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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Naos (AK-105)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Sierra - Uniform
NKSU

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 Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Crater Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 8 June 1943, as SS William R. Nelson, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1684) at California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, CA.

Launched, 30 June 1943

Acquired by the US Navy, 15 July 1943

Converted for Naval service at Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., San Pedro, CA.

Commissioned, USS Naos (AK-105), 17 August 1943, at San Pedro, CA., LCDR. Norman E. Wilcox in command

During World War II USS Naos was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II USS Naos was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 1 to 15 October 1945

Decommissioned, 6 December 1945, at San Francisco, CA.

Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 6 December 1945, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, name reverted to SS William R. Nelson

Struck from the Naval Register, 3 January 1946

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 30 June 1969, to Union Minerals and Alloys, physically delivered, 18 February 1970

Specifications:
Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 12.350 t.(fl)
Length 441' 6"
Beam 56' 11"
Draft 24' 6"
Speed 12.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 29

Enlisted 190

Troop Accommodations

Officers 43

Enlisted 990

Cargo Capacity 4,759 DWT

non-refrigerated 369,399 Cu. ft.

Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four single 40mm AA gun mounts

six single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity NSFO 7,285 Bbls

Propulsion

one Joshua Hendy Ironworks vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine

two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, 220psi 450°

three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

one propeller, 2,500shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
87k	Amidships plan view of *USS Naos* (AK-105)** at San Francisco, 4 December 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8083-43.	Darryl Baker
71k	Bows on view of *USS Naos* (AK-105)** underway off San Francisco, 10 December 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8266-43.	Darryl Baker
64k	Stern view of *USS Naos* (AK-105)** underway off San Francisco, 10 December 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8269-43.	Darryl Baker
59k	Broadside view of *USS Naos* (AK-105)** off San Francisco, 10 December 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 8270-43.	Darryl Baker
136k	Broadside view of *USS Naos* (AK-105)** anchored at an unknown location. Note the badly worn condition of the ship's MS21 camouflage scheme. LIFE Magazine Archives - Carl Mydans Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.	Mike Green
125k		Mike Green

USS Naos (AK-105)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Wilcox, Norman Edward	17 August 1943 - 20 April 1945
02	LT. Bornander, Paul Otis	20 April 1945 - 10 May 1945
03	LCDR. Branson, John Joseph	10 May 1945 - 14 May 1945
04	LCDR. Alcott, Alexander Malcolm	14 May 1945 - 6 December 1945


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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Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 10 November 2017