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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Agenor (ARL-3)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Victor - Bravo
NJVB

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal

USS Agenor (ARL-3) was transferred to France, renamed RFS Vulcain (A-656), resold by France to the Republic of China, renamed ROCS Wu Tai (ARL-336)

Achelous Class Landing Craft Repair Ship:

Authorized as LST-490

Redesignated Landing Craft Repair Ship ARL-3, 13 January 1943

Laid down, 24 January 1943 by Kaiser Co., Inc., Vancouver, WA.

Launched, 3 April 1943

Commissioned USS Agenor (ARL-3), 30 August 1943, LT. Argyle W. Markley, USNR in command

During WWII USS Agenor was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 25 June to 21 July 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 1 to 15 August 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 16 March 1945
Tinian capture and occupation, 24 to 31 July 1944

Decommissioned, 15 November 1946

Transferred to France, 2 March 1951, under the terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, renamed RFS Vulcain (A-656)

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 March 1951

USS Agenor earned three battle stars for World War II service

Transferred by France to the Republic of China in 1957, renamed ROCS Wu Tai (ARL-336)

Specifications:
Displacement 3,900 t.(lt) 4,100 t.(fl)
Length 328'
Beam 50'
Draft 11' 2" (lim)
Speed 11.6 kts.
Largest Boom Capacity 60 t.

Complement

Officers 22

Enlisted 231

Armament

one single 3"/50 cal. dual purpose gun mount

two quad 40mm AA gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors

six twin 20 mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 4,715 Bbls

Propulsion

two General Motors 12-567A Diesel engines

single Falk Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
three Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
two Diesel-drive 100Kw 450V A.C.

two propellers, 1,800shp

twin rudders

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source By
USS Agenor (ARL-3)
	216k	Agenor (ARL-3) at the Matson Navigation Co., pier in San Francisco, 8 August 1943, shortly before commissioning. The "A" frame hoist could lift a 50-ton weight by means of a multiple past purchase whose line was connected to the drum of a 50 hp winch. It was a general purpose hoist, capable of supporting a motor torpedo boat on its cradle when in stripped condition, or a section of the 105-ft landing Craft Tank, Mk V. "A" frame hoists were fitted to the converted LSTs of the AGP-4, ARB-1, ARL-1 and ARL-10 classes. US National Archives photo # 19-N-87305, RG-19-LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	211k	*USS Agenor* (ARL-3)** at anchor, circa 1945, location unknown. US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # NH 51445. Courtesy of D.M. McPherson.	Mike Green
10190312	83k	*USS Agenor* (ARL-3)** underway, 26 November 1943, location unknown. She is painted in as yet unidentified camouflage pattern. Photo from picryl.com by U.S. National Archives	John Spiey
RFS Vulcain (A-656)
	52k	Ex-*USS Agenor* (ARL-3) in French naval service as RFS Vulcain (A-656)** attempting to re-float a small coastal freighter at the mouth of the Haiphong, Vietnam, 1952	Provided by François Laurent QM/signalman RFS Vulcain, submitted by André Pilon RFS Golo
	36k	*RFS Vulcain* (A-656)** underway, date and location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	26k	*RFS Vulcain* (A-656)** while participating in Operation Hirondelle, French Indo-china, July 1953. She is shown waiting to pick-up French and Vietnamese paratroopers who had raided Vietminh supply depots near Lang Son. After photographing and destroying the depots, the paratroopers returned overland via Loc Binh, where other French units had been dropped on the 17th to repair and hold a river crossing for the retreating units; and then to form a rearguard for 20 miles. The entire force rendezvoused with Mobile Group Five, and was then extracted by sea on July 19, suffering from heat exhaustion. Photo by Pierre Ferrari (Cinematographic Service of the Armies, SCA). French Defense Ministry archives (ECPAD). Info regards Operation Hirondelle courtesy of Wikipedia.	Robert Hurst
	41k	*RFS Vulcain* (A-656)** moored in Halong Bay, North Vietnam, probably to repair a LCM, circa 1951-1954. Photos by Thierry Le Cam	André Pilon RFS Golo
	43k
	36k
	42k
	52k	*RFS Vulcain* (A-656)** ships insignia pin.	André Pilon RFS Golo
ROCS Wu Tai (ARL-336)
	47k	Ex-*USS Agenor* (ARL-3)** in Taiwanese service as Wu Tai (ARL-336)	Taiwan Navy web site

USS Agenor (ARL-3)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Markley, Argyle Willis, USNR	30 August 1943 - 30 November 1943
02	LT. Brandau, Curtis Charles, USNR	30 November 1943 - 31 December 1943
03	LCDR. Nagle, Louis Francis, USNR	31 December 1943 - 20 January 1944
04	LCDR. Roenicke, Walter Otto, USN	20 January 1944 - 30 November 1944
05	LCDR. Rocca, Curtis Michael, USNR	30 November 1944 - 30 September 1945
06	LT. Hightower Jr., John Newton, USN	30 September 1945 - 15 November 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Russ Moody

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 6 December 2024