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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Cassiopeia (AK-75)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee- Lima - November
 NYLN
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Crater Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 October 1942, as SS Melville W. Fuller, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE-504) at Permanente Metals Corp., Yard No. 1, Richmond, CA.
  • Launched, 15 November 1942
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 27 November 1942
  • Commissioned USS Cassiopeia (AK-75), 8 December 1942, LCDR. Werner E. Carlson USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Cassiopeia was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates
    Consolidation of Solomon Islands
    Consolidation of southern Solomons, 11 March 1943

  • Decommissioned, 21 November 1945, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission the same day for disposal
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 December 1945
  • Final Disposition, returned to US Navy, 27 June 1971, disposed of as a target by USS Cutlass (SS-478), in the VACAPES area, date unknown
  • USS Cassiopeia earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 12.5 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 15
    Enlisted 180
    Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.
    Cargo Capacity 7,800 DWT
    non-refrigerated 421,627 Cu ft.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 7,285 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Hoover, Owens, Rentschler Co., vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    Ship's Service Generators
     three recip-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Cassiopeia 34k USS Cassiopeia (AK-75), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 David Friederich
    Cassiopeia 69k Broadside view of USS Cassiopeia (AK-75) off San Francisco, 19 December 1942.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8017-12-42, 12/19/42    		 David Friederich and Darryl Baker
    USS Cassiopeia (AK-75)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Carlson, Werner E., USNR8 December 1942 - June 1945
    02CDR. Brooke, Russell James, USNRJune 1945 - 21 November 1945
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 24 April 2020