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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Lost to explosion, 29 January 1945

USS Serpens (AK-97)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Golf - Yankee NJGY

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

USS Serpens (AK-97) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II

Crater Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 10 March 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 739), at California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, CA.

Launched, 5 April 1943

Acquired by the US Navy, 19 April 1943 Commissioned USS Serpens (AK-97), 28 May 1943, LCDR. Magnus J. Johnson, USCGR, in command

During World War II USS Serpens was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Consolidation of Solomon Islands Consolidation of northern Solomons, 7 December 1943 to 29 January 1944, 10 May to 9 June and 2 to 6 November 1944

Lost due to an explosion while loading depth charges, 29 January 1945, anchored off Lunga Beach, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 198 crew, 57 Army stevedores, and a Public Health Service physician, Dr. Harry M. Levin, were killed in the explosion and another soldier ashore was killed by shrapnel

Struck from the Naval Register, 10 March 1945

USS Serpens earned one battle star for her World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
Length 441' 6"
Beam 56' 11"
Draft 28' 4"
Speed 12.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 19

Enlisted 188

Cargo Capacity 7,700 DWT

non-refrigerated 404,274 Cu ft

Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

two single 40mm AA gun mounts

six single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity

NSFO 7,285 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Machine Corp. vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine

two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
Ship's Service Generators
three recip-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
one turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 2,500shp

Size	Image Description	Source
17k	*USS Serpens* (AK-97)** moored pierside, date and location unknown. US Navy photo #NH 89186, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy William H Davis, 1997	Donated by Michael Zumbach for his grandfather LTjg William C. Carber. USS Serpens (AK-97) survivor.
113k	*USS Serpens* (AK-97)**underway, date and location unknown. Photo by LTjg William C. Carber USCG	Donated by Michael Zumbach for his grandfather LTjg William C. Carber. USS Serpens (AK-97) survivor.
93k	*USS Serpens* (AK-97)** officers, date and location unknown. LTjg William C. Carber is at far left of formation.	Donated by Michael Zumbach for his grandfather LTjg William C. Carber. USS Serpens (AK-97) survivor.
36k	LTjg Carber and crew members aboard *USS Serpens* (AK-97)**, date and location unknown.	Donated by Michael Zumbach for his grandfather LTjg William C. Carber. USS Serpens (AK-97) survivor.
22k

USS Serpens (AK-97)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Johnson, Magnus J.	USCGR	28 May 1943 - 22 July 1944
02	LCDR. Stinson, Peery Lamar	USCG	22 July 1944 - 29 January 1945


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
Location of the wreck of USS Serpens (AK-97) in Iron Bottom Sound

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 9 September 2022