USS Saturn (AK-49)

	USS Saturn (AF-40) in 1944
History
Nazi Germany
Name	ES Arauca
Namesake	Arauca, Colombia
Owner	Hamburg America Line
Operator	Hamburg America Line
Port of registry	Hamburg
Builder	Bremer Vulkan
Launched	1939
Completed	1939
Maiden voyage	August 1939
Out of service	19 December 1939
Captured	28 July 1941
Fate	Interned in the United States; later requisitioned by the Navy, 20 April 1942
United States
Name	SS Sting (1941); USS Saturn (1942–46); SS Saturn (1946–72);
Operator	South Atlantic Steamship Company (1941); United States Navy (1942–46);
Acquired	20 April 1942
Commissioned	20 April 1942
Decommissioned	23 July 1946
Stricken	15 August 1946
Identification	Call sign DKBG (1939); ;
Fate	Sold for scrap, 12 September 1972
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship (1939–1941); Stores ship (1942–1972);
Tonnage	4,354 GRT; 2,079 NRT;
Displacement	5,088 tons light;; 9,760 maximum load;
Length	398.3 ft (121.4 m) p/p; 423 ft (129 m) o/a;
Beam	55.7 ft (17.0 m)
Draught	24 ft (7.3 m)
Depth	22.8 ft (6.9 m)
Installed power	5,600 shp
Propulsion	turbo-electric transmission
Speed	17.5 knots (32.4 km/h)
Complement	180 (1944)
Sensors and ; processing systems	direction finding;; echo sounding;
Armament	As USS Saturn:; 1942:; 1 × 5"/51 caliber gun; 2 × 3"/50 caliber guns; 4 × 20mm guns; 1943:; 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun; 2 × 3"/50 caliber guns; 8 × 20mm guns; 1944:; 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun; 2 × 3"/50 caliber guns; 2 × Bofors 40mm autocannon; 4 × 20mm guns;
Notes	sister ships:; Antilla, Orizaba;

USS Saturn (AK-49) was a German cargo ship, built in 1939 as ES Arauca. ("ES" stands for "Electroschiff", meaning German: electric ship.) In 1941 before the US entered World War II, US authorities seized her and started converting her into a United States Navy stores ship. She was the sole ship of the US Navy's Saturn class. She was laid up in 1946 and scrapped in 1972.

Arauca was built for trade between Germany and the Caribbean, and was named accordingly. Arauca is a border town in eastern Colombia on the frontier with Venezuela.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1941. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Roberts, Stephen S (10 January 2010). "Class: Saturn (AF-49)". U.S. Navy Auxiliary Vessels 1884–1945. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Saturn". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 22 June 2005. Retrieved 23 May 2013.

[LR-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1941. Retrieved 22 May 2013.

[ShipScribe-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Roberts, Stephen S (10 January 2010). "Class: Saturn (AF-49)". U.S. Navy Auxiliary Vessels 1884–1945. Retrieved 23 May 2013.

[DANFS-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Saturn". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 22 June 2005. Retrieved 23 May 2013.

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History
USS Saturn (AF-40) in 1944
Nazi Germany
Name	ES Arauca^[1]^[2]
Namesake	Arauca, Colombia
Owner	Hamburg America Line^[1]
Operator	Hamburg America Line
Port of registry	Hamburg
Builder	Bremer Vulkan^[1]
Launched	1939
Completed	1939^[1]
Maiden voyage	August 1939
Out of service	19 December 1939
Captured	28 July 1941
Fate	Interned in the United States; later requisitioned by the Navy, 20 April 1942
United States
Name	SS Sting (1941)^[1] USS Saturn (1942–46)^[2] SS Saturn (1946–72)
Operator	South Atlantic Steamship Company (1941)^[2] United States Navy (1942–46)
Acquired	20 April 1942^[3]
Commissioned	20 April 1942^[3]
Decommissioned	23 July 1946^[3]
Stricken	15 August 1946^[3]
Identification	Call sign DKBG (1939)^[1]
Fate	Sold for scrap, 12 September 1972^[3]
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship (1939–1941) Stores ship (1942–1972)
Tonnage	4,354 GRT^[1] 2,079 NRT^[1]
Displacement	5,088 tons light;^[2] 9,760 maximum load^[2]
Length	398.3 ft (121.4 m)^[1] p/p 423 ft (129 m) o/a^[2]
Beam	55.7 ft (17.0 m)^[1]
Draught	24 ft (7.3 m)^[2]^[3]
Depth	22.8 ft (6.9 m)^[1]
Installed power	5,600 shp^[2]
Propulsion	turbo-electric transmission^[2]
Speed	17.5 knots (32.4 km/h)^[2]^[3]
Complement	180 (1944)^[2]
Sensors and processing systems	direction finding;^[1] echo sounding^[1]
Armament	As USS Saturn: 1942: 1 × 5"/51 caliber gun; 2 × 3"/50 caliber guns; 4 × 20mm guns^[2] 1943: 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun; 2 × 3"/50 caliber guns; 8 × 20mm guns^[2] 1944: 1 × 5"/38 caliber gun; 2 × 3"/50 caliber guns; 2 × Bofors 40mm autocannon; 4 × 20mm guns^[2]
Notes	sister ships: Antilla, Orizaba