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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Canopus (AS-34)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Alpha - Whiskey
 NCAW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (4)
Bottom Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (5) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Simon Lake Class Submarine Tender:
  • Laid down, 2 March 1964, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 12 February 1965
  • Commissioned USS Canopus (AS-34), 4 November 1965, CAPT. John M. Barrett USN, in command
  • Decommissioned, 7 October 1994 at Kings Bay, GA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 3 May 1995
  • Title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 1 May 1999, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Able UK, Hartlepool, Teeside, England, and removed from the Reserve Fleet, 16 October 2003 under tow to the United Kingdom
    Specifications:
    Displacement 14,316 t.(lt) 20,922 t. (fl)
    Length 643' 9"
    Beam 85'
    Draft 24' 6"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement 1,420
    Armament four 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsion
    two boilers
    steam turbine
    single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Canopus
    09363425    		 47k
    Namesake
    Canopus - is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina and the second-brightest star in the night sky. Canopus has a visual apparent magnitude of -0.74, it is outshone only by Sirius. Canopus's mass is about eight or nine times that of the Sun and its girth more than 70 times the Sun’s, Its luminosity more than 10,000 to 13,000 times brighter than the Sun. Canopus also maintains a very high surface temperature of 7,350K, which is roughly 3,000°F hotter than the Sun’s visible surface.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Canopus
    09363423    		 124k Canopus (AS-34) on the slipways at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS., several weeks prior to her scheduled launching date of 12 February 1965.
    Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp photo.    		 Dale Hargrave
    Canopus 164k Canopus (AS-34) launching, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS., 12 February 1965.
    US Navy photo.    		 Dale Hargrave
    Canopus 77k Overhead view of USS Canopus (AS-34) under way in 1965, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Canopus
    09363424    		 34k USS Canopus (AS-34) with submarine alongside at Rota, Spain, 1967. Antonio Gómez Martín
    Canopus 238k Aerial view of USS Canopus (AS-34) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Scott Koen
    Canopus 665k USS Canopus (AS-34) Christmas card, 1971. Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC USN Ret.
    Canopus 344k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored in the Holy Loch, Scotland, November 1972 Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC USN Ret.
    Canopus 363k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored in the Holy Loch, Scotland in 1972 with a Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) alongside. Moored aft of Canopus is the Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Los Alamos (AFDB-7). Photo by Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC USN Ret.
    Canopus 84k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored in the Holy Loch, Scotland, winter 1972 Also moored aft of Canopus is the Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Los Alamos (AFDB-7),. with Large Fleet Tugs alongside. Probably, Piqua (YTB-793) and Natick (YTB-760). Photo by Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC USN Ret.
    Canopus
    09363426    		 794k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored in the Holy Loch, Scotland in 1974 with two "Boomers" and numerous small craft alongside.
    Photo from MT2(SS) Jim Civik    		 Bob Canchola
    Canopus 420k Aerial view of ship docking and repair facilities at Naval Station Rota, Spain, 1 March 1977, with USS Canopus (AS 34) and Medium Auxiliary Repair Dock USS Oak Ridge (ARDM-1) in their berths.
    Department of Defense photo # DN-ST-87-06235.    		  
    Canopus 78k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored pierside at Barcelona, Spain, 12 December 1978. Note the ship's four 3"/50 guns abreast the funnel. Photo by Fabio Peña
    Canopus 145k USS Canopus (AS-34) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Courtesy Randy Guttery
    Tendertales Web Site
    Canopus 15k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored to a buoy while tending submarines, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		  
    Canopus 274k USS Canopus (AS-34) in drydock at Sparrow Point Shipyard and Steel Mill, Dundalk, MD., January 1990 Scott F. Hiorns BT1(SW) USN USS Canopus, 1990-1991
    Canopus 43k USS Canopus (AS-34) in drydock at Sparrow Point Shipyard and Steel Mill, Dundalk, MD., January 1990 Scott F. Hiorns BT1(SW) USN USS Canopus, 1990-1991
    Canopus 39k USS Canopus (AS-34) in drydock at Sparrow Point Shipyard and Steel Mill, Dundalk, MD., January 1990 Scott F. Hiorns BT1(SW) USN USS Canopus, 1990-1991
    Canopus 26k USS Canopus (AS-34) Engineering Department berthing, April 1990 Scott F. Hiorns BT1(SW) USN USS Canopus, 1990-1991
    Canopus 55k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored to a D&S pier at Naval Station Norfolk, VA., 1994.
