USS Varuna (AGP-5)

Varuna, circa 1944
History
United States
Name	USS Varuna
Namesake	Varuna
Builder	Dravo Corporation, Neville Island, Pennsylvania
Laid down	23 August 1942
Launched	9 December 1942
Sponsored by	Mrs. R. J. Mitchell
Completed	26 March 1943
Commissioned	31 August 1943
Decommissioned	4 January 1946
Renamed	Varuna (AGP-5), 13 January 1943
Stricken	1 May 1946
Honors and awards	4 battle stars (World War II)
Fate	Sold for scrap 1946
General characteristics
Class and type	Portunus-class motor torpedo boat tender
Displacement	3,960 long tons (4,024 t)
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, 2 shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	283 officers and enlisted
Armament	1 × 3"/50 caliber gun 8 × 40 mm guns 8 × 20 mm guns

USS Varuna (AGP-5) was a Portunus-class motor torpedo boat tender of the United States Navy during World War II.

The ship was laid down on 23 August 1942 by the Dravo Corporation at Neville Island, Pennsylvania as the LST-1-class tank landing ship LST-14. Launched on 9 December 1942, sponsored by Mrs. R. J. Mitchell, the ship was renamed Varuna and redesignated AGP-5 on 13 January 1943, and completed as an LST by Dravo Corp. on 26 March 1943. Placed in reduced commission on that date, she was towed to Tampa, Florida, where she was converted to a motor torpedo boat tender (AGP), and commissioned on 31 August 1943.