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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Okala (ARST-2)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Uniform - Hotel NAUH

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)

Laysan Island Class Salvage Craft Tender

Laid down as LST-1099 at Jeffersonville Bridge and Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN.

Redesignated Salvage Craft Tender ARST-2, 8 December 1944

Named Okala, 23 December 1944

Launched, 8 February 1945

Placed in reduced commission in mid June 1945, for transit down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to Algiers, LA.

Fully commissioned, USS Okala (ARST-2), 28 June 1945 at Algiers, LA., LT. Louis Silver, USNR in command

During and after World War II USS Okala was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Decommissioned, 5 August 1946, at Seattle, WA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 15 October 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal

Final Disposition, sold by the Maritime Commission to Columbia River Packing Association, fate unknown

Specifications:
Displacement 4,100 t. (lim)
Length 328'
Beam 50'
Draft 11' 2"
Speed 11.6 kts

Complement

Officers 41

Enlisted 248

Largest Boom Capacity 25 t.

Armament

two quad 40mm AA gun mounts

twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts

Boats two LCVPs

Fuel Capacities

Diesel 6,830 Bbls

Gasoline 17,850 Gals

Propulsion

two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines

single Falk Main Reduction Gears

four Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.

twin rudders

twin propellers, 1,800shp

US Naval Historical Center

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	41k	*USS Okala* (ARST-2)** near Memphis, TN, 26 June 1945, during her delivery voyage down the Mississippi River system. Note that her mast has been folded down to clear bridges during this river trip. The ship is painted in what appears to be Measure 31 camouflage scheme. US Navy photo # NH 76090, courtesy of CAPT. C.W. Stoll, via Charles H. Bogart, 1972.
19-N-89698	76k	*USS Okala* (ARST-2)** during her ferry voyage down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from Jeffersonville, Indiana to New Orleans. She departed her builder's yard at Jeffersonville, 24 June 1945, passed Memphis, TN., 26 June, and arrived at New Orleans, 28 June. Note the larger crane stowed amidships. 19-N-86587A shows the 40mm quad AA gun mounting on the stern and the arrangement of boats aft. US National Archive photos # 19-N-89698 & 19-N-86587A. US Navy Bureau of Ships photos now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
19-N-86587A	119k		Robert Hurst
	53k	*USS Okala* (ARST-2)** underway, circa mid-1945. US Navy photo # NH 84686, courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972.	US Naval Historical Center
	111k	*USS Okala* (ARST-2)** at anchor in Puget Sound in 1946 shortly before decommissioning at Seattle, WA. The supports of the large rotating crane amidships have been raised making the crane operational. US National Archive photos	Robert Hurst
	116k		Robert Hurst

USS Okala (ARST-2)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Silver, Louis, USNR	28 June 1945 - 7 September 1945
02	ENS. Miller, Michael O., USNR	7 September 1945 - 23 March 1946
03	LT. Stratton, Darrell Arthur, USN	23 March 1946 - 5 August 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

Last Updated 4 September 2009