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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN Ret.

USS Libra (LKA-12)
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USS Libra (AKA-12) (1943 - 1969)
USS Libra (AK-53) (1942 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Quebec - Whiskey
 NAQW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (9) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Arcturus Class Cargo Ship
  • Laid down as MV Jean Lykes a Maritime Commissions type (C2-F) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 130) at Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. Kearny, N.J. for Lykes Bros. Steamship Co.
  • Launched, 12 November 1941
  • Acquired by the Navy, 30 December 1941
  • Commissioned USS Libra (AK-53), 13 May 1942, CDR. W. B. Fletcher USN in command
  • During WWII USS Libra was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    TransRon Eleven, COMO. D.W. Loomis USN (18);
    TransDiv Thirty-Two, CAPT. C.W. Weitzel and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings, 7 to 9 August 1942 New Georgia Group operation
    New Georgia-Rendova-Vangunu occupation, 30 June 1944
    Capture and defense of Guadalcanal, 11 to 12 November 1942 Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 to 25 July 1944
    Guadalcanal (Third Savo), 12 to 15 November 1942 Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 11 January 1945
    Consolidation of Solomon Islands
    Consolidation of souther Solomon Islands, 7 April 1943     		Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 6 March 1945
    Treasury-Bougainville operation
    Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina, 1 and 8 to 9 November 1943     		 

  • Reclassified Attack Cargo Ship (AKA-12), 1 February 1943
  • Following World War II USS Libra was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    2 September to 17 October 1945
    5 to 22 November 1945

  • Decommissioned 19 April 1948, for lay up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Boston Group
  • Recommissioned, 28 August 1950
  • Decommissioned, 6 October 1955, at Charleston S.C., for lay up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Charleston Group
  • Custody transferred, 1 June 1960 to the Maritime Administration and reassigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Withdrawn from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 23 August 1962, by US Navy for testing activation methods, returned to the Reserve Fleet, circa 10 September 1963
  • Redesignated Amphibious Transport (LKA-12), 1 January 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1977
  • USS Libra earned nine battle stars for World War II service
  • Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 20 January 1984, by US Navy for stripping, returned, 31 July 1984
  • Final Disposition, sold as scrap, 17 April 1985, to Andover Shipping Co.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,185 t.(lt) 14,225 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 5" (lim)
    Speed 15.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 49
    Enlisted 445
    Largest Boom Capacity 40 t.
    Cargo Capacity
    Non-refrigerated 364,038 Cu ft
    Refrigerated 7,280 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Boats
    one LCP(L)
    eight LCM(3)
    sixteen LCVP
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 10,670 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbine
    two Foster and Wheeler D-type boilers, 465psi 765°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gear
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 250Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two Diesel 60Kw 120V/240V. D. C.
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Libra (AK-53)
    Libra 134k USS Libra (AK-53) working cargo in the port of Wellington, N.Z, in July 1942 while preparing for the upcoming Guadalcanal campaign, in September 1942.
    US National Archives photo    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Libra 101k USS Libra (AK-53) working cargo at the Aotea Quay in the port of Wellington, N.Z, in July 1942 while preparing for the upcoming Guadalcanal campaign, in September 1942.
    US National Archives photo    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus>
    Libra 125k USS Libra (AK-53) working cargo at the Aotea Quay in the port of Wellington, N.Z, in July 1942 while preparing for the upcoming Guadalcanal campaign, in September 1942.
    US National Archives photo    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Libra
    100201217    		 160k USS Libra (AK-53) working cargo at the Aotea Quay in the port of Wellington, N.Z, 12-13 in July 1942 while preparing for the upcoming Guadalcanal campaign, in September 1942. Libra is berthed aft of USS Barnett (AP-11)
    Photo from the Museum Of Wellington. Used for non-commercial and educational purpose.    		 John Chiquione
    USS Libra (AKA-12)
    Libra
    100201213
    BS136168    		 314k Views of USS Libra (AKA-12) main deck with boats loaded aboard, date and loction unknown
    U.S. Naval Shipyard photo #'s NY4-146-51A, BS136168, BS136168, BS136168, and BS136168,    		 MARAD
    Libra
    100201214
    BS136169    		 278k
    Libra
    100201215
    BS136170    		 303k
    Libra
    100201216
    BS136171    		 412k
    Libra
    100201212    		 530k USS Libra (AKA-12) at U.S. Naval Drydocks Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA., 5 October 1944.
    U.S. Naval Drydocks Hunters Point photo    		 Nicholas Tiberio
    Libra 135k Forward plan view of USS Libra (AKA-12) at Mare Island, 12 December 1946. Libra was under repairs at the yard from 11 October to 13 December 1946. The stern of either USS Buck (DD-761) or USS Alfred A. Cunningham (DD-752) is visible forward of Libra.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3976-46.    		 Darryl Baker
    Libra 67k Bow on view of USS Libra (AKA-12) at Mare Island, 12 December 1946. The tug Awatobi (YTB 264) is alongside.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3997-46.    		 Darryl Baker
    Libra 55k Stern view of USS Libra (AKA-12) off Mare Island, 12 December 1946.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 3998-46.    		 Darryl Baker
    Libra 35k Broadside view of USS Libra (AKA-12) off Mare Island, 12 December 1946.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4001-46.    		 Darryl Baker
    Libra 139k USS Libra (AKA-12) being prepared for decommissioning ca. 1947, with mothball cocoon covers being installed on deck guns at Boston Navy Yard.
    Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection    		 Mike Green
    Libra 87k USS Libra (AKA-12), underway in Hampton Roads, VA. 11 August 1952. Photo by PH3 W.T. Sanders, of Fleet Camera Party 11.
    US Navy photo # NH 97856 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Adirondack 53k The bow of USS Libra (AKA-12) is visible to the starboard of USS Galilea (AKN-6) which is moored to the starboard side of USS Adirondack (AGC-15) in the James River Reserve Fleet, 27 May 1962. The stern of Galilea shows the condition of the ship when her conversion from LSV to AKN was canceled incomplete in December 1946. Libra and a few other early AKAs can be recognized by the heavy central kingposts added to the goalpost masts forward and aft of the bridge.
    US Navy photo # NH 66856 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia. Ted Stone Collection    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Libra (AKA-12)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Fletcher Jr., William Bartlett, USN (USNA 1920 :RADM13 May 1942 - 2 July 1943
    02CDR. Ferris, Floyd Franklin, USN (USNA 1921-B)2 July 1943 - 31 July 1944
    03CDR. McCormick, George William, USNR31 July 1944 - 20 August 1945
    04LCDR. Smith Jr., Philip Monroe, USNR20 August 1945 - 21 January 1946
    05CAPT. Frank Jr., Nickolas John F., USN (USNA 1929)21 January 1946 - ?
     Decommissioned19 April 1946 - 28 August 1950
    06CAPT. McCullough Jr., Montgomery Lientz, USN~1954
    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 Libera (AK-52) War Diary, 1942-1943
    USS Libera (AKA-12) War Diary / History and Action Reports, 1942-1945
    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 July 2023