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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Satyr (ARL-23)
ex
 USS LST-852 (1944)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Mike - Oscar
 NDMO
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Presidential Unit Citation - Navy Unit Citation (4)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (2) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (3)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korean War Service Medal

USS Satyr (ARL-23) was transferred to South Vietnam, renamed RVNS Vinh Long (HQ-802), transferred to the Philippines; renamed BRP Yakal (AR-617)
Achelous Class Landing Craft Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 16 August 1944, as LST-852 at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca IL.
  • Launched, 13 November 1944
  • Placed in reduced commission as USS LST-852, 27 November 1944, LT. William. J. Gavigan, USNR, in command
  • Decommissioned, 28 December 1944, at Jacksonville FL., for conversion to a Landing Craft Repair Ship
  • Recommissioned USS Satyr (ARL-23), 28 April 1945
  • During World War II USS Satyr (ARL-23) 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, from 2 April to 5 May 1945

  • Following World War II USS Saytr (ARL-23) was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    September 1945 to 11 April 194616 April to 5 July 1946
    8 to 10 July 1946 

  • Decommissioned, 1 August 1947, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 23 October 1950
  • During the Korean War USS Satyr (ARL-23) operated in the Korean War zone from 7 to 14 December 1951, 21 September 1953 to 16 March 1954 and from 31 March to 5 April 1954, participating in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    29 April to 8 July 1951     		UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    9 to 16 July 1951

  • Decommissioned, 17 April 1956, at San Diego
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 15 February 1968, at US Naval Support Activity, Algiers LA.
  • During the Vietnam War USS Satyr (ARL-23) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase V
    8 July to 1 November1968     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    1 June to 30 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase VI
    2 November 1968 to 22 February 1969     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase VII
    1 July to 28 September 1970
    14 December to 31 December 1970
    14 April to 30 June 1971
    Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    23 February to 27 April 1969     		Consolidation I
    1 July to 30 September 1971
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969,
    12 June 1969     		.

  • Decommissioned, 30 September 1971, at Long Xuyen South Vietnam
  • Transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy and renamed RVNS Vinh Long (HQ-802)
  • Placed in the custody of the Philippines government in 1975 with the fall of the South Vietnamese government
  • Renamed BRP Yakal (AR-617), date unknown
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 2004
  • USS Satyr (ARL-23) earned two battle stars for Korean War service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,220 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Speed 11.6 kts.
    Complement 255
    Armament
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    six twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion two General Motors 12-567 Diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Satyr (ARL-23)
    Satyr 54k USS Satyr (ARL-23) anchored at Tsingtao, China, circa 1946 Bruce Shulze RM3 USS Satyr 1970-71. Photo courtesy T. M. Logan USS Satyr 1947
    Satyr 55k USS Satyr (ARL-23) entering the harbor at San Diego, CA., date unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII Web Site
    Satyr 102k USS Satyr (ARL-23) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo. This photo also appeared in the 1968 Commissioning booklet.    		 Bruce Shulze RM3 USS Satyr 1970-71, courtesy Joe McMillan MM3 USS Satyr 1967-69
    and David Buell for his father CWO4 Benton, E. Buell USN Ret. USS Satyr early 1950's.
    Satyr 35k USS Satyr (ARL-23) anchored in South Vietnamese waters, circa 1970. Bruce Shulze RM3 USS Satyr 1970-71
    Satyr 124k USS Satyr (ARL-23) anchored in South Vietnamese waters, circa 1971.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1971.    		 Stan Svec
    RVNS Vinh Long (HQ-802)
    Satyr 27k Ex-USS Satyr (ARL-23) in South Vietnamese service as RVNS Vinh Long (HQ 802)
    US Navy photo, date unknown    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    USS Satyr (ARL-23)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Gavigan, William J. USNR27 November 1944 - 28 December 1944
     Decommissioned28 December 1944 - 28 April 1945
    01LCDR. Gavigan, William J. USNR28 April 1945 -
     Decommissioned1 August 1947 - 23 October 1950
    05LCDR. Turpin, Edward Allen23 October 1950 - 1952
     Decommissioned17 April 1956 - 15 February 1968
    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
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Brownwater Navy in Vietnam Web Book
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Ship Tank (LST) Photo Index Back To The Landing Craft Repair Ship (ARL) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 5 April 2013