USS Antares (AK-258) as a cargo ship.
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History | |
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United States | |
Name |
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Namesake | |
Operator |
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Ordered | as type (VC2-S-AP3) hull, MCV hull 107 |
Builder | Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland, Oregon |
Laid down | 6 April 1944, as SS Nampa Victory |
Launched | 19 May 1944 |
Sponsored by | Mrs. R. A. Hadley |
Completed | 10 June 1944 |
Acquired | 23 July 1951, by the USN |
Commissioned | 12 February 1952, as USS Antares (AK-258) |
Decommissioned | 18 December 1964 |
Renamed | 26 July 1951, Antares |
Reclassified | 1 April 1959, Stores Issue Ship (AKS-33) |
Stricken | 1 September 1965 |
Identification |
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Honors and awards | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
Fate | Sold for scrapping, 5 April 1974, to Union Minerals and Alloys Corp., for $225,433 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Greenville Victory-class cargo ship |
Displacement |
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Length | 455 ft (139 m) |
Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
Draft | 29 ft 2 in (8.89 m) |
Installed power | 8,500 shp (6,300 kW) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) |
Complement | 250 |
Armament | 2 × 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors guns anti-aircraft gun mounts |
The second USS Antares (AK-258) was a United States Navy Greenville Victory-class cargo ship in commission from 1952 to 1959. She was converted into a general stores issue ship (AKS-33) in 1959–1960 and remained in commission as such until 1964. She saw extensive service during the Cold War. Prior to her U.S. Navy career, she had operated as the merchant ship SS Nampa Victory during the latter stages of World War II and in the years immediately after the war.
SS Nampa Victory was a Maritime Commission type VC2-S-AP3 hull laid down on 6 April 1944 at Portland, Oregon, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation under a Maritime Commission contract as MCV hull 107. She was launched on 19 May 1944, sponsored by Mrs. R. A. Hadley, and was delivered to the Maritime Commission on 10 June 1944.
SS Nampa Victory entered mercantile service as a cargo ship, operated during World War II by the International Freighting Company under contract to the War Shipping Administration. SS Nampa Victory serviced in the Pacific War on WW2. SS Nampa Victory delivered supply to troop in Pacific ocean. SS Nampa Victory was in combat action in the assault-occupation of Okinawa in the Battle of Okinawa.
After the war, she was operated under a general agency agreement successively by the Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Company from 28 November 1945 to 31 October 1946, the Waterman Steamship Corporation from 31 October 1946 to 13 November 1946, and A. L. Burbank and Company from 13 November 1946 to 6 December 1947. On 18 January 1948, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Wilmington, North Carolina.[2]
On 21 September 1950, United States Lines leased Nampa Victory, and she briefly returned to active service. On 28 November 1950, she again was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, this time in the James River Reserve Fleet on the James River at Lee Hall, Virginia.[2]
Antares reported to the Norfolk Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, on 15 September 1964 and was decommissioned there on 18 December 1964. She was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet's James River Reserve Fleet on 30 March 1965. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 September 1965, and she was simultaneously transferred to the Maritime Administration.[2]
Antares remained inactive in the James River Reserve Fleet until she was sold for scrapping on 5 April 1974 to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation, to which she was delivered on 31 May 1974.[2]
Crew of Naval Armed Guard on the SS Nampa Victory' earned "Battle Stars" in World War II for war action during the assault occupation of Okinawa from 24 June 1945 to 30 June 1945.[3]