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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Zaurak (AK-117)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Tango - Charlie - Foxtrot NTCF

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive - Leyte operation) - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)

Crater Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 7 October 1943, as SS Hugh Young, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1964), at Todd Houston Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.

Launched, 18 November 1943

Accepted the US Navy, 27 November 1943 and placed in reduced commission, CDR. Charles D. Schultz, USNR (Ferry Crew # 7) in command

Delivered to Todd Johnson Shipyard, New Orleans, LA., for conversion to a Navy cargo ship

Decommissioned, 30 November 1943

Commissioned, USS Zaurak (AK-117), 17 March 1944, LCDR. John S. Kapuscinski, USNR, in command.

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

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Leyte operation Leyte landings, 29 October to 8 November 1944

Following World War II USS Zaurak was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following period:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
20 October to 2 December 1945	20 October to 2 December 1945

Decommissioned, 12 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.

Delivered to the Maritime Commission the same day for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 March 1946

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 14 May 1963, to The Learner Corp./Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., Oakland, CA., removed, 19 June 1963, to The Learner Corp., Oakland, CA., completed, 14 August 1963

USS Zaurak earned one battle star for service in World War II

Specifications:
Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 12,350 t.(fl)
Length 441' 6"
Beam 56' 11"
Draft 28' 4"
Speed 12.8 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 16

Enlisted 190

Troop Accommodations

Officers 46

Enlisted 1010

Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.

Cargo Capacity 4,520 DWT

non-refrigerated 417,330 Cu ft.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four single 40mm AA gun mounts

six single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity

NSFO 7,285 Bbls

Propulsion

one Filer and Stowell vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
Ship's Service Generators
three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 2,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
	95k	*USS Zaurak* (AK-117)** moored midstream, date and location unknown.		David Nixon
	48k	Sketch by Cressy of *USS Zaurak* (AK-117)** underway.		Russ Padden

USS Zaurak (AK-117)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Commanding Officers
	CDR. Schultz, Charles David, USNR (Ferry Crew # 7)	27 November 1943 - 30 November 1943
	Decommissioned	30 November 1943 - 17 March 1944
01	CDR. Kapuscinski, John Stanislaus, USNR	17 March 1944 - 12 March 1946


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

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index

Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 14 November 2014