Mindanao
was named for the
Island of Mindanao
, second largest and southernmost island in the
Philippines
, it was the second U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. She was laid down 11 April 1943, as the
liberty ship
SS
Elbert Hubbard
, under a
Maritime Commission
(MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 983, by the
Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard
, Inc., in
Baltimore
, Maryland; launched 13 May 1943; sponsored by Mrs. C.
R. Spalding; acquired by the Navy on 20 May 1943; and commissioned as
Mindanao
on 6 November 1943.
[3]
Pacific Theater of Operations
After
shakedown
in
Chesapeake Bay
,
Mindanao
joined Task Group
29.7 (TG
29.7) on 20 December 1943, and sailed for
Cuba
, the
Panama Canal
, and
Nouméa
, New Caledonia, arriving 27 January 1944, to report for duty with
Service Squadron
South Pacific. The repair ship immediately found herself with more than enough work. On 25 February, she sailed to continue her vital task at
Espiritu Santo
, and in September she arrived at
Manus
to serve the forces staging for the
Philippine campaign
.
[3]
Now with TG
30.9, she was anchored in
Seeadler Harbor
on the morning of 10 November, when at about 08:50 the
ammunition ship
Mount Hood
blew up.
Mindanao
,
350
yd (320
m)
away, suffered extensive damage particularly to her superstructure, and aft. Of her crew, 82 were killed and 98 wounded.
[4]
The survivors, with
Seabees
from shore, immediately began to aid the wounded and clear the debris, a job which took seven days. Repairs began on 18 November, performed by her own crew with aid again from Seabees, as well as men and equipment from
Medusa
. By 21 December,
Mindanao
was ready to resume her key function in repairing engines for other ships.
[3]