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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Altair (AKS-32)
ex
 USS Altair (AK-257) (1952 - 1953)
 SS Aberdeen Victory (1944 - 1952)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Echo - Quebec
 NBEQ
SS Aberdeen Victory Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1-Okinawa) - World War II Victory Medal
USS Altair Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba)
Greenville Victory Class Cargo Ship / Antares Class General Stores Issue Ship<:
  • Laid down, 20 April 1944, as SS Aberdeen Victory, a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 110), at Oregon Shipbuilding Corp, Portland, OR.
  • Launched, 30 May 1944
  • Completed, 22 June 1944
  • Contracted to Waterman Steamship Co.
  • During World War II SS Aberdeen Victory was supported operations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • SS Aberdeen Victory participated in the Assault and occupation of Okinawa in May 1945
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, circa 1945-1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Transferred to the US Navy, 7 July 1951
  • Commissioned Cargo Ship USS Altair (AK-257), 31 January 1952, at Baltimore, MD., CDR. George J. Largess USN in command.
  • Decommissioned, 5 January 1953, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA., for conversion to a General Stores Issue Ship
  • Converted at Maryland Drydock Co., Baltimore, MD.
  • Recommissioned, USS Altair (AKS-32), 15 December, 1953, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Decommissioned, 2 May 1969, at Portsmouth, VA.
  • Custody transferred to MARAD, 1 May 1973, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973
  • Title transfer to MARAD, 1 September 1971
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 31 January 1975, to Luria Brothers & Co., Philadelphia, PA.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,960 t.
    Length 455' 3"
    Beam 62'
    Draft 28' 6"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement 250
    Armament two twin 40mm gun mounts
    Propulsion steam turbine, single shaft, 8500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    War Shipping Administration
    Altair 57k SS Aberdeen Victory, under way, circa June 1944, probably near Portland, OR. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    USS Altair (AK-237)
    Altair
    0913025713
    NA 6931548    		 129k USS Altair (AK-257) underway, circa 31 January 1952- 5 January 1953, probably Chesapeake Bay.
    US Navy Bureau of Ships photos BS 141245 and 131250, US National Archives and Records Administration, Bureau of Ships. 9/18/1947-5/1/1966. US National Archives at College Park, Identifier 6931548, 6931553 and 6931552.    		 Robert Hurst
    Altair
    0913025714
    NA 6931553    		 87k
    Altair
    0913025719
    NA 6931552    		 167k
    USS Altair (AKS-32)
    Altair
    0913025717    		 160k USS Altair (AKS-32) replenishes the aircraft carrier USS Randolph (CVA-15) and the destroyer USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709), circa 1954-1955. USS Massey (DD-778) is visible on the right. Randolph , with assigned Air Task Group 181 (ATG-181), was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea from 30 November 1954 to 18 June 1955.
    U.S. Navy photo from USS Randolph 1954-55 cruise book    		 Robert Hurst
    Altair 265k USS Altair (AKS-32) underway while conducting an underway replenishment with USS Randolph (CVA-15) during the carrier's 1956-57 Mediterranean deployment. Paul Gwaltney, on behalf of his father LTjg. William Gwaltney USNR, Ret USS Randolph
    Altair 251k
    Altair 276k
    Altair 80k USS Altair (AKS-32), underway, circa 1959 or later (note the helicopter flight deck on her fantail which was added in 1959) place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1962    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Altair
    0913925715    		 308k USS Altair (AKS-32), underway, circa 1959, location unknown.
    U.S. Navy photo from the USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 1959-60 cruise book    		 Robert Hurst
    Altair 82k USS Altair (AKS-32) moored at Naples Italy, late-May 1962. Photo by Jack C. Sofield
    Altair 1305k USS Altair (AKS-32) moored at Genoa Italy, 13 May 1962, alongside USS Canberra (CAG-2). Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Altair 85k USS Altair (AKS-32) entering a Mediterranean port, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Altair 54k USS Altair (AKS-32) moored pierside at NOB Norfolk, VA., circa 1963. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Altair 72k USS Altair (AKS-32) underway in the Mediterranean Sea.
