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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AK-98 Auriga

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - 25 October 1944) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)
Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (5-WIA, Leyte, 25 October 1944)
Auriga Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 9 June 1942, as SS Alcoa Partner, a Maritime Commission type (C1-B) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 739) at Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 7 September 1942
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 16 March 1943
  • Converted for Naval service at Matson Navigation Co., San Francisco, CA.
  • Commissioned USS Auriga (AK-98), 1 April 1943, at San Francisco, CA., LCDR. John G. Hart in command
  • During WWII Auriga was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Gilbert Islands operation
    Tarawa landing, 17 to 24 January 1944     		Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 12 January 1945
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 16 to 17 and 25 to 28 June 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 11 to 17 April 1945
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 20 to 26 October 1944     		.

  • Decommissioned, 22 January 1946, at New York Naval Shipyard
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission for disposal
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 7 February 1946
  • Sold for commercial service by the Maritime Commission in 1946, renamed SS Alcoa Partner
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in 1963
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1970
  • Auriga earned five battle stars for her World War 11 service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 12,975 t.(fl)
    Length 416'
    Beam 60'
    Draft 27' 6"
    Speed 14.7 kts.
    Compliment 258
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
  • Propulsion steam turbine engine, single shaft, 9,100hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Auriga 115k Aft plan view of Auriga (AK-98), after conversion, at San Francisco, 1 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photos # 2237-4-43, 4/1/43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Auriga 113k Forward plan view of Auriga (AK-98), after conversion, at San Francisco, 1 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photos # 2239-4-43, 4/1/43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Auriga 96k Bow on view of Auriga (AK-98) underway off San Francisco, 2 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photos # 2281-4-43, 4/2/43.    		 Darryl Baker
    Auriga 77k Broadside view of Auriga (AK-98) underway off San Francisco, 2 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photos # 2283-4-43, 4/2/43 now in the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, photo # NH 91135.    		 Darryl Baker
    Auriga 80k Stern view of Auriga (AK-98) underway off San Francisco, 2 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photos # 2285-4-43, 4/2/43.    		 Darryl Baker
    View the Auriga (AK-98)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Not Applicable to this Vessel
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 18 May 2007