Gordius

Gordius

In mythology, first king of Phrygia. He tied a knot, known as the Gordian Knot, so intricate that an oracle declared that he who loosed it should be master of Asia. Alexander the Great cut it with his sword.

(APL-36: dp. 2,125; 1. 328', b. 50'; dr. 11'; s. 12 k.;
cgl. 262; a. 1 3", cl. Achelous)

Gordius (ARL-36), originally LST-1145, was redesignated ARL-36 and named 27 October 1944 while building at Chicago Bridge & Iron Works, Seneca, Ill. She was launched 7 May 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Helen H. Davis. Placed in reduced commission 18 May 1945, the ship steamed to Baltimore, Md., where she decommissioned 11 June. She was then converted to landing craft repair vessel at Key Shipyard, Bethlehem Steel Co. Gordius was placed in full commission 14 September 1945 at Baltimore, Lt. Roy L. Guy, commanding.

Operating out of Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA., Gordius took up a regular schedule of exercises in Chesapeake Bay, and along the Virginia-North Carolina coast, supporting the myriad landing craft during amphibious operations. She also participated in winter maneuvers in the Caribbean. The ship occasionally sailed to the north Atlantic, taking part in training exercises off Argentia, Newfoundland, and Labrador in 1948 and 1949. Gordius also was a member of the annual resupply convoy to Thule, Greenland, 11 June-27 August 1952, drawing special praise for her repair of LST-988 during adverse weather on the operation.

Gordius continued her work in support of amphibious training until steaming into Green Cove Springs, Fla., 10 November 1955. She decommissioned 21 December 1955, and was placed in reserve. Taken out of reserve in early 1961, she was stricken from the Navy List 1 February and loaned to Iran under the Military Assistance Program 7 September 196l, where she serves as Sohrab.