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: Amphibious Photo Archive

AK-19 / AKA-2 Procyon

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Arcturus Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 January 1940, as SS Sweepstakes, a Maritime Commission type (C2F) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 22) at Tampa Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Tampa, FL.
  • Acquired by the Navy and Launched, 14 November 1940
  • Commissioned USS Procyon (AK-19), 8 August 1941, CDR. Lem P. Padgett, Jr., in command
  • During World War II Procyon was assigned to both the European Theater and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    North African occupation
    Algeria-Morocco landings, 8 November 1942     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, April 1945
    Sicilian occupation, July 1943 .
    Salerno landings, September 1943 .
    Invasion of Southern France
    Golfe de St. Tropez landing, 15 August 1944     		.

  • Converted to an Attack Cargo Ship at Norfolk, VA.
  • Redesignated (AKA-2), 1 February 1943
  • Decommissioned, 23 March 1946, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 April 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1973
  • Procyon earned five battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,480 t. (lt) 14,225 t. (fl.)
    Length 459' 3"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 25' 6"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement 267
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    eight single 40 mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Procyon (AK-19)
    Procyon 87k Stern view of Procyon (AK-19) off Mare Island Navy Yard, 7 November 1941.
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 2972-11-41, 11/7/41.    		 Darryl Baker
    Procyon 80k Aft starboard quarter view of Procyon (AK-19) departing Mare, 11 August 1942. Procyon was under repair at Mare Island from 4 July to 11 August 1942.
    Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 4763-8-42, 8/11/42.    		 Darryl Baker
    USS Procyon (AKA-2)
    Procyon 56k Overhead view of Procyon (AKA-2) at anchor, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in World War II
    Procyon 30k Procyon (AKA-2) at anchor, 10 May 1943, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Lou Sander
    View the Procyon (AK-19 / AKA-2)
    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 Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) 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 18 May 2007