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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Algol (LKA-54)
ex
USS Algol (AKA-54) (1944 - 1969)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Hotel - Foxtrot NHHF

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia/Europe clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (5) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba)
Fourth Row - Philippines Liberation Medal (2) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Andromeda Class Amphibious Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 10 December 1942, as SS James Barnes, a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1153), at Moore Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.

Launched, 17 February 1943

Renamed Algol, 30 August 1943

Placed in reduced commission, 27 November 1943, for transit to Willamette Shipyard, Portland, OR. for completion as an Attack Cargo Ship

Placed in full commission as USS Algol (AKA-54), 21 July 1944, LCDR. Axton T. Jones, USNR, in command

During WWII USS Algol was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater, TransRon Thirteen, COMO. Carlson, M.O. USN (16), TransDiv Thirty-Nine, CAPT. G. E. Maynard, and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landing, 11 to 15 January 1945	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 10 April 1945

USS Algol was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East as well as Occupation service in Europe for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
Asia-8 September to 20 November 1945	8 September to 20 November 1945
Asia-23 March to 5 April 1947	23 March to 5 April 1947
	23 28 April to 5 May 1951
Europe-16 September 1949 to 18 January 1950

During the Korean War USS Algol participated in the following campaigns:

**Korean War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
North Korean Aggression 20 September to 1 November 1950	Communist China Spring Offensive 9 to 14 May 1951
Communist China Aggression 15 November to 19 January 1951	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 9 to 13 May 1952 9 to 13 August 1952
First UN Counteroffensive 23 February to 27 March 1951

Decommissioned, 2 January 1958

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton, WA. Group

Recommissioned, 17 November 1961, at the Northwest Marine Iron Works at Portland, OR., CAPT. F. L. Edwards in command

Redesignated Amphibious Cargo Ship (LKA-54), 1 January 1969

Decommissioned, 23 July 1970

Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 January 1977

Final Disposition, Removed from the Maritime Administration's James River Reserve Fleet and towed to Eagle Island Marine, Willmington, N.C. where she was prepared to become part of the New Jersey Shark River Artificial Reef. Ex-Algol was sunk on, 22 November 1991

USS Algol earned two battle stars for World War II service and five battle stars for Korean War service

Specifications:
Displacement 6,556 t.(lt) 14,225 t.(fl)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 26' 5" (lim)
Speed 16 kts.
Complement

Officers 66

Enlisted 363
Largest Boom Capacity 30 t.
Cargo Capacity 4,444Cu. ft. non-refrigerated
Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eighteen single 20mm AA gun mounts
Boats

8 LCMs

1 LCP(L)

15 LCVPs
Fuel Oil Capacity NFSO 19,900Bbls
Propulsion

one General Electric steam turbine

two Foster and Wheeler D-type boilers 450psi 750°

double General Electric Main Reduction Gears

three turbo-drive Ships Service Generators 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.

single propeller, 6,000shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
1296k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway off the coast of southern California, 22 September 1944. US Navy photo taken from a Santa Ana based Blimp Squadron (ZP-31) Airship by ENS. Borg.	David Buell
147k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)*, moored pierside at Norfolk, VA., 30 March 1950. The tug Alamingo* (YTB-227) is underway in the foreground. US Navy photo	.
33k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** with ex-USS LSM-355 in French service as *L 9011* alongside in Indo-China waters as they transfer anti-Communist refugees US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine December 1954	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
46k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor circa 1960, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
84k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964	© Richard Leonhardt
73k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964	© Richard Leonhardt
85k	USS Algol (AKA-54) underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964	© Richard Leonhardt
114k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54) underway in the VA Capes Op area, July 1964. Photo taken from USS Muliphen (AKA-61)**	© Richard Leonhardt
46k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
51k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
42k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
44k	*USS Algol* (AKA-54)** underway, date and location unknown.	Rich Galiano
44k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Fort Eustis, VA., date unknown.	Rich Galiano
31k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** at Eagle Island Marine, Wilmington, N.C. being prepared for sinking as part of the Shark River Artificial Reel off the Coast of New Jersey, circa, November 1991	Rich Galiano
114k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** ready for sinking as part of the Shark River Artificial Reef off the coast of New Jersey, 22 November 1991. Photo ©Herb Segars.	Rich Galiano
28k	Ex-*USS Algol* (LKA-54)** ready for sinking as part of the Shark River Artificial Reef off the coast of New Jersey, 22 November 1991.	Rich Galiano

USS Algol (AKA/LKA-54)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Jones, Axton T.	21 July 1944 - 30 November 1945
02	LCDR Lambert, David :RADM	30 November 1945 - November 1946
04	CAPT. Heath, George Lucius :RADM	April 1948 - April 1949
05	CAPT. Edwards, John Allen	April 1949 - April 1951
06	CAPT. Luongo Jr., Frank Paul	April 1951 - August 1952
07	CAPT. Conner, Ray Russell :RADM	August 1952 - July 1953
08	CAPT. Hawkins, David Delos	July 1953 - October 1954
10	CAPT. Freeman, Ross Edmondston	June 1957 - 6 September 1957
	Decommissioned	2 January 1958 - 17 November 1961
12	CAPT. Edwards Jr., Frederick Lee	17 November 1961 - 8 May 1963
13	LCDR. Abstetar, Stanley	8 May 1963 - March 1965
14	CAPT. Coleman Jr., Thaddeus Thornton	March 1965 - 1966
15	CAPT. Sudduth, Roy Martin	1966 - November 1967
16	CAPT. Hardy, Willis Allen	November 1967 - 18 January 1968
18	CAPT. Reilly Jr., Jeremiah Daniel	1969 - 27 October 1969


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Algol (AKA-54) Tribute Web Site
Shipwreck Corner-The USS Algol on Final Duty

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 7 January 2012

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Algol (LKA-54)ex USS Algol (AKA-54) (1944 - 1969)

USS Algol (LKA-54)
ex
USS Algol (AKA-54) (1944 - 1969)