History
United States
Name	USS Cornel
Namesake	A genus of trees, one of the most common of which is the dogwood.
Builder	Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Everett, Washington
Laid down	as Cornel (YN-64)
Launched	21 April 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. P. Pigott
Commissioned	6 June 1944 as USS Cornel (AN-45)
Decommissioned	15 February 1946, at San Pedro, California
Reclassified	AN-45, 20 January 1944
Stricken	date unknown
Fate	Returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission for disposal 29 January 1947
General characteristics
Class and type	Ailanthus-class net laying ship
Tonnage	1,100 tons
Length	194' 7"
Beam	37'
Draft	13' 6"
Propulsion	diesel electric, 2,500 hp
Speed	12 knots
Complement	56 officers and enlisted
Armament	one single 3 in (76 mm) gun mount, two single 20 mm gun mounts

USS Cornel (AN-45/YN-64) was an Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served with the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific Ocean theatre of operations during World War II. Her career was without major incident, and she returned home safely after the war.

Launched in Washington

Cornel (AN-45) was launched 21 April 1944 by Everett Pacific Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Everett, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. P. Pigott; and commissioned 6 June 1944.

World War II service

Cornel sailed in convoy from San Pedro, California, 6 August 1944 for Eniwetok, arriving 15 September. On 9 October she reported at Ulithi to maintain nets, and except for short periods at Peleliu, in the Palau Islands, Cornel remained at Ulithi tending nets until the end of the war, then dismantling and salvaging them. She cleared Ulithi 17 October 1945 and arrived at San Pedro, California, 29 November.

Post-war decommissioning

Cornel remained at San Pedro until decommissioned 15 February 1946. She was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission for disposal 29 January 1947.