USNS Asterion

Last updated

USNS Asterion (T-AF-63) with a tug alongside, circa in the 1960s.jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameSS Arcadia Victory
Namesake Arcadia, California
OwnerWar Shipping Administration
Operator American President Lines
Builder California Shipbuilding Corporation, Los Angeles California.
Laid down10 June 1944
Launched27 July 1944
Sponsored byMrs. James T Wishart
Completed22 September 1944
Decommissioned1952
FateTransferred to U.S. Navy, 12 November 1961
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSNS Asterion
OwnerU.S. Navy MSTS, (MSC).
OperatorU.S. Navy MSTS, (MSC).
Acquired7 November 1961
NotesConverted to refrigerated store ship, 1961
In serviceSeptember 1962
Out of service8 June 1973
Stricken15 June 1973
FateSold for scrap, 31 August 1973
General characteristics
Class and typeVC2-S-AP3 Victory ship
Tonnage7612 GRT, 4,553 NRT
Displacement15,200 tons
Length455 ft (139 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draught28 ft (8.5 m)
Installed power8,500  shp (6,300 kW)
PropulsionHP & LP turbines geared to a single 20.5-foot (6.2 m) propeller
Speed16.5 knots
Boats & landing
craft carried
4 Lifeboats
Complement62 Merchant Marine and 28 US Naval Armed Guards
Armament
Notes [1]

The SS Arcadia Victory was a Victory ship built during World War II for cargo shipping. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on 1 July 1944 and completed on 22 September 1944. The ship's United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2- S- AP3, hull number 41. [2] [3]

Contents

In 1961 she was rebuilt as a Denebola-class stores ship and renamed USNS Asterion (T-AF-63). Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas. [4] [5]

War

Arcadia Victory served in both World War II and the Korean War as cargo ship. [6] Arcadia Victory steamed the Mediterranean Sea taking ammunition and supplies to US troops at Crete, Rhodes, Turkey and Egypt in a convoy. Arcadia Victory was hit by a torpedo in her bow. Her water tight bulkheads were closed, so she stayed afloat. The Arcadia Victory's bow hold had spare engine parts, so the ammunition in the other holds did not exploded. Her crew was rescued and Arcadia Victory was beached off shore. [7]

Pre-recommissioning activity

The second vessel to be named Asterion by the US Navy, AF-63 was laid down under a United States Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 41) on 10 June 1944 at Los Angeles, California, by the California Shipbuilding Corporation., as Arcadia Victory. Launched on 27 July 1944 and sponsored by Mrs. James T. Wishart, Arcadia Victory was delivered to her operators, the American President Lines (APL), on 3 September 1944. She operated under the APL shipping line's flag until laid up late in 1952.

Acquired by the Navy

Removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet berthing area at Suisun Bay, California, on 7 November 1961, Arcadia Victory was acquired by the US Navy from the United States Maritime Commissionon 12 November 1961. Renamed Asterion and classified as a store ship, AF-63, on 4 December 1961, the ship was taken to the Willamette Iron and Steel Company. of Portland, Oregon, where she underwent conversion to a refrigerated stores ship.

Assigned to MSTS

Placed in service with the US Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service, (MSTS) (later Military Sealift Command, (MSC) in September 1962 as USNS Asterion (T-AF-63), the ship operated in the MSTS (later, MSC), Pacific Area, delivering fresh and frozen foods to Pacific and Far Eastern ports. On 5 June 1963, Asterion suffered minor damage to her bow in a collision off San Francisco, California, with the Japanese freighter MV Kokoku Maru. The USCGC Magnolia (WLB-328) from US Coast Guard Base Yerba Buena Island San Francisco California responded to the vessels distress calls and provided assistance for both ships. The MV Kokoku Maru sustained heavy damage, and the USCGC Magnolia (WLB-328) evacuated 19 her crew to San Francisco California.

Carrying "everything from steak and spuds, to mobile cranes and dynamite," Asterion; the winner of the MSTS "Smart Ship Award" in 1967, operated in the Pacific Ocean for the next decade; her ports of call ranged from Settahip, Thailand, and Saigon, South Vietnam, to Seattle, Washington, San Francisco, and Yokohama. As American involvement in the Vietnam War grew, Asterion's itinerary included the ports of Qui Nhon, Cam Ranh Bay, and Danang.

Decommissioning

Asterion arrived at Yokohama on 8 June 1973 from her last voyage as a "reefer ship" and her name was struck from the Navy list on 15 June 1973. Transferred, at Yokohama Japan, to the Maritime Administration for disposal, she was sold to N. W. Kennedy, Ltd., of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on 31 August 1973. Resold to Far Eastern shipbreakers for scrapping in 1973.

See also

Related Research Articles

USNS <i>Watertown</i> American tracking ship

USNS Watertown (T-AGM-6) was a Watertown-class missile range instrumentation ship acquired by the United States Navy in 1960 and converted from her SS Niantic Victory Victory ship cargo configuration to a missile tracking ship, a role she retained for eleven years before being placed out of service in 1971.

USS Barricade (ACM-3) was a Chimo-class minelayer in the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Laurentia</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Laurentia (AF-44) was an Adria-class stores ship in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1970. She was scrapped in 1973.

USNS <i>Bald Eagle</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Bald Eagle (T-AF-50) was a Maritime Commission type C2-S-B1 cargo ship delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) in May 1943. The ship was operated by WSA agent shipping companies until July 1948 when laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet briefly before beginning operation for the U.S. Army in October. When the Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) took over all military ocean shipping in 1950 the ship was transferred to operate as one of six refrigerated cargo ships in the MSTS fleet until July 1970 as USNS Bald Eagle. The ship was permanently transferred to Maritime Commission custody in September 1971 and sold for scrap in 1973.

