Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AK-12 Arcturus
AK-12 Gold Star
AG-12 Gold Star

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Sierra - Juliet

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (28JUN45) - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet Clasp)
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia Clasp)
  • Laid down as SS Gold Star in 1919 under a USSB contract at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, DE.
  • Launched, July 1919
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 8 November 1921
  • Commissioned USS Arcturus (AK-12), 1 February 1922, at Philadelphia, PA., LCDR. J. Katterfield, USNRF, in command
  • Renamed Gold Star (AK-12), 6 February 1922
  • Reclassified Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG-12), 2 May 1922
  • Decommissioned, 17 April 1946, at Seattle, WA.
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 30 June 1946 for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 1 December 1947 to Dulien Steel Products Inc.
  • Gold Star earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,860 t.
    Length 391' 9"
    Beam 52' 2"
    Draft 11' 10"
    Speed 12 kts.
    Complement 52
    Armament none
    Propulsion coal fired boilers, steam turbine. single shaft
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    SS Gold Star
    Gold Star 133k SS Gold Star launching party, July 1919. Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Wilmington, DE. Ladies Who Launch - Ship Christening Photographs exhibit at Philadelphia's Independence Seaport Museum
    USS Gold Star (AG-12)
    Gold Star 58k Gold Star (AG-12), at Sitka, AK. in September 1922.
    US Navy photo from US Naval Historical Center    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Gold Star 89k Gold Star (AG-12) moored to a buoy, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1950    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    View the Gold Star (AG-12)
    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
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index Back To The Miscellaneous (AG) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 26 October 2007