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
Left Patch Contributed by Mike Smolinski, Right Patch by Tommy Trampp

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Askari (ARL-30)
ex
 USS LST-1131 (1945)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Golf - Papa - Uniform
 NGPU
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - Presidential Unit Citation (2) - Navy Unit Commendation (4)
Third Row - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - Vietnam Service Medal (12) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts: (2 KIA MR1 John R. Ruoho, 3DEC67; DCFN Scott F. Wemette, 21JUL70)

USS Askari (ARL-30) was transferred to Indonesia and renamed Ri Djaja Widjaja
Achelous Class Landing Craft Repair Ship:
  • Laid down as LST-1131 at Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL.
  • Launched, 2 March 1945
  • Placed in reduced commission as USS LST-1131, 15 March 1945 for transit to her conversion yard, Merrill-Stevens Dry Dock and Repair Co., Jacksonville, FL., LT. Charles L. Haslup, USN, in command
  • Decommissioned at Jacksonville FL., 9 April 1945
  • Recommissioned USS Askari (ARL-30), 23 July 1945, LT. Charles L. Haslup, USN, in command
  • During the Korean War USS Askari (ARL-30) was assigned to the Korean War zone from 15 September 1950 to 31 April 1951 and 15 September 1952 to 6 April 1953 and participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    18 September to 2 November 1950     		Inchon Landing
    13 to 17 September 1950
    Communist China Aggression
    3 November to 29 December 1950     		First UN Counter Offensive
    9 February to 17 April 1951

  • Decommissioned, 21 March 1956 at Astoria, OR.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
  • Towed to Pacific Reserve Fleet, Stockton, CA. Group in 1964
  • Moved to Pacific Reserve Fleet, Mare Island, CA.
  • Recommissioned, 13 August 1966 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.
  • During the Vietnam War USS Askari (ARL-30) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase II
    14 February to 31 March 1967     		Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    23 February to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase III
    1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 June to 2 September 1969
    29 October to 31 October 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 1 April 1968     		Vietnam Winter-Spring1970
    1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase IV
    2 April to 25 June 1968     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    1 May 1970 to 30 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase V
    24 July to 23 October 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase VII
    1 July 1970 to 31 March 1971
    1 May to 30 June 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase VI
    1 January to 22 February 1969     		Consolidation I
    1 July to 10 August 1971

