USS Denebola (AF-56)
_steaming_in_Hampton_Roads,_Virginia_(USA),_March_1971_(K-88516).jpg) USS Denebola (AF-56) steaming in Hampton Roads, Virginia, March 1971.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Denebola, built as |
| Ordered |
|
| Launched | 10 June 1944 |
| Acquired | 1 May 1952 |
| Commissioned | 20 January 1954 |
| Decommissioned | April 1976 |
| Stricken | 30 April 1976 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, 1 December 1976 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 4,960 tons(lt) 10,850 tons(fl) |
| Length | 455 ft 3 in (138.76 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draught | 28 ft 6 in (8.69 m) |
| Propulsion | geared turbine engine, single propeller, 8,500 shp (6,300 kW) |
| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 250 |
| Armament | four twin gun mounts |
USS Denebola (AF-56) was a
Emergency Shipbuilding program for World War II. The 10,600-ton ship was constructed for the Maritime Commission. She was operated by the (Pacific-Atlantic SS Company under the United States Merchant Marine act for the War Shipping Administration. The other two ships in her class were USS Regulus and USNS Perseus.[1]
USS Denebola's task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.
The second ship to be named Denebola by the Navy, AF-56 was launched 10 June 1944 as Hibbing Victory by
New York Naval Shipyard
; and commissioned 20 January 1954.
Hibbing Victory
For
Pacific Theater of Operations during the last few months of World War II in the Pacific War.[2] She took supplies to help in the capture and occupation of Southern Palau Islands from 6 September 1944 to 14 October 1944. Next she took supplies for the assault and occupation of Okinawa Island from 10 May 1945 to 27 May 1945. On 3 July 1946 her operator changed to the Seas Shipping Company of New York. After the war on 4 August 1948 she was laid up at Wilmington, North Carolina as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. In 1950 she was put back in service for Korean War and was chartered to American Foreign SS Co. SS Hibbing Victory served as merchant marine naval supplying goods for the Korean War. She help move the 140th Medium Tank Battalion. About 75 percent of the personnel taking to Korean from the Korean War came by the merchant marine. SS Pratt Victory transported goods, mail, food and other supplies. About 90 percent of the cargo was moved by merchant marine naval to the war zone. SS Hibbing Victory made trip between 18 November 1950 and 23 December 1952 helping American forces engaged against in South Korea.[3][4][5][6]
Denebola operations
From the completion of her
Six Day War, and replenished U.S. Navy ships on standby alert during that conflict.[7]
Decommissioning
Denebola was decommissioned in April 1976 and struck from the
Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service
.
Military awards and honors
Her crew was eligible for the following medals and commendations:
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- National Defense Service Medal (2)
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Lebanon)
- World War II "Battle Stars" for action at the capture-occupation of Southern Palau Islands.[8]
References
- ^ shipbuildinghistory.com Victory ships
- ^ usmm.org Battle Pacific
- ^ Korean War Educator, Merchant Marine, Accounts of the Korean War
- ^ Small United States and United Nations Warships in the Korean War, page 191, By Paul M. Edwards
- ^ MARINERS, THE WEBSITE OF THE MARINERS MAILING LIST. ,VICTORY SHIPS
- ^ shipbuildinghistory.com Merchant ships Victory ships
- ^ personal experience
- ^ usmm.org, "Battle Stars" in World War II.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