    US Naval Support Activity, Naples Italy photo from the 16 August 1963 edition of station newspaper "Panorama".    		 Michael F Troiano, BM3, USS Altair 1963-65
    Altair
    0913025718    		 262k USS Altair (AKS-32) replenishes the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVAN-65). Enterprise with assigned Carrier Air Wing 6 (CVW-6), made a round-the-world cruise "Operation Sea Orbit" from 8 February to 3 October 1964. A Sikorsky UH-34D of Helicopter Utility Squadron 4 (HU-4) "Invaders" is visible over Altair.
    U.S. Navy photo from the USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) 1964 cruise book    		 Robert Hurst
    Nitro 196k USS Nitro (AE 23) at right conducts an underway replenishment of ammunition with USS Forrestal (CV-59) while USS Altair (AKS-32) at left simultaneously conducts an underway replenishment of general stores.
    Tyrrhenian Sea, 8 January 1965. U.S. Navy photo from All Hands magazine, July 1965.
    (Thanks to Ken Killmeyer, USS Forrestal Association Historian, who found out where and when the photo had been taken.)    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Altair 48k USS Altair (AKS-32) underway during 1966; from the appearance of her decks and helicopter landing pad, aft, she is ready to commence an underway replenishment. Her "Victory Ship" lines are readily apparent in this aerial oblique view.
    US Navy History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 96650     		Robert Hurst
    Altair 130k USS Altair (AKS-32) underway, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Altair
    0913925716    		 175k USS Altair (AKS-32) underway in 1959, location unknown.
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 67904    		 Robert Hurst
    Additional Ships Patches
    Altair
    Contributed by
    C Wood Halsey & Charles Brecheisen    		 Altair
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski
    USS Altair (AK-257 / AKS-32)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Largess, George Joseph USN (USNA 1939)31 January 1952 - 15 January 1953AK-257
     Decommissioned15 January 1953 - 15 December 1953 
    02CDR. Taylor, Crittenden Battelle, USN (USNA 1930)15 December 1953 21 March 1955AKS-32
    03CDR. Bailey, Benjamin Franklin, USN (USNA 1932)21 March 1955 - 18 July 1956AKS-32
    04CAPT. Hughes Jr., William Chrtistopher, USN (USNA 1931) :RADM 18 July 1956 - 6 July 1957AKS-32
    05CAPT. Powell Jr., Edgar Samuel, USN (USNA 1934)06 July 1957 - 13 March 1958AKS-32
    06CAPT. Noel Jr., John Vavasour, CAPT USN (USNA 1936)13 March 1958 - 24 June 1959AKS-32
    07CAPT. CAPT. Schumacher, Vincent Edward, USN (USNA 1938)24 June 1959 - 4 June 1960AKS-32
    08CAPT. Colbert, Richard Gary, USN (USNA 1937) :ADM4 June 1960 - 21 August 1961AKS-32
    09CAPT. Kuntz, William Edward Jefferson, USN (USNA 1939) :RADM21 August 1961 - 30 April 1962AKS-32
    10CAPT. Dudley Jr., John Bauman, USN (USNA 1939)30 April 1962 - 15 May 1963AKS-32
    11CAPT. Nicodemus Jr., Gordon Kirkland, USN15 May 1963 - 27 February 1964AKS-32
    12CAPT. Midgette, Oliver Fanane, USN (XO, OinC)27 February 1964 - 9 March 1964AKS-32
    13CAPT. Morton, William Benjamin, USN (USNA 1940)9 March 1964 - 19 July 1965AKS-32
    14CAPT. Sams, William Ralph, USN19 July 1965 - 21 July 1966AKS-32
    15CAPT. Hoke Jr., Leonard Anderson, USN (USNA 1944)21 July 1966 - 9 July 1968AKS-32
    16CAPT. Feely, William Fergus, USN14 September 1968 - 1 November 1968AKS-32
    17CDR. Vojtek, Thomas Michael, USN6 November 1968 - 2 May 1969AKS-32
    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
    USS Altair AKS-32
    USS Altair AKS-32 Blog
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    Last Updated 21 November 2025