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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Ariel (AF-22)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Sierra - Juliet
 NBSJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Mizar Class Stores Ship:
  • Built in 1931 as SS Segovia at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Newport News, VA., for United Fruit Co.
  • Launched, 15 August 1931, Christened by Mrs. Herbert Hoover
  • Gutted by fir during her fitting out
  • Rebuilt and renamed SS Peten
  • Delivered, date unknown, United Fruit Co
  • Renamed SS Jamaica, date unknown
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 24 March 1942
  • Converted for Naval service at Todd's Galveston, TX., Shipyard
  • Commissioned, USS Ariel (AF-22), 14 May 1942, at Galveston, TX., Capt. Emory P. Hyland, USN, in command
  • Decommissioned, 21 June 1946, at New York, N.Y. and Transferred to the Maritime Commission the same day for disposal
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 3 July 1946 and returned to United Fruit Co.
  • Merchant Service
    Sold by United Fruit Co. to a German shipping Co., renamed SS Blumenthal, reflagged West Germany
    Final Disposition, scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in December 1969
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,068 t.(lt) 11,875 t.(fl)
    Length 446' 10"
    Beam 60' 3"
    Draft 26'
    Speed 18.5 kts. (max)
    Cargo Capacity 1,990 DWT
    non-refrigerated 10,000 Cu ft
    refrigerated 170,275 Cu ft
    Complement
    Officers 18
    Enlisted 220
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/51 cal gun mount
    three single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 9,325 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Electric turbo-electric engines
    four Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 350psi 636°
    three turbo-drive 500Kw 240V D.C.
    twin propellers, 11,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Pre WWII Merchant Service
    Ariel
    09062203    		 564k Launching of SS Segovia, 15 August 1931, at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Newport News, VA., Dale Hargrave
    USS Ariel (AF-22)
    Ariel 87k USS Ariel (AF-22) underway in harbor, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Post WWII Merchant Service
    Ariel 62k Ex-Ariel (AF-22) in commercial service as SS Blumenthal moored pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany in September 1965. Photo Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Ariel (AF-22)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Hyland, Emory Paul USN (USNA 1922)14 May 1942 - ?
    02CDR. Beyer, Edward Francis12 February 1944 - 2 May 1944
    03LCDR. Smith, William Francis2 May 1944 - ?
    04LT. Monk, Herbert A. USNR29 March 1945 - 26 October 1945
    05CAPT. Campbell, George William USN (USNA 1926)26 October 1945 - 24 December 1945
    06CAPT. Johnson, Raymond Wilber USN (USNA 1930)24 December 1945 - 21 June 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Stores Ship (AF) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 17 September 2021