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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Don McGrogan BMCS USN Ret.

USS Xanthus (AR-19)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Xanthus Class Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 6 June 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 2664) at Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard Inc., Baltimore, MD. as Hecla
  • Intended for the Royal Navy as HMS Hecla (F-175)
  • Launched, 31 July 1944
  • Delivered to the US Navy, 16 August 1944
  • Retained by the Navy, 28 September 1944
  • Renamed Xanthus (AR-19), 6 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS Xanthus (AR-19), 9 May 1945, CDR. Stanley G. Nichols USN in command
  • During and following World War II USS Xanthus was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and performed Occupation duty and China service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    7 September 1945 to 10 February 194611 February to 9 April 1946

  • Decommissioned, 26 February 1947, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, VA., in an "on hand" status through 1961
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 11 January 1961
  • Title transferred to MARAD 1 September 1962
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1962
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 July 1974, to Luria Bros. Co. Inc. (PD-X-979 dated 5 June 1974), for $326, 666.89, withdrawn, 15 August 1974
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,801 t.(lt) 14,350 t.(trial)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 22'
    Speed 12.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 27
    Enlisted 497
    Largest Boom Capacity 12 t,
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    three single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 8,000 Bbls
    Diesel 2,200 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Hoover, Owens, Rentschler Co. triple expansion steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 2230psi 450°
    Ship's Service Generators
    three Diesel-drive 500Kw 450V A.C.
    two turbo-drive 60Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Xanthus
    09251902    		 46k
    Namesake
    Xanthus - in Greek mythology - The immortal horse of Achilles with the ability to speak.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Xanthus 35k USS Xanthus (AR-19) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial    		 Stan Svec
    Xanthus
    09251903    		 166k USS Xanthus (AR-19), moored most likely in occupied Japan circa 1945-1946. Note the unidentified ARD moored astern of Xanthus David Wright
    USS Xanthus (AR-19)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Nichols, Stanley Gilbert, USN (USNA 1926)9 May 1945 - 3 January 1947
    01LT. Daughtrey, Edward Hunter, USN3 January 1947 - 26 February 1947
    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 11 March 2022