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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Megara (ARVA-6)

/International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Romeo - Kilo
 NIRK
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 - National Defense Service Medal

USS Megara (ARVA)-6 was transferred to Mexico and renamed ARM General Vincente Guerrero (A-05)
Fabius Class Aircraft Repair Ship (Aircraft):
  • Authorized as LST-1095
  • Redesignated Aircraft Repair Ship (Aircraft) ARVA)-6, 14 December 1944
  • Laid down, 22 January 1945, at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA.
  • Launched, 25 April 1945
  • Placed in temporary commission, 19 June 1945, for transit to her fitting out yard at New Orleans LA,
  • Completed and placed in full commission as USS Megara (ARVA-6), 27 June 1945, at Algiers, LA., LCDR. Maxwell, T. Dalby, USNR in command
  • Decommissioned, 3 June 1946, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Group
  • Recommissioned, 5 May 1951, Cove Springs, FL., LCDR. R. J. Devito, USN in command
  • Decommissioned, 16 January 1956, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Group
  • Transferred, date unknown, to Atlantic Reserve Fleet Orange, TX.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 June 1973
  • Sold by DRMS, to Mexico, 1 October 1973, renamed ARM General Vincente Guerrero (A-05)
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,110 t.(lt) 3,960 t.(fl), 4,100 t.(lim)
    Length 328'
    Beam 50'
    Draft 11' 2" (lim)
    Speed 11.6 kts.
    Complement
    Officers - 20
    Enlisted - 225 240
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve 20mm AA guns
    Fuel Capacity - Diesel 3,600Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    three Diesel-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    two Diesel-drive 60Kw 230V A.C.
    two shafts, twin rudders, 1,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Megara 744k USS Megara (ARVA-6) under way at Jacksonville, FL., circa 1951.
    US Navy photo.    		 Alex Grosholz for his grandfather Earl A Dimmick FA USN 1951
    Megara 25k USS Megara (ARVA-6) at anchor, date and location unknown. Gunter Krebs
    Megara 69k USS Megara (ARVA-6) at anchor, 23 December 1952, in a French port. Megara was deployed to the Mediterranean from 18 August 52 to 1 March 1953.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # 84650, courtesy of D.M. McPherson, 1976    		 Robert Hurst
    Megara 53k USS Megara (ARVA-6) at anchor in the harbor at Naples, Italy in 1952
    Howard H. Hofmann    		 HullNumber.com
    Megara 67k USS Megara (ARVA-6) change of command, July 1953, LCDR. Franklin B. McMillan USN relieved LCDR. Wade W. Lape USN. Russell H. Hanseter
    Megara
    09350608    		 135k USS Megara (ARVA-6) broached on the beaches of La Pineda, Spain, 29 January - 1 February 1955. On January 20, 1955, the US 6th Fleet began maneuvers with the Spanish Navy. It was part of a strategic engagement with the government of General Francisco Franco to prove the ability of the United States to quickly assemble effective, albeit austere, temporary aviation repair facilities to combat any would-be Communist aggression in the Mediterranean. Known as ADVEX 1-55, it took place near Tarragona, on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Not everything went as planned. On January 29, USS Megara (ARVA-6) broached on the beaches of La Pineda.It would be three days before an international salvage effort pulled her clear. Brian Miller
    Megara
    09350609    		 218k
    Megara
    09350610    		 245k
    Megara
    09350611    		 269k
    Megara
    09350612    		 460k On 29 January 1955, USS Megara (ARVA-6) broached on the beaches of La Pineda, off the Mediterranean Coast of Spain during an exercise with Spain known as ADVEX 1-55. Over the next three days, several ships came to her aid. Among them were USS LST-32, the Spanish destroyer Almirante Antequera, and USS San Marcos (LSD-25). Pictured here are the salvage efforts of those ships that pulled Megara free on 1 Feb 1955. Brian Miller
    Megara
    09350613    		 169k
    Megara
    09350614    		 202k
    Megara
    09350607    		 141k USS Megara (ARVA-6) underway near Tarragona, Spain, circa 1 February 1955. Brian Miller
    Megara 78k USS Megara (ARVA-6) under way, circa 1960, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Megara (ARVA)-6)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Dalby, Maxwell Thomas, USNR27 June 1945 - March 1946
    02LT. Pace, John T., USNRMarch 1946 - 1946
    03LTjg. Cleere, Timothy Joseph, USN1946 - 3 June 1946
     Decommissioned3 June 1946 - 5 May 1951
    04CDR. Devito, Raymond Joseph, USN5 May 1951 - 1952
    05LCDR. Lape, Wade Wenger, USN1952 - July 1953
    06LCDR. McMillan, Franklin Barnes, USNJuly 1953 - 23 July 1954
    07LCDR. Leischner, William USNR23 July 1954 - 1955
    08LCDR. Scott, Frank S. USNR1955 - 16 January 1956
    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
    Postal Covers related to the ship
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 7 February 2020