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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Gold Star (AG-12)
ex
 USS Gold Star (AK-12) (1922)
 USS Arcturus (AK-12) (1922)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Sierra - Juliet
 NASJ
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) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia Clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
  • 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
  • During World War II USS Gold Star (AG-12) was assigned to th Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Philippine Islands operation, 8 December 1941 to 6 May 1942

  • 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.(lt), 10,449 t.(lim)
    Length 391' 9"
    Beam 52' 1"
    Draft 11' 5"
    Speed 12 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 11
    Enlisted 140
    Troop Accommodations 105
    Largest Boom Capacity 8 t.
    Armament
    AK - 6-pdrs (authorized but not installed at time of commissioning)
    AG - two 5"/51 cal dual purpose gun mounts, four 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts, eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 9,350 Bbls
    Gasoline400 Gals
    Propulsion
    one Bethlehem Shipbuilding vertical triple-expansion steam engine
    three Scotch boilers 200psi, Sat.
    two turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,500shp 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 USS 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 104k USS Gold Star (AG-12), at anchor off Sitka, AK. in September 1922.
    US Navy photo # NH 631 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert hurst
    Gold Star 89k USS 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.
    USS Gold Star (AG-12)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Katterfield, J.1 February 1922 - 23 April 1923
    02CDR. Ghent, D.T.23 April 1923 - 27 August 1924
    03CDR. Bradley, W. N. Jr.27 August 1924 - November 1926
    04CDR. Ware, Bruce Richardson Jr.November 1926 - 1 July 1928
    05CDR. Bernard, Richard Field Jr.1 July 1928 - ?
     CDR. Crosse, George Washburn18 July 1930 - ?
     CDR. Dyer Jr., Robert Allan 1936 - ?
    07CDR. Patterson, Theodore Thomas1938 - ?
     CDR. Lademan, Jr., Joseph Uhrig (20)18 July 1941 - 7 July 1942
    10CDR. Schultz, Theodore Joseph (Ted) (NG)7 July 1942 - ?
     CDR. Rowle, Henry1945 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 26 March 2010