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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS YO-44

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Golf - Lima
 NCGL
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (Pearl Harbor) _ American Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
YO-43 Fuel Barge (Self-propelled):
  • Built by Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA
  • Laid down, 01 April 1940
  • Launched, 17 September 1940
  • Placed in service as YO-44, 03 January 1941
  • Allocated to the 14th Naval District
  • YO-44 was present during the attack on Pearl Harbor, 07 December 1941
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Converted to a fishing trawler for commercial service
  • Named Vardshov in 1961, owner E. Jorgensen
  • Renamed Kodiak Queen in 1967, US registry (ON 507891)
  • Renamed Global Queen in 2007, Panama registry
  • Renamed Kodiak Queen in 2010, registry unknown
  • Laid up and later abandoned at St. Johns BWI, circa 2010
  • Final disposition, scuttled as art installation/artificial reef "BVI Art Reef" in Long Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, April 2017
  • USS YO-44 earned one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1015 tons (fl)
    Length 154' 8"
    Beam 29'
    Draft unknown
    Cargo Capacity
    Oil 3,936 barrels
    Speed unknown
    Complement unknown
    Armament none
    Propulsion
    three Diesel engines, direct drive
    single propeller, 400shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS YO-44
    YO-44 3403k USS YO-44 underway shortly after commissioning, circa January 1941, off Navy Yard Mare Island. Darryl Baker
    Commercial Service
    YO-44 129k Ex-USS YO-44, renamed Kodiak Queen, aid up at Baughers Bay, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, 30 November 2010.
    Photo by Dirk Septer    		 Robert Hurst
    YO-44 109k Ex-USS YO-44, renamed Kodiak Queen, laid up and possibly abandoned at St Johns, BWI, 17 April 2012.
    Photo by Dirk Septer    		 David Wright
    YO-44 74k Ex-USS YO-44, renamed Kodiak Queen, aid up at Baughers Bay, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, 02 Apr 2014
    Photo by Michael Segeth    		 Robert Hurst
    There is no DANFS history record for YO-44 available at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Saving the YO-44 (out of date, but interesting)
    Dive the BVI Art Reef (many photos)
    BVI Ark
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Back To The Fuel Oil Barge (Self-propelled) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo and is maintained by David L. Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 25 August 2017