    US Navy photo    		  
    Canopus 71k USS Canopus (AS-34) moored at Sub Base St. Mary's GA., date unknown, with two submarines alongside. Astern of Canopus is the Medium Auxiliary Repair Dock Oak Ridge (ARDM-1) Jack Treutle
    Canopus 325k USS Canopus (AS-34) tending submarines, probably at Kings Bay, GA, date unknown. Scott Koen
    Canopus 146k USS Canopus (AS-34) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Canopus 109k USS Canopus (AS-34) tending submarines, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Canopus 311k The decommissioned USS Canopus (AS-34) being moved at Kings Bay in preparation for towing to the NISMF Portsmouth, VA. on 30 November 1994. Canopus arrived at Portsmouth and was placed in reserve there. In 2006 Canopus was reassigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet and on 29 January 1997 she was towed up the James River to the National Defense Reserve Fleet James River Group anchorage at Lee Hall, VA. where custody was turned over the the Maritime Administration and she was laid up in reserve. Scott Koen
    Caloosahatchee 45k "The Hartlepool Four" left to right;
    ex-USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98)
    ex-USS Canisteo (AO-99),
    ex-USS Canopus (AS-34), and
    ex-USS Compass Island (E-AG-153) awaiting the beginning of the end at Able UK, Hartlepool, Teeside, England, 4 March 2006. Scrapping is on hold due to environmental concerns.    		 Photo by David Nixon
    Caloosahatchee 77k "The Hartlepool Four"
    ex-USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98),
    ex-USS Canisteo (AO-99),
    ex-USS Canopus (AS-34), and
    ex-USS Compass Island (E-AG-153) at Able UK, Hartlepool, Teeside, England, date unknown.
    Photo from geograph.org    		 Robert Hurst
    Additional Ships Patches
    Canopus
    Contributed by Thomas Denton    		 Canopus
    Contributed by Thomas Denton    		 Canopus
    Contributed by Thomas Denton
    There is no DANFS history available for USS Canopus (AS-34) at NavSource

    For more photos and information about USS Canopus, see;
  • Canopus History
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
  • Submarine Tenders of the United States Navy
  • Launching Program contributed by S. Dale Hargrave
  • USS Canopus (AS-34) Postal Covers
  • "Canopus Ghost Ship" YouTube Video of her being scrapped
    • Commanding Officers
    01Capt. Barrett John Michael, USN (USNA 1943) :RADM4 November 1965 - 5 August 1966
    02CAPT. Eaton, John David USN (USNA 1945) :RADM 5 August 1966 - 30 December 1967
    03CAPT. Trueblood, Harold James, USN (USNA 1945) 30 December 1967 - 20 September 1969
    04CAPT. Davis, John Meridith, USN (USNA 1948-B) 20 September 1969 - 25 July 1970
    05CAPT. Hoover, Richard Martin, USN (USNA 1951) 25 July 1970 - 19 June 1972
    06CAPT. Brooks, Walter Allen, USN (USNA 1952) 19 June 1972 - 26 March 1974
    07CAPT. Alexich, Milton Pivar :RADM 26 March 1974 - 12 June 1976
    08CAPT. Will, Jr. John Mylin Will, USN 12 June 1976 - 26 August 1978
    09CAPT. Griffith, Dwaine Orris :RADM 26 August 1978 - 11 July 1980
    10CAPT. Marxer, Hugo Edward, USN (USNA 1957) 11 July 1980 - 2 July 1982
    11CAPT. Holcomb, Charles Curtis, USN (USNA 1961) 2 July 1982 - 7 July 1984
    12CAPT. Lees, Michael James, USN (USNA 1960) 7 July 1984 - 7 June 1986
    13CAPT. O'Brian, Jr., Thomas Joseph, USN (USNA 1963) 7 June 1986 - 9 July 1988
    14CAPT. Adams, Frederick Arthur (Rick), USN (USNA 1965) 9 July 1988 - 7 July 1990
    15CAPT. Fletcher III, Bennie Lyle (Jim), USN (USNA 1967) 7 July 1990 - 8 February 1992
    16CAPT. Ihrig, Clyde James, USN (USNA 1970) 8 February 1992 - 5 March 1994
    17CAPT. Glover, Ronald Burton5 March 1994 - 7 October 1994
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    USS Canopus AS-34 Association
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 27 October 2023