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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Aludra (AF-55)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Papa - Victor
NJPV
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Wallop (L)ima - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal
Second Row - Korean Service Medal (1) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits, Quemoy-Matsu, Vietnam, Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (5)
Third Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Alstede Class Stores Ship:

Laid down, 23 August 1944, as the Refrigerated Cargo Ship SS Matchless, a Maritime Commission type (R2-S-BV1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC 1202), at Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, CA.

Launched, 14 October 1944

Delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) for a bare boat charter to United States Line, 23 March 1945

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 1 August 1949 at Mobile, AL.

Transferred to the Waterman SS. Corp., 11 August 1949

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 18 August 1949 at Mobile, AL.

Acquired by the US Navy, 30 November 1950

Converted for Naval service at New York Shipbuilding Corp, Camden, N.J.

Commissioned USS Aludra (AF-55), 19 June 1952, CDR. Ralph H. Moureau in command

During the Korean War USS Aludra participated in the following campaign:

Korean War Campaign

Third Korean Winter Campaign
14 and 15 December 1952
10 and 11 and 18 to 19 February 1953
2 and 3, 14 and 15, and 28 to 39 March 1953
7 to 12 April 1953

During the Vietnam War USS Aludra participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 4 March to 4 April 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase III 1 to 11 June 1967 29 November to 13 December 1967 28 December 1967 to 5 January 1968 14 to 20 January 1968 29 January 1968
Vietnam Defense 3 to 17 October 1965 24 October to 1 November 1965 15 to 21 November 1965	Tet Counteroffensive 1 to 4 February 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 7 to 20 August 1966 27 August to 2 September 1966 7 to 17 September 1966 20 April to 2 May 1967 22 to 31 May 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive-Phase V 14 to 29 September 1968 10 to 21 October 1968

Decommissioned, 12 September 1969, at Oakland, CA.

USS Aludra earned one battle star for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 1 October 1969, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Final Disposition, withdrawn from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 19 January 1977 for stripping by the Navy prior to sale

Purchased from MARAD by Sea World Processors Inc., for non-transportation use, 16 November 1977

Delivered, 16 February 1978

Final Disposition, burned and scuttled in 1981

Specifications:
Displacement 7,050 t.(lt)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 28'
Speed 16 kts.
Complement 292
Armament twelve 3"/50 guns
Propulsion

