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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Mizar (AF-12)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Alpha - Charlie
 NBAC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with "A" device) - American Campaign Medal Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Mizar Class Stores Ship
  • Built in 1932 as SS Quiriqua for United Fruit Co. at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, MA.
  • Acquired by the US Navy through the Maritime Commission on a bare-boat basis
  • Converted for Naval service at Brewer's Drydock Co., Staten Island, N.Y.
  • Commissioned USS Mizar (AF-12), 14 June 1941, CDR. Edward D. Walbridge USN in command
  • During World War II USS Mizar was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Supporting and consolidation operations designated by Commander Seventh Fleet, 1 March to 1 May 1944     		Western New Guinea operation
    Supporting and consolidation operations designated by Commander Seventh Fleet, 21 April to 21 July 1945
    Eastern New Guinea operation
    Supporting and consolidation operations designated by Commander Seventh Fleet, 1 March to 24 July 1944     		Hollandia operation, 12 to 29 May 1945
  • Decommissioned, 1 April 1946, at Baltimore, MD.
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission the same day for return to United Fruit Co. name reverted to SS Quiriqua
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • USS Mizar earned four battle stars for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold by United Fruit in 1959 to their subsidiary shipping company Elder & Fyffes, renamed SS Samala, reflagged Great Britain
    Final Disposition, broken up at Kaohsiung, February 1964
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,982 t.(lt) 11,875 t.(fl)
    Length 447' 10"
    Beam 60'
    Draft 26' 2" (limiting)
    Speed 18 kts. (max)
    Cargo Capacity 2,225 DWT
    refrigerated 166,108 Cu ft.
    Complement
    Officers 18
    Enlisted 220
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 7,700 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Electric turbo-electric engines
    three Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 350psi 660°
    three turbo-drive 500Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    twin screws, 11,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Mizar (AF-12)
    Mizar 71k USS Mizar (AF-12) at Norfolk Navy Yard, 20 December 1941. This was the only ship of this class initially converted with its 3"/50 guns fore and aft on raised platforms.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 19-N- 26531 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mizar 61k USS Mizar (AF-12) departing Hvalfjord, Iceland February 15-18, 1942. Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, by Parnall, C.H. (Lt.), Photo No. © IWM (A 7685) Mike Green
    Mizar
    09061213    		 102k USS Mizar (AF-12) underway, at sea, 3 June 1943. Mizar operated between Australia and New Guinea at that time.
    Australian armed forces. This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 303629    		 Robert Hurst
    Mizar
    09061214    		 134k USS Mizar (AF-12) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    Australian armed forces. This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 303629    		 Robert Hurst
    Mizar
    09061211    		 58k USS Mizar (AF-12) underway, 22 July 1943. Mizar operated between Australia and New Guinea at that time.
    Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 302675    		 Robert Hurst
    Mizar
    09061210    		 41k Overhead view of USS Mizar (AF-12) underway, 22 August 1943. Mizar operated between Australia and New Guinea at that time.
    Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 302675    		 Robert Hurst
    Mizar 84k Stern view of USS Mizar (AF-12) departing Mare Island, 8 February 1946. Ships to the right: LST is either USS LST-772 or USS LST-271 both arrived at the Ammunition Depot on this date, next is USS Starr (AKA-67) and an identified tug.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 564-46, 2/5/46.    		 Darryl Baker
    Mizar 81k Broadside view of USS Mizar (AF-12) departing Mare Island, 8 February 1946. Mizar was under going repairs at Mare Island from 28 January to 8 February 1946. Note USS LST-1138 in the background.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 566-46, 2/5/46.    		 Darryl Baker
    Mizar 74k Bow on view of USS Mizar (AF-12) departing Mare Island, 8 February 1946.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 568-46, 2/5/46.    		 Darryl Baker
    Merchant Service United Fruit Lines Merchant Service Elder & Fyffes Lines
    Mizar
    09061215    		 144k United Fruit Company Steamship Service ("Great White Fleet"), SS Chiriqui, Dinner menu cover, 2 May 1935.
    Courtesy United Fruit Company    		 Robert Hurst
    Mizar 78k Pre-war view of United Fruit Company's. SS Quiriqua moored pierside, date and location unknown. David Nixon
    Mizar
    09061212    		 159k United Fruit Co.'s SS Quiriqua in hand to be converted into Mizar (AF-12), at Brewer Shipyard, Staten Island, N.Y., 6 June 1941.
    U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo - U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # 19-N-24242    		 Robert Hurst
    Mizar 53k Ex-USS Mizar (AF-12) moored pierside in merchant service as Elder & Fyffes' SS Samala, date and location unknown. David Nixon
    Mizar 297k Elder & Fyffes' SS Samala moored pierside, date and location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Mizar 208k Elder & Fyffes' SS Samala under way, date and location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Mizar (AF-12)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Walbridge, Edward Dewey, USN (USNA 1918)14 June 1941 - 6 December 1941
    02CDR. Walton, Chester Lee, USN (USNA 1929)6 December 1941 - 28 February 1942
    03CDR. Ronquist, Elmer Reuben USN28 February 1942 - 24 April 1042
    04CAPT. Michaux, Woodson Vaughan, USN (USNA 1922)24 April 1942 - 13 August 1943
    05CDR. Dix, John Patrick, USN13 August 1943 - 7 June 1944
    06CDR. Christensen, Carl Albert, USNR7 June 1944 - 14 March 1945
    07LCDR. ,Theroux, Leo Bass, USN14 March 1945 - 1 April 1946
    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 Data Base
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 31 January 2025