Nestor ARB-6

Nestor
(ARB-6: dpl. 4,100; 1. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 11'2"; s. 11 k.; cpl. 26t;; a. 1 3", 8 40mm.; cl. Aristaeus)

Nestor (ARB-6) was laid down 13 September 1943 as LST518 by Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, Ill., launched 20 January 1944, sponsored by Miss Rita Jenkins, converted by Maryland Dry Dock Co., Baltimore, and commissioned 24 June 1944, Comdr. Frank W. Parsons, USNR, in command.

Designed to make emergency repairs in forward areas to battle-damaged ships, Nestor left Norfolk 4 August 1944 for Guantanamo Bay, the Panama Canal, and Ulithi, arriving 21 October to take up her primary mission. During the next five and a half months she acted as tender to small craft and repaired all types of naval vessels from battleships to LCI's.

Nestor left Ulithi 19 April 1945 for Kerama Retto, seized in the initial phase of the Okinawa campaign to serve as a base for the ships engaged in the main assault. Japanese air attacks, often by suicide plane, inflicted heavy damage on the fleet, and Nestor worked round the clock, often mlder fire her

self, to help keep the fighting ships in action. As Okinawa itself became secure Nestor entered Buckner Bay 10 July and continued her vital services, which here included the tremendous task of building A cofferdam. Nestor was driven aground by wind and heavy seas in the devastating typhoon of 9 October, and had to be abandoned. She decommissioned 29 November, and her hulk was sold for scrap in May 1947.