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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
    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