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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10)
ex
 RFA Stromness (A-344) (1966 - 1983)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Delta - Hotel
NADH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (4)
Bottom Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal - Armed Forces Service Medal (4)
Sirius Class Combat Stores Ship:
  • Laid down, 1 October 1965, at Swan, Hunter and Wingham, United Kingdom for the Royal Navy as RFA Stromness (A-344)
  • Launched, 1 September 1966
  • Purchased by the US Navy and placed in service, as USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10), 1 January 1983
  • Saturn (T-AFS-10) is assigned to the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (PM1), MSC Atlantic
  • Inactivated and struck from the Naval Register, 6 April 2009
  • Laid up at NAVSEA Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, PA., to be disposed of
    Specifications:
    Displacement 10,205 t. (lt), 16,680 t. (fl)
    Dead Weight 6475 t.
    Length 523' (ov)
    Beam 72'
    Draft 26 ft. Maximum Navigational
    Speed 18 knots
    Aircraft Two UH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
    Armament None
    Complement 123 Civilian, 47 Navy
    Propulsion one diesel engine, 11,520 brake horsepower, single propeller
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    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    RFA Stromness (A-344)
    Sirius 138k RFA Stromness (A-344) ships crest. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Saturn 82k Launching of RFA Stromness (A-344), 1 September 1966, at Swan, Hunter and Wingham, UK., Note her stack has not yet been installed. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius, courtesy RFA Association, Plymouth & District Branch, The Mortimore Gallery
    Saturn 75k RFA Stromness (A-344) underway, date and location unknown. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius, courtesy RFA Association, Plymouth & District Branch, The Mortimore Gallery
    Saturn 103k RFA Stromness (A-344) underway, date and location unknown. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius, courtesy RFA Association, Plymouth & District Branch, The Mortimore Gallery
    Saturn 120k Overhead view of RFA Stromness (A-344) underway, date and location unknown. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius, courtesy RFA Association, Plymouth & District Branch, The Mortimore Gallery
    USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10)
    Saturn 67k USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) underway, circa 1983. This photo was taken prior to her completed turn over by the Royal Navy to the US Navy. Note she is still painted Royal Navy light gray vs. US Navy gray, yet she has her MSC stripes displayed on her stack. Also missing is the Comm van that would be temporarily installed atop the signal bridge until she received her complete AFS conversion.
    US Navy photo    		 Photo by T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Saturn 139k USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 MSC web site
    Spica 448k USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) and USNS Spica (T-AF-9) steaming side by side during turnover, 14 February 2007, in the Red Sea. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret USNS Sirius
    Sirius 71k USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) moored outboard of USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) while at Malaga, Spain circa 1984-85.
    US Navy photo    		 Photo by T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 99k USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) and USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) moored together at Toulon, France, 4 April 1990. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius with permission from Hans Rosenkranz, SW Germany.
    Saturn 113k USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) reduces speed and comes alongside USS Santa Barbara (AE 28) for an underway replenishment (UNREP). USNS Saturn and USS Santa Barbara were deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch when this photo was taken.
    US Navy photo # 980522-N-4541B-001 by PH2 Gloria J. Barry.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Saturn 86k USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) breaks away from USS Santa Barbara (AE 28) after an underway replenishment (UNREP). USNS Saturn and USS Santa Barbara were deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch when this photo was taken.
    US Navy photo # 980522-N-4541B-009 by PH2 Gloria J. Barry.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Saturn 75k An SH-60 "Seahawk" from the "Red Lions" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron One Five (HS-15) transfers cargo during a vertical replenishment at sea (VERTREP) from USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) to USS George Washington (CVN 73) while underway in the Mediterranean Sea, 15 November 2000.
    US Navy photo # 001115-N-9132D-001 by PH3 Glenn Dennis.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Saturn 361k Loaded with cargo, a CH-46 "Sea Knight" lifts off the deck of USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10). Saturn and its aviation detachment from Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Eight (HC-8) "Dragon Whales" conducted a vertical replenishment with the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) (not shown). The ships are deployed and conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
    US Navy photo # 020209-N-1587C-079 At sea with USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Feb 9, 2002 by PH3 Alta I. Cutler.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Saturn 129k USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) moored pierside at Norfolk, VA., 10 April 2006 TJ Tropea, courtesy Marc Piché of Verchères, Québec, Canada
    Supply 759k USNS Supply (T-AOE-6) and USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) moored at the NATO pier, Augusta Bay, Sicily, 19 May 2006. Photo by Primo Acireale
    Saturn 713k USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) moored at the NATO pier, Augusta Bay, Sicily, 19 May 2006. Photo by Primo Acireale
    Saturn 169k Commandant Awalo, a Djiboutian Navy Sailor, watches as USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) makes her way into the port of Djibouti to take on fuel and supplies, 15 July 2006.
    US Navy photo # 060715-N-0411D-019 from Navy mil.com. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Roger S. Duncan.    		 Lee Wahler
    Saturn 136k Sailors on the port side elevator of USS Iwo Jima (LPD-7) move stores during a vertical replenishment (VERTREP) with USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) while in the Gulf of Aden, 29 August 2006.
    US Navy photo # 060829-N-4856C-019 from Navy mil.com. Photo by MCSN Christopher L. Clark.    		 Lee Wahler
    Saturn 1156k Series of three photos showing USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) inbound from sea while enroute to Norfolk, VA., 23 May 2007. The third photo includes the outbound merchantman MV Maersk Mandraki.
    Photos by Magogman of Ohio & Vermont, United States.    		 TJ Tropea
    Saturn 1340k
    Saturn 1384k
    Saturn 360k USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) rides at anchor at Bahia Malaga, Columbia, 27 August 2007 as an MH-60S Seahawk, from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, prepares to transport cargo from USNS Saturn to the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). Comfort is on a four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean providing medical treatment to patients in a dozen countries.
    US Navy photo # 070827-N-8704K-053 BAHIA MALAGA, Colombia (Aug. 27, 2007) from Navy mil.com. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Karsten.    		 Lee Wahler
    Saturn 189k Starboard stern quarter view of USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) moored at Balboa, Panama, date unknown. TJ Tropea, courtesy Captain Pete, Sicilia, Italy
    Saturn 322k Stern view of USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) moored at Balboa, Panama, date unknown. TJ Tropea, courtesy Captain Pete, Sicilia, Italy
    Saturn 1024k USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) moored at Naval Station Norfolk, VA., circa April 2008. Photo by Larry Backus
    Saturn 32k USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) Air Det patch T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Re
    There is no DANFS history available for USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Navy Fact File - Combat Stores Ships - T-AFS
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Combat Stores Ship (AFS) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 18 September 2009