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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Abele (AN-58)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Mike - Golf
 NCMG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (Okinawa)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Ailanthus Class Net Laying Ship:
  • Laid down, as Yard Net Tender Abele (YN-77), 8 January 1943, at Barbour Boat Works, New Bern, N.C.
  • Launched, 19 August 1943
  • Redesignated Net Laying Ship (AN-58), 20 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS Abele (AN-58), 2 June 1944, at Morehead City, N.C., LCDR. Jesse H. Bloodworth USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Abele (AN-58) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns;

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 to 28 February 1945     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 26 March to 30 June 1945

  • Decommissioned, 1 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 28 March 1946
  • USS Abele earned two battle stars for her World War II service
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Commission, 7 May 1947, for disposal
  • Merchant Service
  • Sold in 1947 to Great Lakes Lumber and Shipping Ltd., Fort William ON., reflagged Canada
  • Sold in 1949 to Charles Storch, Vancouver BC.
  • Sold in 1953 to Straits Towing Ltd., Vancouver BC. renamed Superior Straits
  • In the 1960s she was withdrawn from service and reduced to a barge
  • Sold in 1971 to P. & B. Towing Ltd., North Vancouver BC.
  • Sold in 1973 to Dubarry Investments Ltd., Vancouver BC.
  • Final Disposition, sank in Vancouver Harbour about 1973 but she continued to be listed in the Register of shipping until 2006
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,460 t.(fl)
    Length 194' 6"
    Beam 37'
    Draft 13' 6"
    Speed 12.1 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 4
    Enlisted 52
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Largest Boom Capacity 12 t.
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 760 Bbls
    Ship's Service Generators
    two Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    Propulsion
    two Busch-Sulzer BS-539 Diesel-electric engines
    single propeller, 1,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Merchant Service
    Abele
    091805801    		 42k Ex-USS Abele (AN-58) in merchant service as Straits Towing Ltd.'s, towing vessel Superior Straits moored, circa 1953, location unknown.
    The Nauticapedia    		 John Spivey
    USS Abele (AN-58)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Bloodworth, Jesse Howard, USNR2 June 1944 - 16 March 1945
    02LT. Budzik Jr., John Seymour, USNR16 March 1945 - June 1945
    03LTjg. James, Robert Louis, LTJG USNR (acting)June 1945 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Yard Net Tender (YN) Photo Index Back To Net Laying Ship (AN) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 18 November 2022