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
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AF-56 Denebola

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Romeo - Foxtrot
 NBRF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Lebanon)
Denebola Class Stores Ship:
  • Laid down as SS Hibbing Victory, a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV 113), at Oregon Shipbuilding Co., Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 10 June 1944
  • Commercial Service
    Leased to Pacific Atlantic SS. Co., Inc., 30 June 1944, at Portland, OR.
    Chartered by Seas Shipping Co., Inc,., 3 July 1946, at New York, N.Y.
    Chartered by Black Diamond SS Corp., 20 February 1948
    Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C., 4 August 1948
    Chartered by American Foreign SS Co., 23 August 1950, at Savannah, GA.
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 3 May 1952
  • Converted for Naval service as a Provisions Store Ship at New York Naval Shipyard
  • Commissioned USS Denebola (AF-56), 20 January 1954, CDR. S. E. Ramey in command
  • Title transferred to the US Navy from the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 31 May 1958
  • Decommissioned in April 1976
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 30 April 1976
  • Title transferred to the MARAD from the US Navy, 17 November 1976
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 17 November 1976, to Luria Brothers & Co., Inc.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,960 t.(lt) 10,850 t.(fl)
    Length 455' 3"
    Beam 62'
    Draft 28' 6"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 250
    Armament four twin 3'/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsion geared turbine engine, single propeller, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Denebola 112k Denebola (AF-56) comes alongside Forrestal (CV-59) to transfer stores, during operations in the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1962.
    US Navy photo # NH 98382 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Denebola 268k Denebola (AF-56) underway, date and location unknown early in her career. Note she carries 3/50" gun mounts aft, which were later removed to make room for a helicopter deck.
    US Navy photo.    		 David Buell
    Denebola 108k Denebola (AF-56) highlines food and supplies to Shangri-La (CVA-38) during underway replenishment operations in February 1969. Manley (DD-940) is in the distance.
    Photo by PH3 J. Giardina.
    US Navy photo # USN 1140684 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Denebola 94k Cascade (AD-16), Denebola (AF-56) and the Destroyer Escorts Lester (DE-1022), Hammerberg (DE-1015) and Courtney (DE-1021) moored at Naples, Italy, 13 March 1971
    Photo by PHC B.M. Anderson.
    US Navy photo # K 88830 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Denebola 105k Denebola (AF-56) steaming in Hampton Roads, Virginia, March 1971.
    US Navy photo # K 88516 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Denebola 75k Denebola (AF-56) during an underway replenishment, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1971.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Denebola 70k Denebola (AF-56) and Boulder (LST-1190) maintain formation station enroute to Norfolk. The Second Fleet ships participated in National and NATO exercises in northern Europe and returned home 10 December. The year of the photograph is not given, but was probably 1975.
    Photo by PH1 M.J. Browne, USN.
    US Navy photo # NH 98412 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the Denebola (AF-56)
    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
    USS Denebola AF-56
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type 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 4 January 2008