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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AF-10 Aldebaran

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Charlie - Golf

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Lebanon, 2-Vietnam, 1-Cuba)

Aldebaran Class Stores Ship:

Laid down, 28 November 1938, as SS Stag Hound, a Maritime Commission type (C2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 27) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA.

Launched, 21 June 1939

Delivered to Grace Lines, 4 December 1939

Purchased by the Navy from Grace Lines, 22 December 1940 and converted for naval service

Commissioned USS Aldebaran (AF-10), 10 January 1941, CDR. Royal Abbott in command

Decommissioned, 28 June 1968, at Norfolk, VA.

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA. in October 1968

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973

Permanent custody assigned to MARAD, 30 June 1969, for disposal

Final Disposition, sold by MARAD, 14 November 1974 to Andy International, Brownsville, TX., for scrapping

Aldebaran earned two battle stars for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 13,910 t.
Length 459' 3"
Beam 63' 0"
Draft 25' 10" (limiting)
Speed 16.4 kts,
Complement 287
Cargo Capacity 5,443 DWT
Armament one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four 3"/50 guns, ten 20mm guns
Propulsion two boilers, two turbines, single propeller 6,000shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
34k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway, date and place unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
25k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway, November 1943, place unknown. Navy photo	Lou Sander
113k	Aft plan view of Aldebaran (AF-10) at San Francisco, CA., 3 October 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6899-43.	Darryl Baker
59k	Bow on view of Aldebaran (AF-10) in San Francisco Bay, 3 October 1943. The unidentified tug alongside appears to be steam powered based on the height of her stack. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6891-43.	Darryl Baker
76k	Broadside view of Aldebaran (AF-10) in San Francisco Bay, 3 October 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6893-43.	Darryl Baker
62k	Stern view of Aldebaran (AF-10) in San Francisco Bay, 3 October 1943. The unidentified tug alongside appears to be steam powered based on height of stack and is likely to be a commercial tug from Crowley Marine's Red Stack Tugs Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6895-43.	Darryl Baker
104k	Amidships looking forward plan view of Aldebaran (AF-10) at San Francisco, 3 October 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6897-43.	Darryl Baker
60k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway at 2 knots (bows on view) off Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 22 April 1946. US Naval Shipyard Puget Sound photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, Seattle Branch.	Tracy White
54k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway at 2 knots (broad on port bow view) off Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 22 April 1946. US Naval Shipyard Puget Sound photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, Seattle Branch.	Tracy White
58k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway at 2 knots (broad on port beam view) off Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 22 April 1946. US Naval Shipyard Puget Sound photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, Seattle Branch.	Tracy White
51k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway at 2 knots (port stern quarter view) off Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 22 April 1946. US Naval Shipyard Puget Sound photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, Seattle Branch.	Tracy White
59k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway at 2 knots (dead astern view) off Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 22 April 1946. US Naval Shipyard Puget Sound photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, Seattle Branch.	Tracy White
77k	Aldebaran (AF-10) underway, date and place unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1953.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
67k	Aldebaran (AF-10) rides high as she returns from a supply mission at sea, date and place unknown US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1960.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
99k	Aldebaran (AF-10) inboard of Fremont (APA-44) at NOB Norfolk, VA., Pier 4, 26 August 1964. *Fremont* is being assisted into her berth alongside *Aldebaran* with the assistance of Okmulgee (YTB-765), forward, and Wapakoneta (YTB-766), aft, 26 August 1964. Photo taken from Multiphen (AKA-61) at berth 301	© Richard Leonhardt
89k	Aldebaran (AF-10) and Sylvania (AFS-2) conducting underway replenishment exercises at Guantanemo Bay, Cuba, 25 September 1964, their shakedown cruises. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, January 1965.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
52k	Aldebaran (AF-10) and Fort Mandan (LPD-21) underway, circa 1967 in the Caribbean Sea preparing to commence an UNREP. This photo was taken by Bruce Johnson from an unidentified LPH, possibly Guadalcanal (LPH-7).	Pete Harlem, Courtesy Bruce Johnson USMC HMM-261
43k	Aldebaran (AF-10) and Fort Mandan (LPD-21) underway, circa 1967 in the Caribbean Sea preparing to commence an UNREP. This photo was taken by Bruce Johnson from an unidentified LPH, possibly Guadalcanal (LPH-7).	Pete Harlem, Courtesy Bruce Johnson USMC HMM-261