USS Algol (AKA-54)
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 10 December 1942 |
| Launched: | 17 February 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 27 November 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 3 December 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 21 July 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 2 January 1958 |
| Commissioned: | 17 November 1961 |
| Decommissioned: | 23 July 1970 |
| Struck: | 1 January 1977 |
| Fate: | Sunk as part of the New Jersey Shark River artificial reef, 18 November 1991 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 6,556 tons (light), 13,900 tons (full load) |
| Length: | 459 ft 2 in |
| Beam: | 63 ft |
| Draft: | 26 ft 4 in |
| Propulsion: | steam turbine, single shaft, 6,000 shp |
| Speed: | 16 knots |
| Range: | |
| Capacity: | 4,450 deadweight tons cargo |
| Complement: | 247 |
| Armament: | 1 × 5 in/38 DP gun mounts, 4 × twin 40 mm gun mounts, 18 × 20 mm guns, |
| Boats: | 8 LCMs, 1 LCP(L), 15 LCVPs |
| Motto: | |
USS Algol (AKA-54) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship. It was the 1st ship of the United States Navy to have this name. Algol is a fixed star in the constellation Perseus. She served as a commissioned ship for 22 years and 1 month.
She was laid down on 10 December 1942, as James Barnes, a Maritime Commission type C2-S-B1 hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1157), at Moore Drydock Company, in Oakland, California. She was launched on 17 February 1943, renamed Algol on 30 August 1943, and placed in reduced commission on 27 November 1943, for transit to Willamette Shipyard, Portland, Oregon, for completion as an Attack Cargo Ship. She was decommissioned at Portland on 3 December 1943, and recommissioned USS Algol (AKA-54) on 21 July 1944 at Willamette Shipyard.
Algol decommissioned on 2 January 1958, and was laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton, Washington Group. She was recommissioned on 17 November 1961, at Portland, Oregon, and redesignated Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA-54) on 1 January 1969. She was decommissioned again on 23 July 1970, and returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Virginia, near Fort Eustus.
She was struck from the Naval Register on 1 January 1977. Algol was sunk as part of the New Jersey Shark River artificial reef on 18 November 1991.
Algol earned two battle stars during World War II and five battle stars for service in the Korean conflict.
[edit] See also
USS Algol for other ships of the same name.
[edit] References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
[edit] External links
- Naval Historical Center: USS Algol I
- NavSource Online: AKA / LKA-54 Algol
- USS Algol web site
- Military.com: USS Algol
- 51 Years of AKAs
| Andromeda-class attack cargo ship |
| Andromeda | Aquarius | Centaurus | Cepheus | Thuban | Virgo | Achernar | Algol | Alshain | Arneb | Capricornus | Chara | Diphda | Leo | Muliphen | Sheliak | Theenim | Uvalde | Warrick | Whiteside | Whitley | Wyandot | Yancey | Winston | Marquette | Mathews | Merrick | Montague | Rolette | Oglethorpe | Ottawa | Skagit | Sedgwick | Whitfield |
List of United States Navy amphibious assault ships |
Categories: Andromeda class cargo ships | Amphibious warfare vessels of the United States | United States Navy amphibious assault ships | World War II amphibious warfare ships of the United States | Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States | Korean War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