cross-compound turbine

single propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	134k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) conducting an UNREP (Underway Replenishment) with the destroyer USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD-717) and attack aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CVA-45) in the Pacific, circa January to May 1953. with F9F Panther jets of VF-51 and VF-53** US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	75k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) under way at sea, 17 September 1954. Photographed from USS Yorktown (CVA-10)*. US Navy photo # NH 104028* from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	US Naval Historical Center
	98k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) transferring supplies to USS Yorktown (CVA-10)** during underway replenishment operations, 17 September 1954. US Navy photo # NH 104029 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	US Naval Historical Center
	37k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55)** at anchor in a Japanese harbor, circa 1950s.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret.)
	55k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55)** at anchor in the harbor at Sasebo, Japan, January 1955.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret.)
09065508-NH 104030	85k	USS Aludra completed overhaul at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco CA., circa 19 February 1956, mooring at Oakland Dock and Warehouse Co., Oakland, CA.. On 20 February she got underway departing Oakland en route to NAD Port Chicago to load ammunition. US Naval US Naval History and Heritage Command photo #'s NH 104030, NH 104031, NH 104032, NH 104033, NH 104034, NH 104035 NH 104036	US Naval History and Heritage Command
09065509-NH 104031	78k
09065510-NH 104032	89k
09065511-NH 104033	75k
09065512-NH 104034	88k
09065513-NH 104035	95k
09065514-NH 104036	90k
09065528	306k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) conducting an underway replenishment, likely 30 March 1956, en route from Manila Bay to Hong Kong, with USS Shangri-La (CVA-38) and USS Eversole (DD-789) during Shangri-La*'s 1956 WestPac deployment, 5 January–23 June 1956. CDR. Gerald Durbin, USN - USS Shangri-La CVA-38 1956 WestPac Photos # 087, #88, & #89*	Bob Canchola
09065529	359k
09065530	395k
	161k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55)** under way in San Francisco Bay, October 1957. Photo by ©Allied Photographers of San Francisco.	Robert M. Cieri
	120k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) at left, steams away from USS Ponchatoula (AO-148) after transferring stores. In the right distance USS Jupiter (AVS-8)** makes her approach to take on fuel. Photo taken from USS Ponchatoula, 23 August 1963, released with *Commander Service Squadron THREE* press release # 3-154. . US Navy photo # NH 104026 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	US Naval Historical Center
	114k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) during underway replenishment with USS Coontz (DLG-9) and USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63)** during a WESTPAC deployment in 1964. US Navy photo	EMC(SW) Brian Kroenung
	95k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) center, is approached by USS Cochrane (DDG-21), at left, and USS Midway (CVA-41)** for underway replenishment, during operations in the South China Sea. Photographed by USS Midway, 15 May 1965. US Navy photo # NH 104027 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	US Naval Historical Center
	95k	*USS King* (DLG-10) approaching USS Aludra (AF-55)** in preparation for an underway replenishment, circa 1965	Photo by Chuck White USS King (DLG-10)
	69k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) and USS King (DLG-10)** during an underway replenishment, circa 1965. Note that the shot lines are across between the ships.	Photo by Chuck White USS King (DLG-10)
	82k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) alongside USS King (DLG-10)** during an underway replenishment, circa 1965.	Photo by Chuck White USS King (DLG-10)
	103k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55)** outbound to sea from San Diego, date unknown	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	76k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55)** outbound to sea from NAS Alameda, date unknown	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
09065531	212k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55)** outbound to sea from San Diego, date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
	248k	Outboard profile drawing (Bureau of Ships plan # S 0103 972649) of *USS Aludra* (AF-55)** showing the ship as she was during the 1960s, with a helicopter platform aft. Photo, courtesy of Commander Stephen S. Roberts, USNR, 1982. US Navy photo # NH 104040 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center	Richard Miller BMCS RET. USNR
	92k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55) coming alongside to replenish USS Oriskany (CVA-34)** while the carrier conducts air operations off the coast of Vietnam, date unknown.	Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	515k	*USS Hooper* (DE-1026) replenishing from USS Aludra (AF-55) in the Sea of Japan in May 1967. The bow of the USS Evans (DE-1023)** is to the right.	Photo by Darryl Baker
	69k	*USS Aludra* (AF-55)** under way, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	451k	*USS Coral Sea* (CVA-43)*, with A-4E Skyhawks from VA-153* "Blue Tail Flies" and *VA-155* "Silver Foxes," moored to pier #3 South, NAS Alameda, California, 22 to 26 July 1967. *USS Hancock* (CVA-19) is moored to pier #3 North, and USS Ranger (CVA-60) to pier #2 North. Other ships present include: USS Bellatrix (AF-62) and USS Aludra (AF-55), moored port side and starboard side, respectively, to pier #2 South; and probably USNS Breton (T-AKV-42), astern of Coral Sea**.	William T. Larkins

USS Aludra (AF-55)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Moureau, Ralph Henning, USN (USNA 1926)	19 June 1952 - ?
02	CDR. Jones, Marvin Dauvard, USN	1957 - 1959
03	CDR. Baker, Robert Woodrow, USN	1959 - 1 May 1961
04	CAPT. Gowen, George Anthony, USN	1 May 1961 - 26 May 1962
05	CAPT. Gray, Paul Nagle, USN (USNA 1941)	26 May 1962 - 10 May 1963
06	CAPT. Shropshire Jr., Paul Haynes, USN	10 May 1963 - 12 March 1964
07	CAPT. Miller, Robert Nicholas, USN (USNA 1940)	12 March 1964 - 24 June 1966
08	CAPT. Barrow Jr., William Ballard, USN (USNA 1944)	24 June 1966 - 26 May 1967
09	CAPT. Bondy Jr., Robert Earl, USNR	26 May 1967 - 10 October 1968
10	CAPT. Fries, William Don, USN	10 October 1968 - 25 July 1969
11	CDR. Reifschneider, Jack Loren, USN	25 July 1969 - 12 September 1969


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
MARAD Vessel History Data Base

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 22 July 2022