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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

T-AF-52 Golden Eagle
AF-52 Arcturus

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Sierra - Lima
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

National Defense Service Medal
Alstede Class Stores Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 December 1941, as SS Golden Eagle, a Maritime Commission type (R2-S-BV1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC Hull 184) at Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 12 June 1943
  • Delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA), 23 April 1943
  • Operated under contract to the WSA from 1944 to 1946 by United Fruit Co. and thereafter from 1947 to 1948 by Sword Line and United States Line
  • Acquired by the US Army Transportation Corps in 1948 and placed in commissioned as USAT Golden Eagle
  • Acquired by the Navy, 1 March 1950 and placed in service by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS Golden Eagle (T-AF-52)
  • Commissioned USS Arcturus (AF-52), 18 November 1961, CAPT. Maxie B. Davis in command
  • Decommissioned, 16 May 1973, at NAB Little Creek, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 9 December 1985
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target, 24 July 1997
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,319 t.(lt)
    Length 469'
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26'
    Speed 15 kts.
    Complement (T-AF-52) 64
    Armament unknown
    Propulsion cross-compound turbines, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USNS Golden Eagle (T-AF-52)
    Golden Eagle 117k Golden Eagle (T-AF-52) underway, date and location unknown. William Zarkas, Retired MSC Boatswain
    President, MSC Retiree Association
    Golden Eagle 42k Golden Eagle (T-AF-52) underway, circa 1953, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Golden Eagle 103k Golden Eagle (T-AF-52) moored pierside, Bremerhaven, Germany, April 1961. Photo by Gerhard L. Mueller-Debus
    USS Arcturus (AF-52)
    Arcturus 263k Arcturus (AF-52) underway off the coast of Virginia, circa 1964 John T. Kulp USS Arcturus1964-65
    Arcturus 73k Arcturus (AF-52) during underway replenishment with WASP (CVS-18), North Atlantic, Summer 1970 Steve Singlar
    Arcturus 60k Arcturus (AF-52) comes alongside Forrestal (CVA-59) for highline transfer of stores, a helicopter from Sylvania (AFS-2) carries out a vertical replenishment mission during Sixth Fleet operations.
    US Navy photo "All Hands" magazine, August 1969.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Arcturus 32k Arcturus (AF-52) replenishes Noa (DD-841) at sea, 8 November 1962/ Photo by PH3 Cornell Boston (CAG-1).
    US Navy photo # USN 1066671.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the Arcturus (AF-52)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 9 March 2007