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

USS Sphinx (ARL-24)
ex
LST-963


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Mike - Quebec
 NDMQ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (5-5NOV68, 18JUN69, 21JUN69, 21NOV70, 23NOV70) - Presidential Unit Citation (2) - Navy Unit Commendation (3)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (1)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (8) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (8) - Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Achelous Class Landing Craft Repair Ship:
  • Authorized as LST-963
  • Redesignated Landing Craft Repair Ship (ARL), 11 September 1944
  • Laid down, 20 October 1944 at Bethlehem Steel Co., Hingham, MA.
  • Launched, 18 November 1944
  • Moved to Merrill Stevens Dry Dock Co., Jacksonville, FL. for fitting out
  • Commissioned, USS Sphinx (ARL-24), 10 May 1945
  • Decommissioned, 24 May 1947, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 3 November 1950, at San Diego
  • During the Korean War Sphinx (ARL-24) participated in the following campaign:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive, 26 to 28 April 1952
  • Decommissioned, 31 January 1956, at San Diego
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 16 December 1967, at New Orleans, LA.
  • During the Vietnam War Sphinx (ARL-24) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase IV
    8 June to 30 June 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 June to 20 June 1969
    23 August to 31 October 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase V
    1 July to 1 November 1968     		Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase VI
    2 November 1968 to 22 February 1969     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive,
    1 May to 30 June 1970
    Tet 69/Counteroffensive,
    23 February to 8 June 1969     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase VII,
    1 July to 12 December 1970
    11 March to 30 June 1971
  • Decommissioned, 30 September 1971, at Bremerton, WA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 16 April 1977
  • Re-acquired by the Navy in 1985
  • Commissioned in July 1985 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA.
  • Decommissioned, 16 June 1989, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk, VA.
  • Custody transferred, 2 December 2002, to Dunkirk Historical Lighthouse and Veterans Park Museum, Dunkirk, N.Y.
  • Dunkirk Historical Lighthouse and Veterans Park, was unable to raised the required funds to tow Sphinx out of the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • MARAD retained title and officially withdrew it from donation in April 2007
  • Sold for scrapping 24 August 2007, to North American Ship Recycling, Sparrows Point, MD. as part of a five ship contract worth $2,161,610
  • Abandoned at Baltimore, MD., when North American Ship Recycling went out of business in 2007
  • Scrapping contract re-awarded, 30 November 2007, to Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., for $695,000
  • Final Disposition, towed from North American Ship Recycling at Baltimore, MD. to Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., 1 December 2007, for scrapping
  • Sphinx received one battle star for the Korean War and eight campaign stars for the Vietnam War
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,125 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Speed 11 Kts.
    Complement 252
    Armament
    2 quad 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    2 twin 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    6 twin 20 mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion two General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Sphinx 9k USS Sphinx (ARL-24) in Vietnamese waters, date unknown Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Association, courtesy Dennis Miller
    Sphinx 98k USS Sphinx (ARL-24) in Vietnamese waters, date unknown. Albert Moore, Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Sphinx 27k U

    SS Sphinx (ARL-24) underway in Puget Sound prior to recommissioning in 1985 at Bremerton Naval Shipyard.

    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Sphinx 95k Ex-Sphinx (ARL-24) being moved by commercial tug through Hampton Roads (downtown Norfolk, VA. in the background) from North American Ship Recycling at Baltimore, MD. to Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., for scrapping, 1 December 2007 Photo by Mabel Clark
    Sphinx 279k Ex-Sphinx (ARL-24) moored forward of Ex-Hoist (ARS-40) at Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., awaiting the scrappers cutting torch, 20 December 2007 Photo by Jerry Crow
    Sphinx 284k Ex-Sphinx (ARL-24) moored at Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., awaiting dismantling, 20 December 2007 Photo by Jerry Crow
    Sphinx 315k Ex-Sphinx (ARL-24) moored at Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., awaiting dismantling, 20 December 2007 Photo Jerry Crow
    View the USS Sphinx (ARL-24)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center and at the
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To Tank Landing Ship (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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 11 January 2008