Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN Ret. - Popular Patch

USS Oceanus (ARB-2)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Xray - Alpha
 NJXA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Aristaeus Class Battle Damage Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 12 November 1942, as LST-328 at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Reclassified, Battle Damage Repair Ship, ARB-2, 25 January 1943
  • Launched, 11 February 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Oceanus (ARB-2), 22 May 1943, LCDR. William B. Studley Jr., USNR in command
  • During WWII USS Oceanus was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of Southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 2 April to 10 June 1945
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 20 February to 16 March 1945     		 

  • Following World War II USS Oceanus was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    China Service Medal (extended)
    9 September to 25 December 19459 September to 25 December 1945
  • Decommissioned in January 1947 at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1961
  • USS Oceanus earned three battle stars for World War II service
  • Registered in 1967 by Alaska Barge & Transport, Inc., Vancouver, WA as freight barge 630, homeport, Seattle, WA.
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,781 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 11' 2"
    Speed 11.6 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 20
    Enlisted 234
    Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Ship's Service Generators
    four 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two 100Kw 450V A.C.
    Fuel Oil Capacity Diesel 4,480 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    two propellers, 1800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Oceanus 16k Detailed maritime art print of USS Oceanus (ARB-2) created by former RAF aircrew officer Wg. Cdr Ian Hall, date unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Oceanus
    09260201    		 259k USS Oceanus (ARB-2) underway in June 1943, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 James Bass
    Oceanus 154k USS Oceanus (ARB-2) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 83856. Courtesy of D.M. McPherson, 1975.    		 Mike Green
    Oceanus 96k Starboard side view of USS Oceanus (ARB-2) at anchor probably at Ulithi Atoll, date unknown. She is wearing wearing camouflage measure 31/11L.
    Ships of the U.S. Navy in WWII “Dazzle” Camouflage, courtesy C. Lee Johnson.    		 Yu Chu and
    Joanne Ziegler for her father Joe Ziegler USS Oceanus
    Oceanus 147k USS Oceanus (ARB-2) at anchor probably at Ulithi Atoll, date unknown. She is wearing wearing camouflage measure 31/11L. Alongside to her port side are USS LCI(G)-558 outboard of LCT(6)-771
    Ships of the U.S. Navy in WWII “Dazzle” Camouflage, courtesy C. Lee Johnson.    		 Yu Chu
    USS Oceanus (ARB-2)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Studley Jr., William Burns, USNR22 May 1943 - 24 September 1943
    02LT. Lawton, Thomas Paul, USNR24 September 1943 - 30 June 1944
    03LT. Fluss, Dean, USN30 June 1944 - May 1946
    04LCDR. Dilworth, Frank Claude, USNMay 1946 - July 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To the Service Ship Type Index Back To the Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index Back To the Battle Damage Repair Ship (ARB) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 12 July 2024