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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patches Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Zelima (AF-49)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Yankee - Zulu NCYZ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Charity (P)apa - 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 - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Second Row - Korean Service Medal (1)- Armed Forces Service Medal (Korea, Quemoy-Matsu, Vietnam) - 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, 5 December 1944, as SS Golden Rocket, a Maritime Commission type (R2-S-BV1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1212), at Moore Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.

Launched, 2 March 1945

Delivered to the War Shipping Administration, 16 July 1945

Operated by United Fruit Co. under contract to the WSA

Returned to the Maritime Commission and acquired by the Navy in the summer of 1946

Converted to a Provisions Store Ship, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.

Commissioned USS Zelima (AF-49), 27 July 1946, CDR. Earl H. Pope, USN (28), in command

During the Korean War USS Zelima (AF-49) participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaign
First UN Counter Offensive 21 to 23 February 1951

During the Vietnam War USS Zelima (AF-49) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 24 to 25 April 1963 16 to 30 September 1964 7 to 11 October 1964 24 to 25 October 1964 22 to 28 June 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase V 20 October to 1 November 1968
Vietnam Defense Campaign 6 to 14 July 1965 31 July to 8 August 1965 15 to 22 and 26 to 30 August 1965 24 to 25 October 1965	Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 to 5 November 1968 20 November to 2 December 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive 26 January to 7 February 1966 13 to 20 February 1966 6 to 12 March 1966 10 to 19 July 1966 29 July to 4 August 1966 17 to 24 August 1966	Vietnam CounteroffensiveTet 69/ Counteroffensive 21 May to 3 June 1969

Decommissioned 30 April 1970, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.

Transferred to MARAD custody, 3 June 1970, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Title transferred to MARAD, 1 September 1971

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1976

USS Zelima 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

Final Disposition, sold by MARAD, 25 November 1981, to Levin Metals Corp. (fishing)

Specifications:
Displacement 15,500 t.(fl)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 28'
Speed 16 kts.
Complement 292
Armament unknown
Propulsion cross-compound turbine, single propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	51k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** under way, date and location unknown. ©Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.	Mike Smolinski
	88k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** under way, date and location unknown.	Courtesy Lyle Hildebrand USS Vega web site
	172k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** moored pierside at NSD Oakland, CA., 14 December 1950. Photo by LTC Kingston M Winget US Army Ret.	LTC Kingston Winget II US Army Ret.
	256k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** crewmembers and stevedores secure a hatch cover prior to departing NSD Oakland, CA., 14 December 1950. Photo by LT Colonel Kingston M Winget US Army Ret.	LT Colonel Kingston Winget II US Army Ret.
	74k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** moored, NavSta Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA., circa 1952-53	From the collection of CAPT. T.C. Edrington III PhD, USN - courtesy of his daughter Kyra Larn Edrington
	34k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49) ships officers . Photo taken on board Zelima while she was moored at NavSta Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA., circa 1952-53. Cdr T.C. Edrington, the Commanding Officer at that time, is the father of Tom Edrington, the contributor of this photo, the Zelima** photo, the Christmas 1953 wardroom menu, Christmas card.	From the collection of Capt. T.C. Edrington III PhD, USN - courtesy of his daughter Kyra Larn Edrington
	276k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49) steams alongside USS Boxer (CVA-21)** for an underway replenishment, 16 November 1955. Note the signs hanging from her superstructure.	US National Museum of the US Navy
	125k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, April 1963.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	141k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49) under way during a replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with USS Sproston (DD-577) and USS Nicholas (DD-449)**, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	39k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** moored pierside, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	77k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** under way, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	23k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** under way off Vietnam, circa, 1960s.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	48k	*USS Zelima* (AF-49) replenishes the destroyer USS Basilone (DD-824) and the attack carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14)** in the Western Pacific, circa first half of 1966.	Robert Hurst
09064935	272K	*USS Zelima* (AF-49)** underway, date and location unknown.	Nicholas Tiberio
09031769	209k	*USS Piedmont* (AD-17) docked at Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippines in 1969 with USS Vega (AF-59) and USS Zelima (AF-49)** alongside. U.S. Navy photo from the USS Piedmont (AD-17) 1969 cruise book	Robert Hurst

USS Zelima (AF-49)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Pope, Earl Hallett, USN (USNA 1928)	27 July 1946 - 1947
02	LCDR/CDR. Witherow Jr., Joseph Francis, USN (USNA 1932)	1947 -
03	CDR/CAPT. Lewis, Porter, USN, (USNA 1932) :RADM	1950 - March 1952
04	CDR. Bourke, Robert Emmet, USN (USNA 1934)	March 1952 -
05	CDR. Edington III, Thomas Craighead, USN (USNA 1934)	1953 - 1954
06	CAPT. Cochran, Dale Eugene, USN (USNA 1935)	1954 - 25 February 1956
07	CAPT. Graff, Victor Bernard, USN (USNA 1938)	25 February 1956 - 29 August 1957
08	CDR. Heyer, William Fredrick, USN	29 August 1957 - 4 August 1958
09	CDR. Laliberte, Joseph Henry, USN	4 August 1958 - 28 September 1959
09	CDR. Kuhn Jr., Martin, USN	28 September 1958 - 20 October 1961
10	CAPT. Peterson, Dale Killdeer (Pete), USN	20 October 1961 - 11 January 1963
11	CAPT. Edwards, Eldon Leo, USN	11 January 1963 - 3 January 1964
12	CAPT. Carmody, Martin Doan (Red), USN :RADM	3 January 1964 - 8 January 1965
13	CDR.CAPT. Johnston Jr., Philip Devereaux, USN (USNA 1945)	8 January 1965 - 20 January 1966
14	CAPT. Hodgson, Gordon Seymour, USN	20 January 1966 - 2 February 1967
15	CAPT. Potter, John Richard, USN (USNA 1945)	2 February 1967 - 3 July 1968
16	CAPT. Brozo, John Greiner, USN	3 July 1968 - 30 April 1970


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
Miscellaneous
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 8 August 2025