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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Naos (AK-105)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Sierra - Uniform
NKSU
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


Crater Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 8 June 1943, as SS William R. Nelson, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1684) at California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 30 June 1943
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 15 July 1943
  • Converted for Naval service at Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., San Pedro, CA.
  • Commissioned, USS Naos (AK-105), 17 August 1943, at San Pedro, CA., LCDR. Norman E. Wilcox in command
  • During World War II USS Naos was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Naos was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 1 to 15 October 1945
  • Decommissioned, 6 December 1945, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 6 December 1945, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, name reverted to SS William R. Nelson
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 3 January 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 30 June 1969, to Union Minerals and Alloys, physically delivered, 18 February 1970
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 12.350 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 24' 6"
    Speed 12.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 29
    Enlisted 190
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 43
    Enlisted 990
    Cargo Capacity 4,759 DWT
    non-refrigerated 369,399 Cu. ft.
    Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 40mm AA gun mounts
    six single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 7,285 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Joshua Hendy Ironworks vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    one propeller, 2,500shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Naos 87k Amidships plan view of USS Naos (AK-105) at San Francisco, 4 December 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8083-43.
    Darryl Baker
    Naos 71k Bows on view of USS Naos (AK-105) underway off San Francisco, 10 December 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8266-43.
    Darryl Baker
    Naos 64k Stern view of USS Naos (AK-105) underway off San Francisco, 10 December 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8269-43.
    Darryl Baker
    Naos 59k Broadside view of USS Naos (AK-105) off San Francisco, 10 December 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8270-43.
    Darryl Baker
    Naos 136k Broadside view of USS Naos (AK-105) anchored at an unknown location. Note the badly worn condition of the ship's MS21 camouflage scheme.
    LIFE Magazine Archives - Carl Mydans Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.
    Mike Green
    Naos 125k

    USS Naos (AK-105)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Wilcox, Norman Edward17 August 1943 - 20 April 1945
    02LT. Bornander, Paul Otis20 April 1945 - 10 May 1945
    03LCDR. Branson, John Joseph10 May 1945 - 14 May 1945
    04LCDR. Alcott, Alexander Malcolm14 May 1945 - 6 December 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 10 November 2017