Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

ID-3662 / AF-18 Calamares

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - World War I Victory Medal - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Calamares Class Stores Ship:
  • Built in 1913 at Workman, Clark and Co., Belfast Northern Ireland
  • Acquired by the US Army from United Fruit Co.
  • Transferred to the Navy, 1 April 1918
  • Converted for Naval service as a Transport at New York
  • Commissioned USS Calamares 10 April 1918, CDR. C. L. Arnold in command
  • Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS), 11 October 1918 and converted to a refrigerator ship
  • Decommissioned, 18 September 1919
  • Reacquired by the US Navy, 12 December 1941
  • Converted to a Provisions Stores Ship at Alameda, CA.
  • Recommissioned, USS Calamares (AF-18), 10 April 1943, LCDR. D. R. Phoebus, USNR, in command
  • Decommissioned, 25 April 1946, at Baltimore, MD.
  • Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission for disposal
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1947
    Specifications:
    Displacement 12,625 t.(fl)
    Length 486' 6"
    Beam 55'
    Draft 27' 4"
    Speed 14.3 kts.
    Complement 40
    Cargo Capacity 2,300 DWT
    Armament 1 single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four 3"/50 guns., eight 20mm AA guns
    Propulsion reciprocating engines; twin screws, 6,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Calamares (ID-3662)
    Calamares 77k Calamares (ID-3662) in port, probably New York, circa 1918-19.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-1506 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    USS Calamares (AF-18)
    Calamares 94k Forward plan view of Calamares (AF-18) moored pierside at Alameda, CA., 11 April 1943, one day after commissioning. The 20mm guns circled were added during her conversion for naval service.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2517-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 84k Aft plan view of Calamares (AF-18) moored pierside at Alameda, CA., 11 April 1943. Note the 3" and 5" guns which were added during her conversion for naval service.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2518-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 128k Amidships plan view of Calamares (AF-18) moored pierside at Alameda, CA., 11 April 1943. Note the motor whale boat which was added during her conversion for naval service as indicated by circles and the liberty ship building ways in the background.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2520-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 62k Stern view of Calamares (AF-18) departing Alameda, CA., 23 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2987-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 89k Aft plan view of Calamares (AF-18) moored pierside at San Francisco, 21 August 1943. Note crates of provisions atop the after end of Calamares' midships superstructure, railway car float in the left background, and open lighter YC-882 partially visible in the right background.
    US Navy photo # NH 99764 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 112k Amidships plan view of Calamares (AF-18) moored pierside at San Francisco, 21 August 1943. Ganymede (AK-104) is in the left distance and open lighter YC-881 is partially visible in the right background.
    US Navy photo # NH 99762 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Calamares 92k Aft plan view of Calamares (AF-18) moored pierside at San Francisco, 21 August 1943. Note 5"/51 gun on Calamares' stern, with two 3"/50 guns mounted on elevated platforms further forward. Open Lighter YC-883 is in the left center background.
    US Navy photo # NH 99765 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Calamares 49k Calamares (AF-18) (bows on view) underway in San Francisco Bay, 21 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6037-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 47k Calamares (AF-18) (stern view) underway in San Francisco Bay, 21 August 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6038-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 25k Calamares (AF-18) underway, date and place unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Calamares 83k Aft plan view of Calamares (AF-18) at San Francisco, 22 November 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 7710-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 71k Stern view of Calamares (AF-18) off San Francisco, 24 November 1943. Note the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge in the background.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 7785-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 65k Bow on view of Calamares (AF-18) off San Francisco, 24 November 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 7786-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Calamares 82k Broadside view of Calamares (AF-18) off San Francisco, 24 November 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 7789-43.    		 Darryl Baker
    View the Calamares (AF-18)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The ID & SP Ships Photo Index Back To The Stores Ship (AF) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 5 January 2007