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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Hecuba (AKS-12)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Whiskey - Yankee
 NCWY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Acubens Class General Stores Issue Ship:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as SS George W. Cable, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCE 2825) at Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched, 6 November 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, date unknown
  • Completed as a General Stores Issue Ship at Todd-Johnson Drydocks Corp.
  • Commissioned USS Hecuba (AKS-12), 21 April 1945, CDR. Northrup H. Castle USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Hecuba was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Hecuba was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 23 October to 29 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 26 March 1946, at Pearl Harbor
  • All ships of the Acubens class were meant to be used as Bikini Assets, in 'C' test and were kept at Pearl Harbor until a decision was made in 1947 to transfer custody of these ships to the Maritime Commission
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission at San Francisco. 10 July 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 22 September 1964, to Schintzer Steel Products Co., Portland, OR. (PD-X-676 dated 31 August 1964), $150,250.00, in a three ship deal, delivered, 19 October 1964
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,240 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 12.5 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 15
    Enlisted 180
    Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.
    Cargo Capacity 2,500 DWT
    non-refrigerated 219,018 Cu ft
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 9,640 Bbls
    Diesel 2,010 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Iron Fireman vertical reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
    three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Gratia 127k USS Hecuba (AKS-12) under way, circa 1945. Note non-standard stack top on this "Liberty" ship.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 89191         		US Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS Hecuba (AKS-12)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Castle, Northrup Herman, USNR21 April 1945 - 14 October 1945
    02LT. Benthusen, Harold Alfred, USN14 October 1945 - 20 December 1945
    03LT. Blanchard, George J., USNR20 December 1945 - 3 January 1946
    04CDR. McCann, Francis Wylie, USNR (USNA 1927)3 January 1946 - 26 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 General Stores Issue Ship (AKS) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 April 2018