USS Denebola (AF-56)
_steaming_in_Hampton_Roads,_Virginia_(USA),_March_1971_(K-88516).jpg) USS Denebola (AF-56) Steaming in Hampton Roads, Virginia, March 1971.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Denebola |
| Ordered |
|
| Laid down | date unknown |
| Launched | 10 June 1944 |
| Acquired | 1 May 1952 |
| Commissioned | 20 January 1954 |
| Decommissioned | April 1976 |
| Stricken | 30 April 1976 |
| Fate | sold for scrapping, 1 December 1976 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 4,960 tons(lt) 10,850 tons(fl) |
| Length | 455 ft 3 in (138.76 m) |
| Beam | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Draught | 28 ft 6 in (8.69 m) |
| Propulsion | geared turbine engine, single propeller, 8,500shp |
| Speed | 16 kts. |
| Complement | 250 |
| Armament | four twin 3'/50 dual purpose gun mounts |
USS Denebola (AF-56) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.
The second ship to be named Denebola by the Navy, AF-56 was launched 10 June 1944 as Hibbing Victory by Oregon Shipbuilding Co., Portland, Oregon; sponsored by Miss J. A. Bush; transferred to the Navy 1 May 1952; converted at New York Naval Shipyard; and commissioned 20 January 1954, Commander S. E. Ramey in command.
Operations
From the completion of her shakedown through June 1960 Denebola alternated eight tours of duty with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean with local operations out of Norfolk, Virginia. In addition she participated in NATO exercises in 1957 and 1958 and carried stores to the Caribbean. She served as plane guard for President Dwight D. Eisenhower's plane and on his return from the NATO conference at Paris, in 1957, and during her 1958 Mediterranean tour she replenished ships patrolling off Beirut in the aftermath of the Lebanon crisis. She was among the ships deployed during the Cuban Missile Crises. She was also in the Mediterranean during the June,1967 Arab-Israeli "Six-Day War," and replenished U.S. Navy ships on standby alert during that conflict.[1]
Decommissioning
Denebola was decommissioned in April 1976 and struck from the Naval Register, 30 April 1976. Final Disposition: sold for scrapping, 1 December 1976, by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service.
Military awards and honors
Her crew was eligible for the following medals and commendations:
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- National Defense Service Medal (2)
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Lebanon)
References
- ^ personal experience
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links