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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Cebu (ARG-6)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Zulu - Lima
 NPZL
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Service Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 21 September 1943, as SS Francis P. Duffey a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1805) at Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, MD.
  • Assigned to the Navy and renamed Cebu
  • Launched, 18 October 1943
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission and converted to an Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship at Maryland Drydock Co, Baltimore, MD.
  • Commissioned USS Cebu (ARG-6), 15 April 1944, CAPT. George W. Stott in command
  • During World War II USS Cebu was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Assaults on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944

  • USS Cebu (ARG-6) was assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.8.1 Service Group - Repair and Service Unit for Operation Crossroads the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946
  • Decommissioned, 30 September 1947, at Stockton, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Stockton Group
  • Permanent transfer to the Maritime Administration, 9 January 1962, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA., name reverted to SS Francis P. Duffey
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1962
  • USS Cebu earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold 18 October 1973 to Zidell Explorations Inc. for scrapping, (PD-X-964 of 5 September 1973) for $151,899.99. Withdrawn for the Reserve Fleet an delivered to Zidell Explorations, Inc., 14 November 1973
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,350 t.(trial)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 23' (lim)
    Speed 12.5 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 31
    Enlisted 552
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one 3"/50 gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Ship's Service Generators
    three 350Kw 450V A.C.
    two 60Kw 120V D.C.
    Fuel Oil Capacity 19,540Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Machine Corp. vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers 220psi 450°
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By/Source
    USS Cebu (ARG-6)
    Cebu
    19-N-65151    		 131k USS Cebu (ARG-6) in Chesapeake Bay off the Bethlehem Steel Key Highway Yard, Baltimore, Md., 18 April 1944 one day after completing her conversion to an Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship. The ship is painted in Camouflage Measure 31, Design 6Ax.
    US National Archives photo #'s 19-N-65151 and 19-N-65152 US Navy Bureau of Ships photos now in the collections of the US National Archives Record Group 19-LCM.         		Robert Hurst
    Cebu
    19-N-65152    		 116k
    Cebu 154k USS Cebu (ARG-6) at anchor off Oahu, TH, 31 March 1946, prior to leaving for "Operation Crossroads" at Bikini Atoll. Notice that Cebu has dressed ship for this occasion.
    US Navy photo         		Received from both Charles Huntington and Gordon Pate, Jr. Mr. Pate's father Gordon R. Pate, SK3 USS Cebu
    Cebu 107k USS Cebu (ARG-6) officers group photo, date and location unknown. Charles Huntington
    Cebu 103k USS Cebu (ARG-6) Medical Department, date and location unknown. Charles Huntington
    Cebu 108k USS Cebu (ARG-6) First Division, date and location unknown. Charles Huntington
    Cebu 125k USS Cebu (ARG-6) Second Division, date and location unknown. Charles Huntington
    Cebu 100k USS Cebu (ARG-6) unknown division photo, circa 1944-1945. The division consists of one officer, two chief petty officers and seventeen men. Note paravane stowage and Cebu's bridge in the background.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 106323. From the George H. Dunn Album, donated by Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.    		 Robert Hurst
    Cebu 87k USS Cebu (ARG-6) Officers dancing with local women ashore, circa 1944-1945. The location is probably in the Philippines.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 106327. From the George H. Dunn Album, donated by Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.    		 Robert Hurst
    Cebu 86k USS Cebu (ARG-6) Print Shop crew at work, circa 1944-1945.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 106326. From the George H. Dunn Album, donated by Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.    		 Robert Hurst
    Cebu 195k USS Cebu (ARG-6) crew members gathered near one the ship's cargo-handling winches, circa 1944-1945
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 106324. From the George H. Dunn Album, donated by Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.    		 Robert Hurst
    Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet
    Cebu 105k SS Francis P. Duffey [ex-USS Cebu (ARG-6)] laid up in reserve at Suisun Bay, CA., 27 July 1972.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo #: NH 83859. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1975.         		Robert Hurst
    Cebu 75k SS Francis P. Duffey laid up in reserve at Suisun Bay, CA., date unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Cebu (ARG-6)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Stott, George Winfield15 April 1944 - 20 September 1945
    02CDR. Candler Jr., Daniel Beville, USN (USNA 1922)20 September 1945 - 21 March 1946
    03LT. Karl, Donald Joseph, USN21 March 1946 - 1 May 1947
    04LT. Parker, Walter Joseph, USN1 May 1947 - 30 September 1947
    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
    World War II Cruise Itinerary
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 15 March 2019