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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN Ret. - Popular Patch

USS Aristaeus (ARB-1)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Whiskey - Xray
 NJWX
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 (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Aristaeus Class Battle Damage Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 November 1942, as LST-329, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Redesignated Battle Damage Repair Ship ARB-1, 26 January 1943
  • Launched, 11 February 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Aristaeus (ARB-1), 18 May 1943, LT. Ralph M. G. Swany, Jr., USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Aristaeus was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 16 April to 30 June 1945

  • Following World War II USS Aristaeus was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September to 3 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 10 January 1947, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS Aristaeus earned one battle star for her World War II service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,781 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 11' 2"
    Speed 11.6 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 20
    Enlisted 234
    Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Ship's Service Generators
    four 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two 100Kw 450V A.C.
    Fuel Oil Capacity Diesel 4,480 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    two propellers, 1800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Aristaeus 219k USS Aristaeus (ARB-1) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH83855 courtesy D. M. McPherson, 1975    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Aristaeus 44k USS Aristaeus (ARB-1) overhead view while under way, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    USS Aristaeus (ARB-1)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Swany Jr., Ralph. Michael George, USNR18 May 1943 - March 1945
    02LCDR. Killen, John Kenneth, USNRMarch 1945 - January 1946
    03LT. Forester, William Mark, USNJanuary 1946 - June 1946
    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 1 July 2016