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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

ARG-7 Culebra Island

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Zulu - Whiskey
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 - Philippine Liberation Medal
Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 29 October 1943, as SS John F. Goucher, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1830) at Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, MD.
  • Launched, 23 November 1943
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission and acquired by the US Navy, 29 November 1943
  • Converted to an Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship at Maryland Drydock Co, Baltimore, MD.
  • Commissioned USS Culebra Island (ARG-7), 19 May 1944, CDR. W. E. McClendon, in command
  • Decommissioned, 15 January 1947, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission (date unknown) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown)
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1974
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,159 t.(lt) 8,700 t.(fl)
    Length 442'
    Beam 57'
    Draft 23'
    Speed 13 Kts.
    Complement 574
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    three 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    four single 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion reciprocating steam engine, single shaft, 1,950hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By/Source
    Culebra Island 67k Culebra Island (ARG-7) underway, date and place unknown. Note Culebra Island is painted Camouflage Measure 31, Design 6Ax. Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 79k Culebra Island (ARG-7) at anchor, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo         		Photo by PhoM1C George Beichert
    submitted by Marie Beichert
    Culebra Island 36k Culebra Island (ARG-7) at anchor off Leyte, Philippine Islands, 1944-45 with LST-66 alongside.
    Photo by Vincent Cottrell    		 Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 53k Culebra Island (ARG-7) at anchor off Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, October 1944 with three LSTs alongside including LST-474. These three LSTs were damaged by shore batteries at Leyte, each of them lost men and two of them an officer each. Photo by Vincent Cottrell Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 69k Culebra Island (ARG-7) drydocked in the Philippine Islands, 1944-45. Photo by Vincent Cottrell Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 44k Culebra Island (ARG-7) drydocked in the Philippine Islands, 1944-45. Photo by Vincent Cottrell Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 44k Culebra Island (ARG-7) drydocked in the Philippine Islands, 1944-45. Photo by Vincent Cottrell Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 78k Culebra Island (ARG-7) LCVP #2 on deck. alongside to starboard are two LSM's. The outboard LSM is unidentified, the inboard LSM is LSM-217, date and place unknown. Photo by Vincent Cottrell Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 67k Culebra Island (ARG-7) boats in the water, date and place unknown. Photo by Vincent Cottrell Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 56k Culebra Island (ARG-7) First Division, date and place unknown. Vincent Cottrell is standing behind the Sailor holding the monkey. Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 235k Culebra Island (ARG-7)'s first anniversary edition of the ships newspaper Fantales with photos of the ships three mascots (left to right Yo, Jocko, and Senorita Padro) on the front page. Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    Culebra Island 70k Forty-four of Culebra Island (ARG-7)/s crew with enough points to return stateside leave the ship for Tacloban, Philippines Islands for transit home. Their sea bags are being loaded into a launch. Daniel Cottrell in honor of his father Vincent Cottrell, Coxswain, USNR USS Culebra Island
    View Culebra Island (ARG-7) Miscellaneous Items
    View the Culebra Island (ARG-7)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 22 June 2007