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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Bill Applegate

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Procyon (AF-61)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Mike - Papa NCMP
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Genuine (W)hiskey - 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
Bottom Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam - 26AUG-8SEP 1964) - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Alstede Class Stores Ship

Laid down, 15 April 1942, as SS Flying Scud, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 188) at Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, CA.

Launched, 1 July 1942

Delivered to the War Shipping Administration for operation by United Fruit Co. from 18 August 1943 to 4 September 1946

Operated by Pacific Far East Lines, 5 September 1946 to 19 October 1948

Operated by General Steamship Corp., 18 to 25 October 1948

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 26 October 1948

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Rechartered to Pacific Far East Line, 10 December 1948

Returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 24 February 1956 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay

Acquired by the US Navy, 8 August 1961

Converted for Naval service at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, CA.

Commissioned USS Procyon (AF-61), 24 November 1961, Capt. N.I. Lee, Jr., in command

During the Vietnam War USS Procyon participated in the following campaigns

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnam Defense 14 June to 19 July 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 23 April to 1 May 1968 17 to 26 May 1968 2 to 3 June 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 27 December 1965 to 8 January 1966 14 to 28 January 1966 4 to 9 February 1966	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 14 to 21 December 1968 28 December 1968 to 2 January 1969 10 to 24 January 1969 9 to 13 February 1969 21 to 22 February 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 11 to 17 November 1966 27 November to 10 December 1966 25 December 1966 to 2 January 1967	Tet 69/ Counteroffensive 23 February to 14 March 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 11 to 26 June 1967 12 to 29 July 1967 11 to 19 August 1967	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 21 to 27 February 1970 18 March to 1 April 1970 18 to 30 April 1970
Tet Counteroffensive 20 to 31 March 1968	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 17 May to 4 June 1970

Decommissioned, 4 February 1971

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1976

USS Procyon earned ten campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Returned to MARAD in 1981 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet

Final Disposition, sold by MARAD, fate unknown

Specifications:
Displacement 14,180 t.(fl)
Length 460'
Beam 63'
Draft 26' 7"
Speed 16 kts.
Complement 292
Armament one 3"/50 gun mount
Propulsion cross-compound turbines, single propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
090606106	187k	The Maritime Administration type C2-S-B1 reefer ship SS Flying Scud pierside at US Naval Shipyard Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA., 20 Aug 1961, where she will be converted for naval service and commissioned as *USS Procyon* (AF-61)** on 24 November 1961.	Dave Schroeder
	98k	*USS Procyon* (AF-61)** departing San Diego CA.. date unknown	Bill Applegate
	92k	*USS Procyon* (AF-61)** outbound to sea passing Point Loma at the entrance to San Diego Bay, date unknown. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	33k	*USS Procyon* (AF-61) alongside USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14)** while conducting an underway replenishment in WestPac, circa 3 January to 15 July 1963	Sal Vacca, AE2, VAW-11 Detachment Bravo, USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14)
	57k
	71k
NS023168	702k	*USS Procyon* (AF-61) replenishes the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31)** circa 1962-1963.	Courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
	49k	*USS Procyon* (AF-61) replenishes the destroyer USS Fechteler (DD-870) off Vietnam in 1969. US Navy photo from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14)** 1969 cruise book.	Robert Hurst
	362k	Aerial view of the piers at NAS Alameda, circa early July 1969. Ships present include from front to back: *USS Enterprise* (CVAN-65), USS Hancock (CVA-19), USS Markab (AR-23) with USS Pictor (AF-54) outboard, and USS Procyon (AF-61) forward of them, and USS Coral Sea (CVA-43)**	Robert M. Cieri
090606111	156k	*USS Procyon* (AF-61)** underway in Subic Bay, Philippines, 19 February 1970. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # K-81968 by PH# McCloud.	Robert Hurstr

USS Procyon (AF-61)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Lee Jr., Norman Ingvar, USN (USNA 1940)	24 November 1961 - 1963
02	CAPT. Stevens Jr., Paul Frederick, USN	1963 - 16 February 1964
03	CAPT. Abercrombie III, Daniel Webster, USN	16 February 1964 - January 1965
04	CAPT. Freeman III, Rowland Godfrey, USN :RADM	January 1965 - 20 January 1966
05	CAPT. Cantwell Jr., Richard Andrew, USN	20January 1966 - 10 May 1967
06	CAPT. Sulick, Tom Everett, USN (USNA 1945)	10 May 1967 - 27 May 1968
07	CAPT. Wilson, Roy E., USNR	27 May 1968 - 1969
08	CAPT. Allred, Jimmie B., USN	1969 - 1970
09	CAPT. Keenan, John Day, USN	1970 - 1970
10	CAPT. Dancer, Jerry Dean, USN (USNA 1954)	1970 - 4 February 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
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 2 June 2023