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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Regulus (AF-57)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Lima - Uniform - Juliet
 NLUJ


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (6-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (11) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Denebola Class Provisions Store Ship:
  • Laid down, 29 April 1944, as SS Escanaba Victory, a Maritime Commission type (VC-2-S-AP3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 112), at Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 7 June 1944
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 29 June 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from MARAD, 5 May 1952
  • Converted for Naval service as a Provisions Store Ship at Todd Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Commissioned USS Regulus (AF-57), 3 February 1954, CDR. John D. Lautaret in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Regulus (AF-57) participated on the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    20 to 27 March 1966
    7 to 11 April 1966
    26 to 30 April 1966    		 Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    22 to 28 October 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    30 September to 13 October 1966
    22 October to 1 November 1966
    14 to 25 May 1967    		 Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    7 to 13 November 1969
    11 to 17 December 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    22 June to 10 July 1967    		 Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    15 to 29 June 1970
    Tet Counteroffensive
    9 to 15 February 1968
    7 to 15 March 1968
    25 March to 1 April 1968    		 Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    16 July to 3 August 1970
    14 August to 5 September 1970
    8 to 21 September 1970
    6 to 17 April 1971
    24 to 25 April 1971
    3 to 7 May 1971
    19 to 28 May 1971
    6 to 23 June 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 April 1968    		 Consolidation I
    10 to 16 July 1971
    29 to 31 July 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    24 November to 7 December 1968
    13 to 23 December 1968    		  

  • Final Disposition, grounded on a reef at Kau I Chau Island during Typhoon Rose, 16-17 August 1971, damaged beyond economical repair
  • Decommissioned, and struck from the Naval Register, 10 September 1971
  • USS Regulus received 11 campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,960 t.(lt) 11,900 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
    Regulus/PC-1208 125k USS Regulus (AF 57) pierside at the Brooklyn Navy Yard with, USS PC-1208 in the foreground. circa 1954. Courtesy Bob Daly USS PC-1181
    Regulus 80k USS Regulus (AF 57) underway at San Francisco Bay in September 1957.
    Photo by ©Allied Photographers of San Francisco.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Regulus 1235k USS Regulus (AF 57) underway, date and location unknown. David Buell
    Regulus 162k USS Regulus (AF 57) pierside at Sasebo, Japan in 1959, Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret, Courtesy Swenson
    Regulus 110k USS Regulus (AF 57) underway while alongside USS Platte (AO-24) in the Tonkin Gulf, circa 1960s Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Regulus 42k USS Regulus (AF 57) alongside USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) while conducting an underway replenishment in WestPac, circa 3 January to 15 July 1963 Sal Vacca, AE2, VAW-11 Detachment Bravo, USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14)
    Regulus 103k USS Regulus (AF 57) underway in the South China Sea in 1967.
    Photo taken from USS Bausell (DD-845)    		 Photo by Lee Noland STGC, USN Ret. USS Bausell.
    Regulus 64k USS Regulus (AF 57) underway outbound to sea from San Diego, date unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Regulus 98k USS Regulus (AF 57) steams alongside USS America (CVA-66) in the Pacific Ocean during an underway replenishment in 1970.
    US Navy photo.    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Regulus 118k USS Regulus (AF 57) aground on a reef at Kau I Chau Island off the coast of Hong Kong following the passing of Typhoon Rose on 16-17 August 1971. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret USS Vega
    Grasp 1237k USS Safeguard (ARS-25) (inboard) and USS Grasp (ARS-24) (outboard) conducting salvage operations of USS Regulus (AF-57) after she ran aground on a reef at Kau I Chau Island off the coast of Hong Kong following the passing of Typhoon Rose on 16-17 August 1971.
    US Navy photo    		 Joseph Colombara USS Abnaki
    Regulus 550k USS Regulus (AF 57) plaque presented to departing Commanding Officer (Feb. 1962 - Feb 1963), CAPT. Walter C. Klein USN. Kurt Klein for his father CAPT. Walter C. Klein USN
    USS Regulus (AF-57)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Lautaret, John Daniel3 February 1954 - February 1955
    02CDR. Klippel, RandolphFebruary 1955 - 1957
    06CAPT. Klein, Walter Charles 16 February 1962 - 16 February 1963
    07CAPT. Dahllof, Robert Lawrence16 February 1963 - June 1964
    08CAPT. Cain, James Bernice (NG)June 1964 - January 1965
    09CAPT. Finlay Jr., Robert Wilson1968 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 22 February 2013