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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Estero (AKL-5)
ex
 USS Estero (AG-134) (1947 - 1949)
 USAT FS-275

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (7) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Taiwan Straits)
Bottom Row - Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation (Ribbon of Friendship) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Camano Class Light Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, date unknown as FS-275 for the US Army at Wheeler Shipbuilding Corp., Whitestone, Long Island, N.Y.
  • Delivered to the US Army Transportation Service, date unknown
  • Acquired by the US Navy in March 1947
  • Commissioned Miscellaneous Auxiliary USS Estero (AG-134), 5 July 1947, LTjg H. E. Toponce, in command
  • Reclassified Light Cargo Ship (AKL-5), 31 March 1949
  • During the Korean War USS Estero participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    18 September to 5 October 1950     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    1 to 2 May 1952
    11-12 June 1952
    1 to 2 November 1952
    Inchon Landing
    14 to 17 September 1950     		Third Korean Winter
    9 to 10 March 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    21 September 19
    3 to 4 October 1951
    12 October 1951
    6 to 7 November 1951
    12 to 13 November 1951     		Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    17 May 1953
    14 June 1953
    19 June 1953
    22 to 24 June 1953
    9 July 1953
    Second Korean Winter
    22 to 25 December 1951
    20 January 1952
    29 to 30 April 1952     		 

  • USS Estero participated in Operation "Passage to Freedom" 25 August to 2 September 1954
  • Decommissioned, 22 January 1960
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 February 1960
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS Estero earned seven battle stars for Korean War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 550 t.
    Length 177'
    Beam 33'
    Draft 10'
    Speed 12 kts.
    Complement 42
    Propulsion
    two 500hp GM Cleveland Division 6-278A 6-cyl V6 Diesel engines
    twin propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Estero 18k USS Estero (AKL-5), underway at Sasebo, Japan, 23 October 1953.
    Cropped US National Archives photo    		  
    USS Estero (AG-134 / AKL-5)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LTjg. Toponce, Harvey Earl5 July 1947 - ?
    02LT. Watson, Tom, USN1950 - 18 October 1952
    03LT. Buccini, Angelo, USN18 October 1952 - 14 February 1954
    04LT. Denham, John George1955
    05LT. Brown, Nicholas (Nick)1958
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index Back To The Light Cargo Ship (AKL) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 18 July 2014