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USS Regulus (AF-57)
Encyclopedia
USS Regulus (AF-57) was an 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 vessel to be named Regulus by the Navy, Regulus was built under Maritime Commission contract, was laid down as Escanaba Victory (MCV hull 112) by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oregon
, 29 April 1944; launched 7 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Aubrey D. Day; and delivered to the Maritime Commission 29 June 1944.
, Escanaba Victory was acquired by the Navy from the Commission's successor, the Maritime Administration, 5 May 1952; converted by the Todd Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York; and commissioned as Regulus (AF-57) 3 February 1954, Comdr. John D. Lautaret in command.
,, loaded at San Francisco, California
, and on 8 May 1954 got underway for the Far East
. A unit of ServRon
3, she operated out of Sasebo
and replenished units of the U.S. 7th Fleet at sea and in ports from Japan
to the Philippines
until November when she steamed for the United States
. Returning to San Francisco 2 December, she deployed again 26 February-26 August 1955, extending her range on that tour to ports in Indochina
.
, transporting in 1957 art treasures from Korea
to the United States for exhibition. During the early sixties, her deployed time in WestPac
was increased and from 1964 her primary mission was shifted to replenishment of 7th Fleet units operating off the coast of Vietnam
. Her triennial overhaul periods excepted, Regulus, equipped in 1965 with a helicopter
deck for vertical replenishment, continued to carry provisions to the units of the U.S. Pacific Fleet until the night of 16-17 August 1971.
_ship_damage.jpg)
While riding out typhoon Rose
at Hong Kong
, Regulus grounded on Kau I Chau Island
, ripping open her hull. After three weeks of attempting to refloat Regulus, it was finally decided that the damage she had incurred was too severe to warrant salvage. Regulus was decommissioned 10 September 1971 and subsequently struck from the Navy list
.
The second vessel to be named Regulus by the Navy, Regulus was built under Maritime Commission contract, was laid down as Escanaba Victory (MCV hull 112) by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, 29 April 1944; launched 7 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Aubrey D. Day; and delivered to the Maritime Commission 29 June 1944.
Acquired by the Navy
Initially operated for the Maritime Commission by the American South African LineFarrell Lines
Farrell lines Incorporated was named in 1948 after James A. Farrell Jr., and John J. Farrell, sons of James A Farrell Sr., president of US Steel. The company was previously known as American South African Lines . It was a passenger/cargo line in regular service from New York to South Africa...
, Escanaba Victory was acquired by the Navy from the Commission's successor, the Maritime Administration, 5 May 1952; converted by the Todd Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York; and commissioned as Regulus (AF-57) 3 February 1954, Comdr. John D. Lautaret in command.
Operations
Completing initial training and outfitting on the west coast, Regulus, homeported at Alameda, CaliforniaAlameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
,, loaded at San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, and on 8 May 1954 got underway for the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. A unit of ServRon
ServRon
A ServRon is a standard United States Navy abbreviation for "Service Squadron."A Service Squadron was a squadron of U.S. Navy ships that served the fleet. The squadron included ships such as tankers, oilers, refrigerator ships, ammunition ships, supply ships, repair ships, and the like...
3, she operated out of Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
and replenished units of the U.S. 7th Fleet at sea and in ports from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
until November when she steamed for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Returning to San Francisco 2 December, she deployed again 26 February-26 August 1955, extending her range on that tour to ports in Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
.
Supporting Vietnam operations
For the remainder of that decade and through the next, she continued to rotate regularly to the western Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, transporting in 1957 art treasures from Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
to the United States for exhibition. During the early sixties, her deployed time in WestPac
Westpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
was increased and from 1964 her primary mission was shifted to replenishment of 7th Fleet units operating off the coast of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Her triennial overhaul periods excepted, Regulus, equipped in 1965 with a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
deck for vertical replenishment, continued to carry provisions to the units of the U.S. Pacific Fleet until the night of 16-17 August 1971.
Grounded on a reef in a typhoon
Typhoon Rose (1971)
Typhoon Rose was Category 4 typhoon that struck the northern Philippines and later eastern China in August 1971...
at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Regulus grounded on Kau I Chau Island
Kau Yi Chau
Kau Yi Chau , also known as Tai Kau Yi Chau , is an uninhabited island located west of Victoria Harbour, between Peng Chau and Green Island in Hong Kong. It is located on the crossroad of sea routes, east to west and north to south. The ferry between Central of Hong Kong Island and Mui Wo of...
, ripping open her hull. After three weeks of attempting to refloat Regulus, it was finally decided that the damage she had incurred was too severe to warrant salvage. Regulus was decommissioned 10 September 1971 and subsequently struck from the Navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
.
Military awards and honors
Regulus’ crew was eligible for the following medals:- National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
(2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
(6-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service MedalVietnam Service MedalThe Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
(11) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal