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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Venus (AK-135)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Charlie - Xray
NHCX

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive SS William Williams, 2 May 1943) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippine Liberation Medal

Crater Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 5 July 1942, as SS William Williams, a Maritime Commission type (EC2-S-C1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 263), at Permanente Metals Corp., Yard No. 2, Richmond, CA.

Launched, 21 August 1942

Delivered to Isthmian Steamship Lines, 8 September 1942 for operation under contract to the War Shipping Administration

Acquired by the US Navy, 6 November 1943

Commissioned, USS Venus (AK-135), 10 November 1943, LCDR. George H. L. Peet in command

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

Decommissioned, 4 December 1943, at Auckland, N.Z. and placed in service the same day

Recommissioned, 26 September 1944, at Auckland

Decommissioned, 18 April 1946, at Pearl Harbor, T.H.

Struck from the Naval Register, 19 February 1948

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 27 February 1948, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 18 April 1961, to Union Minerals and Alloys Corp. (PD-X-600) for $59,339.89, lump sum for group of EC-2's. Removed from the Reserve Fleet, 21 August 1961. Dismantling at Oakland, CA. completed, 21 October 1961.

USS Venus earned one battle star for World War II service as SS William Williams

Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,550 t.(fl)
Length 441' 6"
Beam 56' 11"
Draft 28' 4"
Speed 12.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 18

Enlisted 208

Largest Boom Capacity 37 t.

Cargo Capacity 7,800 DWT

non-refrigerated 417,791 Cu ft

Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount

two single 40mm AA gun mounts

eight single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacities

NSFO 9,660 Bbls

Diesel 2,010 Bbls

Propulsion

one American Ship Building vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 220psi 450°
Ships Service Generators
three reciprocating-drive 20Kw 120V D.C.
one turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 2,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
SS William Williams
	110k	SS William Williams launching at Permanente Metals Corp., Yard No. 2, Richmond, CA., 21 August 1942.	David Nixon
USS Venus (AK-135)
	117k	*USS Venus* (AK-135)** pierside at Sydney, Australia, 4 June 1945.	Danny Joe Kendrick for his Father Joe "Bill" William Kendrick, S1/c USS Venus
	149k	Reverse side of above photo with *USS Venus* (AK-135)** crew member names.	Danny Joe Kendrick for his Father Joe "Bill" William Kendrick, S1/c USS Venus
	93k	*USS Venus* (AK-135)** pierside loading cargo at Sydney, Australia, 4 June 1945.	Danny Joe Kendrick for his Father Joe "Bill" William Kendrick, S1/c USS Venus

USS Venus (AK-135)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Peet, George H. L.	10 November 1943 - 4 December 1943
	Decommissioned	4 December 1943 - 26 September 1944
01	LCDR. Peet, George H. L.	26 September 1944 - 18 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 Database

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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 11 July 2014