USS Rankin (AKA-103) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship (later Rankin class amphibious cargo ship) named after Rankin County, Mississippi. Rankin was designed to transport military cargo and landing craft, and use the latter to land weapons, supplies, soldiers and Marines on enemy shores during amphibious operations.
Rankin’s keel was laid down on 31 October 1944 at North Carolina Shipbuilding Co. in Wilmington, North Carolina. She was launched 52 days later on 22 December. She served as a commissioned warship for a total of 21 years and five months.
On 24 July 1988, the ship was sunk as an artificial fishing and diving reef, six miles off the coast of Stuart, Florida. She rests on her starboard side at a depth of 130 feet. The site is popular among fishermen and advanced SCUBA divers.
Source: USS Rankin (AKA-103)
