II service
Fate	Sold for scrap 23 March 1948
General characteristics
Displacement	10,112 Tons
Length	483 ft 10 in (147.47 m)
Beam	61 ft (19 m)
Draft	19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
Speed	16 knots
Complement	375
Notes	Bed capacity of 550

The sixth USS Relief (AH-1), the first ship of the United States Navy designed and built from the keel up as a hospital ship, was laid down 14 June 1917 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched 23 December 1919; and commissioned 28 December 1920 at Philadelphia, Commander Richmond C. Holcomb, Medical Corps, USN, in command.

With a bed capacity of 550 patients,^[1] Relief was one of the world's most modern and best equipped hospital ships. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, she departed Philadelphia 26 February 1921 to provide fleet units on Caribbean maneuvers with all the facilities of a modern shore hospital.