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{{Short description|US Navy class during World War II}}
{{one source|date=April 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Zenobia (AKA-52) underway at sea, in August 1945.jpg
|Ship caption={{USS|Zenobia|AKA-52|6}} – a typical ''Artemis''-class AKA
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=
|Builders= [[Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc.]]
|Operators={{navy|United States}}
|Class before=
|Class after=
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=1944–1945
|In service range=
|In commission range=
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=32
|Total ships cancelled=
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|Total ships preserved=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
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|Ship class=
|Ship type=S4-SE2-BE1
|Ship displacement= 4,087&nbsp;tons
|Ship length= {{convert|426|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam= {{convert|58|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} 
|Ship height=
|Ship draft={{convert|16|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} 
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed= {{convert|16.9|kn|km/h|0|abbr=on}} 
|Ship range= 
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
|Ship complement=  303 (varies)
|Ship sensors=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[5"/38-caliber gun|5-inch 38 caliber]] dual-purpose gun mount
*4 × twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40&nbsp;mm gun]] mounts
*10 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20&nbsp;mm guns]] gun mounts
|Ship armor= 
|Ship notes=
}}
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The '''''Artemis''-class attack cargo ships''' were a series of [[attack cargo ship]]s (AKAs) built by [[Walsh-Kaiser Company]] of [[Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston]] and [[Providence, Rhode Island]], during [[World War II]].

Like all AKAs, they were designed to carry [[combat loading|combat loaded]] military cargo and [[landing craft]], and to use the latter to land weapons, supplies, and troops on enemy shores during [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious operations]]. Compared to other classes of AKAs, the ''Artemis'' class had a much shallower [[Draft (hull)|draft]], and a lower [[Deck (ship)|main deck]] aft. All these ships were built on the same standard hull design, but there were some differences from ship to ship: The hull was a S-Type Special-Purpose Ships, same as S3-M2-K2 [[Landing Ship, Tank]].<ref>[http://shipbuildinghistory.com/merchantships/2stypeships.htm shipbuildinghistory.com S Type ships]</ref>
{{see also|Walsh-Kaiser Company#Artemis|label 1=List of Artemis-class attack cargo ships}}

The armament varied, as did that of the other ships of the day. During 1944–1945, the [[5"/38-caliber gun]] was recognized as the best gun for the dual role of [[antiaircraft]] and [[naval gunfire support]], and the [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40&nbsp;mm gun]] was seen as the best antiaircraft gun. The older [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20&nbsp;mm]] and .50 caliber guns had been recognized to be of limited value, and were being phased out, though they appeared on some of these ships. The 20&nbsp;mm guns were later removed from all of them, but it is not clear just when this happened.

The complement varied as well, but the [[DANFS]] figures sometimes seem to confuse ship's company with embarked troops in determining a ship's complement.

==See also==
* {{sclass|Andromeda|attack cargo ship|1}}
* {{sclass|Arcturus|attack cargo ship|1}}
* {{sclass|Charleston|amphibious cargo ship|1}}
* {{sclass|Tolland|attack cargo ship|1}}
* [[Haskell-class attack transport]]
* [[List of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Artemis class attack cargo ship}}

[[Category:Artemis-class attack cargo ships| ]]
[[Category:World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States| ]]