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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Achelous (ARL-1)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Quebec - Sierra
NJQS

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (16-18 August 1943) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (2) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal

Achelous Class Landing Craft Repair Ship:

Laid down, 15 August 1942, as LST-10 at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, PA.

Reclassified as a Landing Craft Repair Ship while still building

Launched, 25 November 1942

Commissioned USS Achelous (ARL-1), 2 April 1943, at Baltimore, MD., LT. Walter Ringies, in command

During World War II USS Achelous was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Sicilian occupation, 15 July to 19 August 1943	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, May, June and August 1945
Invasion of southern France, August 1944

Decommissioned, 6 September 1946, at Astoria, OR.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973

USS Achelous earned three battle stars for World War II service

Final Disposition sold for scrapping, 1 January 1974

Specifications:
Displacement 3,900 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
Length 328'
Beam 50'
Draft 11' 2" (lim)
Speed 11.6 kts.
Largest Boom Capacity 60 t.

Complement

Officers 22

Enlisted 233

Armament

one single 3"/50 cal. dual purpose gun mount

two quad 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors

six twin 20 mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 4,715 Bbls

Propulsion

two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines

single Falk Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
three Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.

two propellers, 1,800shp

twin rudders

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
54k	*USS Achelous* (ARL-1)** steams beneath the Cooper River Bridge, Charleston, S.C., 19 February 1945. She is painted in the Measure 31 camouflage scheme (dull black, ocean green and Navy green). Note the large A-frame on her port side for hoisting damaged landing craft aboard for repair, and the booms stepped port and starboard for handling cargo. US National Archives photo # 19-N-78643, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
196k	Starboard broadside view of *USS Achelous* (ARL-1)** passing under the Cooper River Bridge at Charleston, S.C., 19 February 1945. US National Archives Photo # 19-N-78642, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Mike Green
27k	Starboard broadside view of *USS Achelous* (ARL-1)** under way on the Cooper River off Charleston, S.C., 19 February 1945. US Navy Yard Charleston, S.C. photo #619-45	Robert Hall
53k	*USS Achelous* (ARL-1)** under way, April 1943, location unknown. US Navy photo

USS Achelous (ARL-1)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Ringies, Walter, USNR	2 April 1943 - March 1944
02	LT. Hays, William Robert, USN	March 1944 - March 1945
03	LT. Lundell, Wilbur H., USNR	March 1945 - 12 December 1945
04	LTjg. Jimenez, Salvador, USNR	12 December 1945 - June 1946
05	LTjg. Huffman, C. A., USNR	June 1946 - 6 September 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 15 September 2017