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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Sabik (AK-121)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Bravo - Whiskey
NHBW
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 (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Crater Class Cargo Ship
  • Laid down, 8 November 1943, as SS William Becknell, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2423) , at Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Corp., Houston, TX.
  • Launched, 17 December 1943
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 29 December 1943
  • Converted for Naval service at Todd-Johnson Dry Docks, Inc, New Orleans, LA.
  • Commissioned, USS Sabik (AK-121), 19 April 1944, LCDR. Harry Corman in command
  • During WWII Sabik was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, Tacloban and Dulag, October and November 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, November 1944 to January 1945

  • Decommissioned, 19 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, the same day, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA., named reverted to SS William Becknell
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 30 October 1961, to Union Minerals and Alloys Corp., New York, N.Y.
  • USS Sabik earned two battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 12,350 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 12.8 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 16
    Enlisted 190
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 46
    Enlisted 1018
    Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.
    Cargo Capacity 4,520 DWT
    non-refrigerated 272,146 Cu ft.
    Armament
    four single 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NFSO 7,285 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Iron Fireman vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    four turbo-drive 60Kw 120 V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LST-130 150k The stern of USS Sabik (AK-121) is visible forward of USS LST-130 at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 7 September 1945, while a covered lighter and ARD-11 are to the right.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6391-45.    		 Darryl Baker
    Sabik 156k Forward plan view of USS Sabik (AK-121) at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 14 September 1945. Sabik was at the yard from 24 August to 21 September 1945.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6461-45.    		 Darryl Baker
    Sabik 138k Amidships looking aft plan view of USS Sabik (AK-121) at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 14 September 1945.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6462-45.    		 Darryl Baker
    Sabik 483k USS Sabik (AK-121) moored pierside at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., circa, 14 September 1945.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photo.    		 Ed Zajkowski
    Sabik 124k USS Sabik (AK-121) underway in San Francisco Bay, 21 September 1945. Note her armament of four single 40mm AA gun mounts and twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts. Sabik has an aft pair of 40mm guns aft of the after pair of 20mm guns. The forward 40mm guns were carried side by side on an enlarged bow gun platform.
    US National Archives Record Group RG-19-LCM photo # 19-N-89593, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Mike Green
    Sabik 431k USS Sabik (AK-121) underway in the Mare Island Channel, circa 21 September 1945.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photos.    		 Ed Zajkowski
    Sabik 457k
    Sabik 574k
    Sabik 327k
    USS Sabik (AK-121)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Corman, Harry19 April 1944 - ?
    02LT. Grime Jr., FrankWWII
    03LCDR. Ryder, HenryWWII
    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 7 January 2012