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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Fomalhaut (AE-20)
ex
 USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) (1943 - 1948)
 USS Fomalhaut (AK-22) (1942 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Delta - Lima
 NBDL
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Liberation Medal
Fomalhaut Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as SS Cape Lookout a Maritime Commission type (C1-A) under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull # 138) at Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc., Beaumont, TX.
  • Launched, 25 January 1941
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 16 April 1941
  • Commissioned USS Fomalhaut (AK-22), 2 March 1942, CDR. J. D. Alvis in command
  • During World War II USS Fomalhaut was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings
    7 to 9 August 1942     		Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 16 to 24 June 1944
    Capture and defense of Guadalcanal
    23 August, 5 September, 2 October, 30 November and 27 December 1942     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 24 March to 30 June 1945
    5th and 3rd Fleet operations in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 11 May to 1 June 1945
    Consolidation of Solomon Islands
    Consolidation of southern Solomons. 20 June 1943     		 

  • Reclassified Attack Cargo Ship (AKA-5), 1 February 1943
  • Modified to an underway ammunition replenishment ship and redesignated (AK-22)
  • Following World War II USS Fomalhaut (AK-22) was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 21 September to 8 December 1945
  • Decommissioned, 25 June 1946, and laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia Group
  • Reclassified Ammunition Ship, (AE-20), 27 December 1948
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS Fomalhaut earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 19 June 1961, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet Hudson River Group
  • Final Disposition
    • Sold for scrapping, 15 April 1970, to Boston Metals, Baltimore, MD.
    Delivered to Boston Metals, 5 May 1970
    Resold, 17 November 1970, to Hierros Ardes S.A., for scrapping in Spain
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,480 t (lt) 11,000 t. (fl)
    Length 412' 3"
    Beam 61'
    Draft 23' 7"
    Speed 14.8 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 23
    Enlisted 260
    Cargo Capacity 4,500 DWT
    refrigerated 12,368 Cu ft
    non-refrigerated 253,622 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 9,345 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Nordberg Diesel TSM engine unknown
    single Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    two Diesel-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller, 4,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed/Source
    By
    USS Fomalhaut (AK-22)
    Fomalhaut
    100200509    		 65k
    Namesake
    Fomalhaut, also called Alpha Piscis Austrini, the 18th star (excluding the Sun) in order of apparent brightness. It is used in navigation because of its conspicuous place in a sky region otherwise lacking in bright stars. It lies in the southern constellation Piscis Austrinus, 25 light-years from Earth. A white star, it has an apparent magnitude of 1.16.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Fomalhaut 60k USS Fomalhaut (AK-22) probably at Navy Yard Charleston, SC. while outfitting in March 1942.
    A US Navy photo from the collections of the US National Archives located on the ship' scribe web site    		 Louis "Skip" Sander
    Fomalhaut 58k USS Fomalhaut (AK-22) probably at Navy Yard Charleston, SC. while outfitting in March 1942.
    A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives located on the ship' scribe web site.    		 Louis "Skip" Sander
    Fomalhaut 83k USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) underway, 20 October 1944 off New York after completing an overhaul there. Photo taken by an aircraft from the NAS Brooklyn, New York.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-285487, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret..
    Fomalhaut 107k USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) underway, 20 October 1944 off New York after completing an overhaul there. Photo taken by an aircraft from the NAS Brooklyn, New York.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-285486, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives located on the ship' scribe web site    		 Lou "Skip" Sander
    Fomalhaut 70k USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) underway off Norfolk Navy Yard, 24 November 1944, after being modified there to carry and transfer ammunition.. Her camouflage is Measure 32 Design 8T. .
    Fomalhaut 70k Starboard bow view of USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) underway off Norfolk Navy Yard, 24 November 1944, after being modified there to carry and transfer ammunition.. Her camouflage is Measure 32 Design 8T.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-96742, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives located on the ship' scribe web site    		 Lou "Skip" Sander
    Fomalhaut 50k Broadside view of USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) underway off Norfolk Navy Yard, 24 November 1944, after being modified there to carry and transfer ammunition.. Her camouflage is Measure 32 Design 8T.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-96743, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives located on the ship' scribe web site    		 Lou "Skip" Sander
    Fomalhaut 75k Starboard quarter view of USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) underway off Norfolk Navy Yard, 24 November 1944, after being modified there to carry and transfer ammunition.. Her camouflage is Measure 32 Design 8T.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-96743, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives located on the ship' scribe web site    		 Lou "Skip" Sander
    BB-44 California 138k Reserve Fleet Basin, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania. Photographed on 19 May 1955 with numerous cruisers, escort carriers, and auxiliaries in reserve. The nearest ship is the never-completed
    Hawaii (CB-3), which lacks her previously-installed three 12" gun turrets.
    The cruisers outboard of Hawaii are (in unknown order)
    Honolulu (CL-48),
    Columbia (CL-56),
    Denver (CL-58),
    Galveston (CL-93), and
    Portsmouth (CL-102).
    To their left are
    Tranquility (AH-14),
    Sanctuary (AH-17), and
    Pocono (AGC-16).
    Behind Hawaii (from left to right) are
    Montpelier (CL-57),
    Houston (CL-81),
    Huntington (CL-107),
    Savannah (CL-42),
    Cleveland (CL-55), and
    Wilkes-Barre (CL-103).
    Beyond them (from left to right) are
    Wichita (CA-45),
    Oregon City (CA-122),
    Chester (CA-27), and
    New Orleans (CA-32).
    The cruisers on the left side of the basin (from front to rear) are
    Minneapolis (CA-36),
    Tuscaloosa (CA-37),
    San Francisco (CA-38),
    Augusta (CA-31),
    Louisville (CA-28), and
    Portland (CA-33).
    Among the other ships in reserve in the basin are
    Fomalhaut (AE-20),
    Webster (ARV-2),
    Albemarle (AV-5),
    Tangier (AV-8),
    Pocomoke (AV-9),
    Chandeleur (AV-10),
    Abatan (AW-4),
    Mission San Carlos (AO-120),
    Prince William (CVE-31),
    Anzio (CVE-57),
    Block Island (CVE-106),
    Palau (CVE-122), and
    San Carlos (AVP-51).
    Moored in the shipyard at the extreme left are
    Tennessee (BB-43),
    California (BB-44), and
    Cabot (CVL-28).
    US Navy Photo # 80-G-668655, now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Fomalhaut (AK-22 / AKA-5 / AE-20)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Alvis, John D.2 March 1942 - May 1943
    02CDR. Weaver, Paul Leicester Ford :RADMMay 1943 - March 1944
    03CDR. Flanagan, Henry ClintonWW II
    04CDR. Printup, Carter AlstonWW II
    05CAPT. Mullany, R. V.WW II
    06CAPT. Doolin Sr., Edward Hamiltonno dates
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Fomalhaut (AK-22) War Diary 1 April 1942 to 31 January 1943
    USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5) War Diary 1 February 1943 to 31 October 1945
    AE/AOE Sailors Association
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 14 August 2020