USS Altair (AK-257)

USS Altair (AKS-32) underway in 1966. From the appearance of her decks and helicopter landing pad, aft, she is ready to commence an underway replenishment.
History
United States
Name
  • Aberdeen Victory
  • Altair
Namesake
  • Seventeen cities in sixteen States in the United States have the name Aberdeen
  • Altair
OperatorWaterman Steamship Company
Orderedas type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, MCV hull 110
BuilderOregon Shipbuilding Corporation, Portland, Oregon
Laid down20 April 1944, as SS Aberdeen Victory
Launched30 May 1944
Sponsored byMrs. A. L. M. Wiggins
Completed22 June 1944
Acquired7 July 1951, by the USN
Commissioned31 January 1952, as USS Altair (AK-257)
Decommissioned5 January 1953
Refit5 January 1953, converted to a General Stores Issue Ship Antares-class General Stores Issue Ship
Identification
Recommissioned15 December 1953, as USS Altair (AKS-32)
Decommissioned2 May 1969
Stricken1 June 1973
FateSold for scrapping, 31 January 1975, to Luria Brothers & Co., Philadelphia, PA.
General characteristics [1]
Class and type
Displacement4,960 metric tons (4,880 long tons)
Length455 ft 3 in (138.76 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draft28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
Installed power8,500 shp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion
Speed16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement250
Armament4 × 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors antiaircraft guns (2×2)
Aviation facilitiesHelicopter deck added in 1959

The second USS Altair (AK-257) was a United States Navy Greenville Victory-class cargo ship in commission from 1952 to 1953. She was converted into a Antares-class general stores issue ship (AKS-32) in 1953 and was in commission as such from 1953 to 1969, seeing extensive service during the Cold War. Prior to her U.S. Navy career, she had operated as the merchant ship SS Aberdeen Victory during the latter stages of World War II.

  1. ^ "USS Altair (AKS-32)". Navsource.org. Retrieved June 2, 2015.