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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 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 Navy, 16 April 1941
  • Commissioned USS Fomalhaut (AK-22), 2 March 1942, CDR. J. D. Alvis in command
  • During World War II 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 June 1944
    Capture and defense of Guadalcanal
    23 August 1942     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 11 May 1945
    Consolidation of Solomon Islands
    Consolidation of southern Solomons. 8 February to 20 June 1943     		.

  • Reclassified Attack Cargo Ship (AKA-5), 1 February 1943
  • Modified to an underway ammunition replenishment ship and redesignated (AK-22)
  • 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)
  • 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 Medals, Baltimore, MD.
    Delivered to Boston Metals, 5 May 1970
    Resold, 17 November 1970, to Hierros Ardes S.A., for scrapping in Spain
  • Fomalhaut received five battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,480 t (lt) 14,225 t. (fl)
    Length 459' 3"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 20' 1"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 267
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsion unknown
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed/Source
    By
    USS Fomalhaut (AK-22)
    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 (AK-22) 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 7550k 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
    View the USS Fomalhaut (AKA-5)
    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
    "AE" Sailors Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 21 March 2008