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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Aurelia (AKA-23)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Uniform - Foxtrot
 NTUF
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 (1)
Bottom Row- World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Artemis Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 5 February 1941, as a Maritime Commission type (S4-SE2-BE1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 1884), at Welsh-Kaiser Co., Providence, R.I.
  • Launched, 4 July 1944
  • Delivered to the War Shipping Administration, 14 October 1944
  • Commissioned USS Aurelia (AKA-23), 14 October 1944, LCDR. E. G. MacMurdy in command
  • During World War II USS Aurelia was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 14 April 1945

  • Following World War II USS Aurelia was assigned to Occupation service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    21 to 28 October 1945
    15 to 31 December 1945

  • Decommissioned, 14 March 1946 at Orange TX. and transferred to the Maritime Commission
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 19 June 1946
  • Laid up, 1 July 1946, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, AL.
  • Final Disposition, sold for non transportation use (scrapping) 10 January 1972, to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., delivered 21 March 1972
  • USS Aurelia earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,087 t.(lt) 7,080 t.(fl)
    Length 426'
    Beam 58'
    Draft 16' 9"
    Speed 16.9 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 27
    Enlisted 276
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal. dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    ten single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
    Cargo Capacity non-refrigerated 110,000 Cu ft. 980 DWT
    Boats
    one LCP(L)
    twelve LCVPs
    two LCMs
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 27
    Enlisted 276
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,540 Bbls
    Diesel 365 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Westinghouse turbo-electric engines
    two Wickes boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ship's Service Generators
    two 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    one 150Kw 450V A.C.
    two 250Kw 450V A.C.
    twin propellers, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Aurelia 68k USS Aurelia (AKA-23)underway off the East Coast of the United States, 24 October 1944.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-289732, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
    Vol. 1 A, pg. 487
    USS Aurelia (AKA-23)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Cargo Ship (AKA) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 23 September 2011