Part of the Long Island-class escort carriers consisting of the Long Island and the Archer, succeeded by the Bogue-class escort carrier. Laid down as the C 3 cargo ship Mormacland for account of the United States Maritime Commission by Sun Shipbuilding&Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania, USA with yard number 184 on 1 August 1939, launched on 14 December 1939, completed on 23 April 1940, operated by the Moore-McCormack Lines until 6 March 1941, purchased by the US navy was she converted into an Long Island class escort carrier (completed on 15 November 1941)and handed over to the British Royal Nay as HMS Archer (BAVG-1) and commissioned on the 17th. On top of the ship was over 70% of her length a lightweight wooden flight deck above a truss frame constructed. Aft was the hangar for the aircraft where one lift was available for transporting the aircraft to the flight deck. Her bridge was just extended at the sides for a better visibility and the funnel was removed and replaced by twin diesel vents situated at both sides of the flight deck. It was far from ideal while her Busch-Sulzer engines could sometimes produce such huge amounts of black smoke that pilots could not sea flight deck or batman. Sea trials finished on 2 January 1942, harassed with problems was she decommissioned on 6 November 1943 and at Gare Loch used as just a store ship, since March 1944 accommodation ship at Loch Alsh and August 1944 sent to Belfast, Ireland to be repaired for further use as aircraft ferry. On 15 March 1945 were the repairs finally completed and she was handed over to the Ministry of War Transport which renamed her Empire Lagan indeed used an aircraft ferry operated by the Blue Funnel Line. On 9 January 1945 given back to the US Navy was she now renamed USS Archer and on 26 February stricken from the IS Navy register. Laid up at Norfolk, Virginia, USA was she sold to Mr. J.F. Luley, New York, USA om 30 September 1947 to be used in the merchant shipping. Resold in 1948 to the Swedish company Rederi Pulp AB, homeport Stockholm, was she by the Bethelem Shipyard, Baltimore, USA converted in to the bulk carrier Anna Salén. Sold in 1955 to the Greek company Compagnia Navigazione Tasmania SA, Piraeus, Greece were she renamed Tasmania managed b7y the Hellenic Mediterranean Lines. Three years was she converted in to a cargo ship. In 1961 was she for the last time. The China Union Lines, Taipei, Taiwan became her new owner and renamed her Union reliance. After a collision on 7 November 1961 she caught fire and stranded in the Houston Ship Channel. Her wreck was salvaged on 9 November and sold by the US government on 12 January 1962 followed by breaking her up at New Orleans, USA in March 1962. USA-flagged, homeport New York, USA, US Official number 239370 and to be operated by the Moore-McCormack Lines.
Displacement 9.000 (standard)-15.700 tons. General dimensions of a Long Island-class escort carrier were 123,2 (flight deck)-150 (over all) x 21,3 x 7,67 metres or 404.2-492 x 69.9 x 25.2 feet. Crew numbering 555 men. Able to carry 15 aircraft with her and except for the lift possessing over 1 catapult, 9 arrester wires and 3 barriers. The armament consisted of 3-102,cm/4” guns, 4x2-2cm and 7x1-2cmanti aircraft machineguns.
