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

AKA-53 Achernar

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Foxtrot - November
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - June 1944, 2 April 1945) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2)
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korea Service Medal (3) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Memorial Medal
Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (5 KIA, 41WIA, 02APR-45)

USS Achernar (AKA-53) was transferred to Spain and renamed Castilla (TA-21)
Andromeda Class Attack Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 6 September 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1), under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 208), at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co, Kearney, N.J.
  • Launched, 3 December 1943
  • Commissioned USS Achernar (AKA-53), 31 January 1944, CDR. H. R. Stevens in command
  • During World War II Achernar (AKA-53) participated in the following campaigns:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy;
    6 to 11June 1944
    22 to 25 June 1944    		 Invasion of Southern France;
    15 to 16 August 1944
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation;
    1 to 19 April 1945    		 .

  • Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) in 1946
  • Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949
  • During the Korean War Achernar (AKA-53) participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    North Korean Aggression;
    18 September to 30 October 1950    		 Inchon Landing;
    13 to 17 September 1950
    Communist China Aggression;
    14 to 18 November 1950

  • Decommissioned, 18 May 1956
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange, TX.
  • Recommissioned, 1 September 1961, at New Orleans, LA.
  • Decommissioned, 1 July 1963
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Reacquired by the Navy, 29 January 1964
  • Struck from the US Naval Register, and transferred (sold) under terms of the Mutual Assistance Program, to Spain, 2 February 1965
  • Commissioned into the Spanish navy as Castilla (TA-21)
  • Decommissioned by the Spanish navy to reserve in 1980
  • Name assigned to ex Paul Revere (LPA-248)
  • Struck from the Spanish Navy List, 1 January 1982
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1987.
  • Achernar earned three battle stars for World War II service and three battle stars for Korean War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 13,900 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 247
    Capacity 4,450 dwt cargo
    Armament
    one 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four twin 40mm gun mounts
    eighteen single 20mm gun mounts
    Boats
    8 LCMs
    1 LCP(L)
    15 LCVPs
    Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source /
    Contributed By
    USS Achernar (AKA-53)
    Achernar 48k Achernar (AKA-53) underway, date and place unknown. Russ Padden
    Achernar 135k Achernar (AKA-53) moored pierside, date and place unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in World War II web site
    Achernar 104k Achernar (AKA-53) underway in the Mediterranean Sea, 1952. George Panos, QMS/2C USS Baltimore (CA-68)
    Castilla (TA-21)
    Achernar 81k Ex-Achernar (AKA-53), in Spanish service as Castilla (TA-21). Along with Aragón (TA-11), ex-Noble (APA 218), she was the mainstay of the Spanish Navy Amphibious Force until one LSD and three LSTs joined the Fleet in the early 70s © Camil Busquets
    Achernar 40k Castilla (TA-21) moored pierside, circa 1966, location unknown. Official Spanish Navy photo. Robert Hurst
    Achernar 63k Castilla (TA-21) berthed at Cadiz, Spain, September 1968. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Noble/Achernar 21k Castilla (TA-21) (ex-Achernar (AKA-53) and Aragón (TA-11) (ex-Noble (APA-218) at the end of their Spanish service moored at Arsenal De La Carraca, Cadiz, Spain, awaiting disposal, September 1981. Photo by Ignacio Lopez
    ex member Armada Espanola
    View the Achernar (AKA-53)
    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 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 27 July 2007