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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Arkab (AK-130)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Echo - Bravo
 NHEB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Crater Class Cargo Ship:
  • Authorized by the Maritime Commission as SS Warren Stone a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull
  • Renamed Arkab, 1 December 1943
  • Laid down, 4 December 1943, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2449) at Delta Shipbuilding Corp., New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched, 22 January 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 21 February 1944
  • Commissioned, USS Arkab (AK-130), 21 February 1944 for transit to her conversion yard, CDR. Charles D. Schultz, USNR in command (Ferry Crew # 7)
  • Decommissioned, 25 February 1944, at Mobile AL,
  • Converted for Naval service at Alabama Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Mobile, AL.
  • Recommissioned, 15 May 1944, CDR. Firman F. Knachel in command
  • During World War II USS Arkab was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Decommissioned, 2 January 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 January 1946
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 11 January 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 21 September 1971, to N. V. Intershitra, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Removed from the Reserve Fleet, 8 October 1971
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 12.8 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 19
    Enlisted 211
    Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.
    Cargo Capacity 7,800 DWT
    non-refrigerated 408,604 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
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 9,960 Bbls
    Diesel 2,010 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Iron Fireman vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Vogt header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    Ship's Service Generators
    one turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    two recip-drive 60 Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Arkab 35k USS Arkab (AK-130) under way, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 33 Design 9D.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    USS Arkab (AK-130)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
     CDR. Schultz, Charles D. USNR (Ferry Crew # 7)21 February 1944 - 25 February 1944
     Decommissioned25 February 1944 - 15 May 1944
    01CDR. Knachel, Firman Fillmore15 May 1944 - 2 January 1946
    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 Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 14 August 2015