USNS <i>Grommet Reefer</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Grommet Reefer (T-AF-53) was a Grommet Reefer-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

USS <i>Regulus</i> (AF-57) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Regulus (AF-57) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the United States Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

USNS <i>Perseus</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Perseus (T-AF-64) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

USS <i>General W. F. Hase</i>

USS General W. F. Hase (AP-146) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the US Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of US Army Major General William Frederick Hase. She was transferred to the US Army as USAT General W. F. Hase in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General W. F. Hase (T-AP-146). She was later sold for commercial operation in 1968, before being scrapped in 1985.

USS <i>General E. T. Collins</i>

USS General E. T. Collins (AP-147) was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was named in honor of U.S. Army general Edgar Thomas Collins. She was transferred to the U.S. Army as USAT General E. T. Collins in 1946. On 1 March 1950 she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS General E. T. Collins (T-AP-147). She was later sold for commercial operation under the name SS New Orleans, before being eventually scrapped.

USNS <i>Sgt. George D. Keathley</i>

USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley, was a World War II United States cargo vessel that was used for troop transport and later converted to a survey vessel. She was laid down and launched as MS Alexander R. Nininger, Jr., then renamed MS Acorn Knot. She was put into US Army service as USAT Acorn Knot, then renamed USAT Sgt. George D. Keathley. She was transferred to the US Navy and became USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-APC-117), but was later re-designated T-AGS-35. She was leased to the Republic of China, where she served as Chu Hwa (AGS-564). Both Nininger and Keathley were posthumous Medal of Honor recipients.

USNS <i>Aiken Victory</i>

USNS Aiken Victory (T-AP-188) was a Victory ship-based troop transport that served with the United States Army Transport Service during both World War II and the Korean War. She was one of a class of 84 dedicated troop transports.

USNS <i>Haiti Victory</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

SS Haiti Victory (T-AGM-238) was originally built and operated as Greenville class cargo Victory ship which operated as a cargo carrier in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean during World War II.

USNS <i>Dalton Victory</i> American victory-class cargo ship

SS Dalton Victory was built as Victory ship used as a cargo ship for World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on 6 June 1944 and completed on 19 July 1944 as a Greenville Victory-class cargo ship. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2- S- AP3, hull number 21. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1950 and renamed the USNS Dalton Victory (T-AK-256).

USNS Lt. James E. Robinson (T-AKV-3/T-AG-170/T-AK-274) was a Lt. James E. Robinson-class cargo ship, which was launched as a World War II commercial Victory cargo ship SS Czechoslovakia Victory under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. She had earlier been the U.S. Army's USAT LT. James E. Robinson before being acquired by the U.S. Navy.

USS Muskingum (AK-198/T-AK-198) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the US Navy under a US Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract during the closing period of World War II. She supported the end-of-war Navy effort. On 7 March 1946 Muskingum was placed in service under bareboat charter with the US Army under the Shipping Control Authority for the Japanese Merchant Marine with a Japanese crew. In 1950, she was reactivated and placed into service with the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Muskingum (T-AK-198) until being struck from the Navy list in 1973. She was ultimately transferred to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) and the Republic of Palau.

USS <i>Pembina</i> (AK-200) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Pembina (AK-200) – later known as USNS Pembina (T-AK-200) -- was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that was constructed for the U.S. Navy during the closing period of World War II. She supported the end-of-war Navy effort and was subsequently placed in service with the US Army under the Shipping Control Authority for the Japanese Merchant Marine with a Japanese crew in Yokosuka, Japan.

SS Greenville Victory was a cargo Victory ship built in 1944, during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 18 (V-18). Post-war she was acquired by the U.S. Army and renamed as USAT Greenville Victory. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1950, renamed USNS Greenville Victory (T-AK-237) and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) who operated her safely through the Korean War and Vietnam War campaigns. She was the lead ship in her class of 9 ships that were transferred to the MSTS in 1950. She returned home with two battle stars to her credit and was struck in 1987.

USNS <i>Sgt. Andrew Miller</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller (T-AK-242) was built as Victory ship SS Radcliffe Victory, a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship, built at the end of World War II. She served during the war and its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel operated by American West African Lines under charter with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. From 1946 to 1950, she served the US Army as a transport named USAT Sgt. Andrew Miller. In 1950, she was acquired by the US Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS). In 1981 she ended her career and was placed into reserve.

USNS <i>Sgt. Archer T. Gammon</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Archer T. Gammon (T-AK-243) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built at the end of World War II and served the war and its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel. From 1946 to 1950 she served the U.S. Army as a transport named USAT Sgt. Archer T. Gammon. In 1950 she was acquired by the United States Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service. In 1973 she ended her career and was struck and scrapped.

USNS <i>Sgt. Truman Kimbro</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Sgt. Truman Kimbro (T-AK-254) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built for the U.S. Maritime Commission during the final months of World War II as the SS Hastings Victory.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.

  1. Babcock & Wilcox (April 1944). "Victory Ships". Marine Engineering and Shipping Review.
  2. ".marad.dot.gov, Arcadia Victory". Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  3. shipbuildinghistory.com, Victory ships
  4. Mariners, Victory ship
  5. US Navy, USNS Asterion
  6. Small United States and United Nations Warships in the Korean War, By Paul M. Edwards
  7. World War II 1946, Friday, Sea Hunt, 17 October 2014 [ permanent dead link ]


US Department of Homeland Security. United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. http://www.uscg.mil/history/