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

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Algol (LKA-54)
ex
USS Algol (AKA-54) (1944 - 1969)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Hotel - Foxtrot NHHF

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia or Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (5)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Fifth Row - Philippines Liberation Medal (1) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Andromeda Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 10 December 1942, as SS James Barnes, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1153), at Moore Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.

Launched, 17 February 1943

Renamed Algol, 30 August 1943

Placed in reduced commission, 27 November 1943, for transit to Willamette Shipyard, Portland, OR. for completion as an Attack Cargo Ship

Placed in full commission as USS Algol (AKA-54), 21 July 1944, LCDR. Axton T. Jones, USNR, in command

During WWII USS Algol was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
TransRon Thirteen, COMO. M.O. Carlson USN (16);
TransDiv Thirty-Nine, CAPT. G.E. Maynard and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landing, 11 to 15 January 1945	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 10 April 1945

USS Algol was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East as well as Occupation service in Europe for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
Asia-8 September to 20 November 1945	8 September to 20 November 1945
Asia-23 March to 5 April 1947	23 March to 5 April 1947
	28 April to 5 May 1951
Europe-16 September 1949 to 18 January 1950

During the Korean War USS Algol participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
North Korean Aggression 20 September to 1 November 1950	Communist China Spring Offensive 9 to 14 May 1951
Communist China Aggression 15 November to 19 January 1951	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 9 to 13 May 1952 9 to 13 August 1952
First UN Counteroffensive 23 February to 27 March 1951

Decommissioned, 2 January 1958

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton, WA. Group

Recommissioned, 17 November 1961, at the Northwest Marine Iron Works at Portland, OR., CAPT. F. L. Edwards in command

Redesignated Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA-54), 1 January 1969

Decommissioned, 27 October 1969, at NAB Little Creek, VA.

Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1977

USS Algol earned two battle stars for World War II service and five battle stars for Korean War service

Final Disposition, Removed from the Maritime Administration's James River Reserve Fleet and towed to Eagle Island Marine, Willmington, N.C. where she was prepared to become part of the New Jersey Shark River Artificial Reef. Ex-Algol was sunk on, 22 November 1991

Specifications:
Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 14,225 t.(fl)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 26' 5" (lim)
Speed 16 kts.

Complement

Officers 66

Enlisted 363

Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.

Cargo Capacity 4,444Cu. ft. non-refrigerated
Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts

Boats

8 LCMs

1 LCP(L)

15 LCVPs

Fuel Oil Capacity NSFO 19,900Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric steam turbine

two Foster and Wheeler D-type boilers 450psi 750°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gears

three turbo-drive Ships Service Generators 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.

single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	1296k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway off the coast of southern California, 22 September 1944. US Navy photo taken from a Santa Ana based Blimp Squadron (ZP-31) Airship by ENS. Borg.	David Buell
/ 100205417	555k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor off Willamette Shipyard Portland, OR., 22 October 1944, while preparing to get underway. Her camouflage scheme is measure 32/8T. U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo # 19-N-69873, a U.S Navy photo now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.	Nicholas Tiberio
/ 100205419	530k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** undeway off the coast of Oregon, 22 October 1944. U.S. Navy BUAER photo # 280524 now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.	Nicholas Tiberio
/ 100205422	534k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor off Willamette Shipyard Portland, OR., 8 Decemberr 1944, while preparing to get underway. Her camouflage scheme is measure 32/8T. U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo # 19-N-69884, a U.S Navy photo now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.	Nicholas Tiberio
/ 100205420 19-N-699888	708k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway on the Willamette River near Portland, OR., 8 December 1944 U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo #'s 19-N-699888, 19-N-699881 and 19-N-699873, U.S Navy photos now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.	Nicholas Tiberio
/ 100205421 19-N-699881	643k		Nicholas Tiberio
/ 100205423	338k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** entering San Francisco Bay in 1947. She moved to Mare Island for repairs from 23 May 1947 to 7 June 1947 (drydocked from 28 May until 6 June) and for inactivation overhaul from 25 November 1947 to 26 May 1948 (drydocked twice 1 December 1947 to 13 January 1948 and again from 5 April to 16 April 1948). U.S Navy photo from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.	Darryl Baker
	147k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)*, moored pierside at Norfolk, VA., 30 March 1950. The tug Alamingo* (YTB-227) is underway in the foreground. US Navy photo	.
	33k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** with ex-USS LSM-355 in French service as *L 9011* alongside in Indo-China waters as they transfer anti-Communist refugees US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine December 1954	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	46k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor circa 1960, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	84k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964	© Richard Leonhardt
	73k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964	© Richard Leonhardt
	85k	USS Algol (AKA-54) underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964	© Richard Leonhardt
	114k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54) underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964. Photo taken from USS Muliphen (AKA-61)**	© Richard Leonhardt
	46k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
	51k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
	42k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
	44k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
	44k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Fort Eustis, VA., date unknown.	Rich Galiano
	31k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** at Eagle Island Marine, Wilmington, N.C. being prepared for sinking as part of the Shark River Artificial Reel off the Coast of New Jersey, circa, November 1991	Rich Galiano
	114k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** ready for sinking as part of the Shark River Artificial Reef off the coast of New Jersey, 22 November 1991. Photo ©Herb Segars.	Rich Galiano
	28k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** ready for sinking as part of the Shark River Artificial Reef off the coast of New Jersey, 22 November 1991.	Rich Galiano

For more photos and information about USS Algol see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
USS Algol (AKA-54) Tribute Web Site
MARAD Vessel History Database

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Jones, Axton Turner, USNR	21 July 1944 - 30 November 1945
02	LCDR Lambert, David, USN (USNA 1933) :RADM	30 November 1945 - November 1946
04	CAPT. Heath, George Lucius, USN (USNA 1927) :RADM	April 1948 - April 1949
05	CAPT. Edwards, John Allen, USN (USNA 1927)	April 1949 - April 1951
06	CAPT. Luongo Jr., Frank Paul, USN (USNA 1933)	April 1951 - August 1952
07	CAPT. Conner, Ray Russell, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM	August 1952 - July 1953
08	CAPT. Hawkins, David Delos, USN (USNA 1930)	July 1953 - October 1954
09	CAPT. Freeman, Ross Edmondston, USN (USNA 1935)	June 1957 - 6 September 1957
	Decommissioned	2 January 1958 - 17 November 1961
10	CAPT. Edwards Jr., Frederick Lee, USN	17 November 1961 - 8 May 1963
11	LCDR. Abstetar, Stanley, USNR	8 May 1963 - 1964
12	CAPT. Randolph, John Brants, USN	1964 - 19 July 1965
13	CAPT. Sallenger, Asbury Hillard, USN	19 July 1965 - 23 September 1966
14	CAPT. Sudduth, Roy Martin, USN	23 September 1966 - 31 October 1967
15	CAPT. Hardy, Willis Allen, USN	31 October 1967 - 25 January 1969
16	CAPT. Reilly Jr., Jeremiah Daniel, USN (USNA 1947)	25 January 1969 - 27 October 1969


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo

Crew Contact And Reunion Information on the Web
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

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 9 February 2024

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Algol (LKA-54)ex USS Algol (AKA-54) (1944 - 1969)

USS Algol (LKA-54)
ex
USS Algol (AKA-54) (1944 - 1969)