  • Decommissioned, 1 September 1971 at Naval Station Guam, M.I.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 February 1979
  • USS Askari earned four battle stars for Korean War service and twelve campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Loaned to Indonesia under terms of the Military Assistance Program, Renamed Ri Djaja Widjaja
  • Sold to Indonesia 22 February 1979
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,220 t.(lt) 3,960 t.(fl) 4,840 t.(lim)
    Length 327'9"
    Beam 50'1½"
    Draft 16'2" (fully loaded)
    Speed 10 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 21
    Enlisted 232
    Ship's Boatstwo 36' LCVP
    Cranes
    one 25 Ton Fixed Kingpost Crane
    one 5 Ton Bridge Gantry Crane
    Armament
    two MK2 Mod 18 quad 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    two Gun Directors MK5 Mod2
    six .50 cal. Machine Guns
    two Stinger Firing Stations
    Fuel Capacity 4,715Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Detroit Twelve Cylinder Diesel Engines, combined horsepower 1800
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     four Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V A.C.
     five Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V D.C.
    two fixed pitch 7' bronze propellers
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    Askari 121k Illustrator John Barrett's rendition of USS Askari (ARL-30) John Barrett
    Askari 23k USS Askari (ARL-30) under way on the St. Johns River, Jacksonville, FL, circa 1945. Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    photo courtesy
    H. Fredericks
    Askari 41k USS Askari (ARL-30) under way on Lake Union, Seattle, WA., circa 1945. Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    photo courtesy
    H. Fredericks
    Askari 33k USS Askari (ARL-30) under way circa 1950s, location unknown. Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    Askari 57k USS Askari (ARL-30) under way, circa 1950s, location unknown. Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    source Harold Neihart
    courtesy Cheryl Tesar
    Askari 74k USS Askari (ARL-30) under way, circa 1950s, location unknown. Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    source Harold Neihart
    courtesy Cheryl Tesar
    Askari 82k USS Askari (ARL-30) moored date and location unknown
    US Navy photo from "All Hand" magazine, November 1953.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Askari 21k USS Askari (ARL-30) at anchor in Vietnam, date unknown. Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    courtesy Bill Grammar
    Askari
    10193024     		509k USS Askari (ARL-30) probably in a Naval shipyard, either Mare Island of Hunters Point in September 1966.
    U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Identifier 7576085 U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo # 19-NN-ARL-30 Askari-173574.    		 Robert Hurst
    Askari 1492k USS Askari (ARL-30) under way off Mare Island prior to recommissioning on 13 August 1966.
    File name: ARL 30 74137-8-66, Navy Photo, August 1966, US Navy photo August 1966.    		 Darryl Baker
    Askari 1803k USS Askari (ARL-30) recommissioning ceremony at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA., 13 August 1966. Note USS Harnett County (LST-821) moored forward of Askari. Harnett County was recommissioned 7 days later on 20 August 1966. File name: ARL 30 74217-8-66, Navy Photo, 8/13/66 Darryl Baker
    Askari 61k USS Askari (ARL-30) under way off Point Loma, San Diego, CA., date unknown. Albert Moore
    Mobile Riverine Force
    Association
    Askari 100k USS Askari (ARL-30) at anchor in Vietnam, date unknown. Albert Moore
    Mobile Riverine Force
    Association
    Askari 70k USS Askari (ARL-30) at anchor in Vietnam, date unknown. Albert Moore
    Mobile Riverine Force
    Association
    Askari 21k USS Askari (ARL-30) at anchor in Vietnam, date unknown. Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    courtesy Bill Grammar
    Askari 48k USS Askari (ARL-30) as a member of the River Assault Flotilla, S. Vietnam, May 1967, servicing four armored troop carriers (ATCs) while a fifth ATC clears her side forward. Also moored to the pontoon alongside is one of her LCVPs. The ship is painted green, reflecting her assignment to the "Brown Water Navy."
    Note the boons forward and the A-frame amidships.
    Photo by PHC R. Veeder USN. US Navy photo 1123313.     		Tom Willoughby
    USS Askari (ARL30) Assoc.
    courtesy Dennis Miller
    Askari 163k USS Askari (ARL-30) operating in South Vietnam on 27 September 1967 as part of River Assault Flotilla ONE. She has used her "A" frame hoist to lift a 56-foot Armored Troop Carrier onto a pontoon for maintenance. Other riverine craft, including a monitor, await their turn. The full load displacement of an ATC was 69.2 tons and its hoisting weight was 55.8 tons, suggesting that Askari and her sisters had the improved 60-ton capacity "A" frame hoist.
    U.S. National Archives Photo # 19-N-6515, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    Askari 1686k USS Askari (ARL-30) April 1968, South Vietnam.
    Photos by Danna Martin, American Red Cross "Donut Dollie."    		 Steve Martin
    Askari 1239k
    Askari 1582k
    Askari 83k USS Askari (ARL-30) at anchor on the upper Mekong River near the Cambodian border in May 1970. Artie Kitchen EN3
    Askari 68k USS Askari (ARL-30) at anchor probably on the upper Mekong River near the Cambodian boarder, circa May 1970 Dan Ninedorf
    Askari 86k USS Askari (ARL-30) off Dong Tam, Mekong River, RVN, 24 May 1971 © Richard Leonhardt
    Askari 82k USS Askari (ARL-30) off Dong Tam, Mekong River, RVN, 24 May 1971 © Richard Leonhardt
    USS Askari (ARL-30)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Haslup, Charles Laird, USN15 March 1945 - 9 April 1945
     Decommissioned9 April 1945 - 23 July 1945
    01LT. Haslup, Charles Laird, USN23 July 1945 - 5 April 1946
    03LT. Bagnall, William George, USNR5 April 1946 - 8 June 1946
    03LT. Rogers, John Walton, USN8 June 1946 - ?
    04LCDR. Ruber, Jacob (Shaky Jake)1951 - November 1952
    05LCDR. Hall, Harlan T., USNRNovember 1952 - March 1954
    06LCDR. Sokulksi, Stanislaus A., USNRMarch 1954 - 1955
    07Decommissioned21 March 1956 - 13 August 1966
    08LCDR. Campbell, John Francis13 August 1966 - 3 October 1967
    09LCDR. Oncea, George, USN3 October 1967 - 18 September 1968
    10LCDR. Festag Jr., Albert Peter18 September 1968 - December 1970
    11CDR. Knight, Walter Edwin, USNDecember 1970 - 1 September 1971
    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
    U.S.S. Askari (ARL-30) Association
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    1966 Recommissioning Program
    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 14 July 2023