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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Hesperia (AKS-13)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Xray - Alpha
NCXA

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)

Acubens Class General Stores Issue Ship:

Laid down, 9 October 1944, as SS Sam Dale, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2825) at Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, LA.

Launched, 18 November 1944

Acquired by the Navy, 9 December 1944, placed in reduced commission for transit to her conversion yard at Norfolk, VA., LCDR. James H. Graves Jr., (Auxships Ferry Crew #5) in command

Decommissioned at Norfolk, VA, 20 December 1944 Converted for Naval service at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA.

Commissioned USS Hesperia (AKS-13), 1 April 1945, LCDR. William G. Dutton, USNR in command

During World War II USS Hesperia was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II USS Hesperia was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
7 October to 22 November 1945
24 December 1945 to 1 March 1946

USS Hesperia (AKS-13) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.8.1 Service Group - Repair and Service Unit for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946

Decommissioned, 27 February 1947, at Pearl Harbor

All ships of the Acubens class were meant to be used as Bikini Assets, in 'C' test and were kept at Pearl Harbor until a decision was made in 1947 to transfer custody of these ships to the Maritime Commission

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 19 March 1973, to Tung Ho Steel Enterprise Corp., Taiwan for $198,000.00 (PD-X-955), delivered 17 April 1973

Specifications:
Displacement 5,240 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
Length 441' 6"
Beam 56' 11"
Draft 28' 4"
Speed 12.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 15

Enlisted 180

Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.

Cargo Capacity 2,500 DWT

non-refrigerated 219,018 Cu ft

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 9,640 Bbls

Diesel 2,010 Bbls Propulsion

one Iron Fireman vertical reciprocating steam engine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450°

three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 2,500shp

Size	Image Description	Source
90k	*USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** off Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 26 April 1945. US Navy photo # NH 94526 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.	US Naval Historical Center
87k	*USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** off Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 26 April 1945. US Navy photo # NH 94525 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.	US Naval Historical Center
97k	*USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** off Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 26 April 1945. US Navy photo # NH 94527 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.	US Naval Historical Center
79k	*USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** off Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 26 April 1945. US Navy photo # NH 94523 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.	US Naval Historical Center
78k	*USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** off Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 26 April 1945. Saturn (AF-40) is in the left background. US Navy photo # NH 94524 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.	US Naval Historical Center
29k	*USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** underway, date and location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
265k	Amidships plan view of *USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 30 April 1946 Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 1680-46, 4/30/46	Darryl Baker
276k	Amidships looking forward plan view of *USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 30 April 1946 Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 1680-46, 4/30/46	Darryl Baker
97k	Broadside view of *USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** of Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 2 May 1946 Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 1700-46, 5/2/46	Darryl Baker
90k	Bows on view of *USS Hesperia* (AKS-13)** of Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 2 May 1946 Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 1702-46, 5/2/46	Darryl Baker

USS Hesperia (AKS-13)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
	LCDR. Graves Jr., James Henry, USNR	9 December 1944 - 20 December 1944
	Decommissioned	20 December 1944 - 1 April 1945
01	LCDR. Dutton, William G., USNR	1 April 1945 - 24 April 1946
02	LCDR. MacLeod, Harry B. USNR	24 April 1946 - 23 August 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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 19 February 2016