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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AKA / LKA-56 Arneb


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Hotel - Hotel
NHHH
Tactical Voice Radio Call "Snowball Uncle"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Antarctic Service Medal (11) - Armed Forces Expansionary Medal (1-Dominican Republic) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Andromeda Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down as SS Mischief, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1159), at Moore Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 6 July 1943
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 16 November 1943
  • Towed to Portland OR. for conversion to an Attack Cargo Ship
  • Commissioned USS Arneb (AKA-56), 28 April 1944, at Willamette Iron and Steel Co. Portland OR., CDR. Howard R. Shaw in command
  • During WWII Arneb was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 17to 23 September 1944     		Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 18 January 1945
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 20 October and 23 to 24 November 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April 1945

  • Decommissioned, 16 March 1948, at Philadelphia, PA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 19 March 1949
  • Redesignated (LKA-56), 1 January 1969
  • Decommissioned, 12 August 1971 at Norfolk, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 August 1971
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold, 1 March 1973, for scrapping to Andy International, Houston, TX.
  • Arneb received four battle stars for her World War II service and a Meritorious Unit Commendation for the recovery mission for Apollo 7
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 13,900 t.(fl)
    Length 459' 2"
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 4"
    Speed 16 kts.
    Complement 247
    Cargo Capacity 4,450 dwt
    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
    Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By / Source
    Arneb 360k Amidships looking aft plan view of Arneb (AKA-56) at Mare Island, 7 February 1946.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 556-46, 2/7/46    		 Darryl Baker
    Arneb 300k Forward plan view of Arneb (AKA-56) at Mare Island, 7 February 1946. Haven (AH-12) is seen at left.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 557-46, 2/7/46    		 Darryl Baker
    Arneb 14k Arneb (AKA-56) underway, circa 1951, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Arneb 74k Arneb (AKA-56) moored to the ice shelf at Kainan Bay, Antarctic as an LCM pushes Greenville Victory (T-AK-237) into position to refuel Arneb during "Operation Deepfreeze II", in 1957.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1962    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Arneb 44k Arneb (AKA-56) unloading supplies at Hallet during "Operation Deepfreeze II". USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282) in the background.
    US Navy photo    		 Jim Hager
    Arneb 37k Arneb (AKA-56) listing to port in order to repair ice damage to her hull, during "Operation Deepfreeze II", 1957. Note the "mike boat" (LCM) lowered over the port side to increase the list.
    US Navy photo    		 Jim Hager
    Arneb 42k Arneb (AKA-56) listing to port in order to repair ice damage to her hull, during "Operation Deepfreeze II", 1957.
    US Navy photo    		 Jim Hager
    Arneb 20k Arneb (AKA-56) listing to port in order to repair ice damage to her hull, during "Operation Deepfreeze II", 1957.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Arneb 18k Arneb (AKA-56) and USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282) in the pack ice during "Operation Deepfreeze II", 1957
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Arneb 37k Arneb (AKA-56) and USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282) trapped between bay ice and land ice after a storm New Year's eve 1956.
    US Navy photo    		 Jim Hager
    Arneb 82k Arneb (AKA-56), during "Operation Deepfreeze 1962-63 Kenneth C Uhlir SM2 USS Arneb
    Arneb 139k Arneb (AKA-56) underway in the Antarctic icepack during "Operation Deepfreeze", in 1962-63.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1962    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Arneb 86k Arneb (AKA-56) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1963    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Arneb 278k Arneb (AKA-56) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 David Buell
    Arneb 39k Arneb (AKA-56), 10 December 1969, off loading stores at Little America 1960-61
    US Navy photo # 1046469    		 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. 1, pg. 394
    View the Arneb (AKA/LKA-56)
    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
    Carl R. Friberg Jr.'s Arneb Page
    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 8 February 2008