Antares (AKS 33) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE MISSION OF THE USS ANTARES (AKS-33) FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN AND FALLEX 60 The mission of the USS ANTARES (AKS-33) is to provide the highest attainable degree of supply support to vessels of the operating fleet. In addition to general stores, the ANTARES carries electrical fittings blank forms, special clothing, ship ' s parts, medical supplies, electronic parts, ship ' s store stock, clothing and small stores, packaged lubricants, and ordnance parts. The total number of items earned is slightly under 20,000. A special significance is attached to the role of the ANTARES in the Mediter- ranean as it was the only afloat stores supply ship of its type which was assigned to the Sixth Fleet. During the Mediterranean operations, the ANTARES averaged a net supply support effectiveness rate of 99 2 per cent for seven underway logistic replenishments in support of fifty to sixty ships. Upon detachment from the Sixth Fleet, the ANTARES was assigned a similar supply mission as the only AKS supporting the sixty-five United States ships engaged in the NATO, Fallex 60 exercises. A WELL DONE The following message was received upon detachment from the Sixth Fleet on 3 September 1960: YOUR SPARKLING PERFORMANCE DURING THIS ENTIRE DEPLOYMENT HAS RESULTED IN ESTABLISHING A NEW HIGH IN LOGISTIC EFFECTIVENESS STAN- DARDS FOR THE ON STATION AKS X BY THIS PRAISEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENT YOU HAVE ASSURED OPTIMUM LOGISTIC SUPPORT FOR SIXFLT X YOUR AC- COMPLISHMENTS AND ANTARES FINE REPUTATION AS A RESPONSIVE AND SMART SHIP NOTED WITH PLEASURE X WELL DONE X VADM ANDERSON.

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HISTORY OF THE USS ANTARES (AKS-33) The USS ANTARES (AKS-33) was converted from the former merchant ship SS NAMPA VICTORY. She was built in 1944 at Portland, Oregon, served during World War II in many parts of the world and was laid up in the maritime reserve fleet after the war. In 1952, she was converted to a Navy fleet cargo ship ( AK) by the Maryland Drydock Company in Baltimore, Md. The ANTARES was commissioned in Baltimore on 12 February 1952. Her first Navy cargo-carrying duty was to Argentia, Newfoundland in June of 1952. In August 1953. she made her first Mediterranean voyage to replenish ships of the fleet. Originally she transferred her cargo to units of the fleet in port. During the Suez crisis, she demonstrated her ability to transfer cargo underway, as well as in port. As an AK, the ANTARES had many interesting assignments. In the fall of 1955. she was engaged in hurri- cane relief work, hauling supplies to the U. S. Army and the Red Cross in Belize, British Honduras. On 1 March 1958 at Gibraltar, the ANTARES ' most famous passenger came aboard. ' NICKY ' . Nicky is a barbary ape who was being shipped from Gibraltar to the Memphis Zoo. On the 26th of Julv 1958 at Castleamare, [taly, a deep-diving submarine or bathyscaph was loaded aboard the ANTARES. The TRIESTE was designed and built by the noted Swiss scientist, August Piccard to be used in exploring the ocean at great depths. On the 3rd of September 1958, the ANTARES departed from Norfolk. Virginia for Portsmouth, England with the HMS SPRAT aboard, as well as the SPRAT ' S officers and men. The SPRAT is a 5-man submarine de- veloped by the British which was used in cooperation with the U. S. Navy in harbor defense work. During 1958, the ANTARES spent 233 days out of her homeport. Norfolk, Virginia, being engaged in four logistic replenishments of the Sixth Fleet. During the year, 18 European ports were visited. Because of her speed and excellent material condition, the ANTARES was selected to be converted from an AK (fleet cargo ship) to an AKS (general stores issue ship). This vast modification was to include doubling the size of her officer and crew accomodations, installing bins, improving stowage facilities, installing new quick- opening hatch covers, elevators and increased office space. The ANTARES went to the Norfolk Ship Yard from March to June 1959 for much of this work. After leaving the shipyard and loading, the ANTARES underwent refresher training at Guantanamo Bay. Cuba in August 1959. She then returned to Norfolk for more conversion and final loading for the September 1959 trip to the Mediterranean. On 28 September 1959, the ANTARES deployed to the Mediterranean with a resupply for the USS ALTAIR (AKS-32) with expectations of participating in underway replenishment. During this cruise, the ANTARES demonstrated her AKS capabilities in fine style. Upon returning to the states in November, the ANTARES again entered the Norfolk Navy Ship Yard to complete her conversion to an AKS. In January 1960. she left the yard to begin loading for the next job ahead On 15 February, the ANTARES departed for the Mediterranean and relieved the USS ALTAIR (AKS-32) on 28 February 1960, as the on-station AKS for the Sixth Fleet. Thus the ANTARES began a cruise of superior per- formance and record-breaking supply support efficiency. From February to September 1960, the ANTARES participated in seven (LOG-REPS) with an average net supply replenishment effectiveness in excess of 99V. The ANTARES visited excellent liberty ports throughout the Mediterranean cruise. On 3 September 1960, the sister ship, USS ALTAIR (AKS-32) relieved the ANTARES as the Sixth Fleet on-station AKS and the ANTARES headed North for the N.A.T.O. exercises, FALLEX-60. The first stop was Portsmouth England, where the Officers and men of the ANTARES enjoyed unusually fine weather and grac- ious English hospitality. Much to the sadness of many, the ANTARES moved on farther North, past Eng- land, past Ireland, through rough seas and dismal weather toward Iceland. Finally another liberty port was made. The Firth of Clyde and Glasgow. Scotland. After making another stop of two days in the Clyde- Estuary the ANTARES made her last liberty port of the cruise: Hamburg, Germany. After an outstanding liberty visit in Hamburg for seven days, the ANTARES finally headed back to the long departed home port, Norfolk, Virginia, to arrive after a successful cruise of eight months and five days duration.

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COMMANDING OFFICER USS ANTARES (AKS-33) Captain Milton A. Zimmerman has a distinguished Naval career. Commissioned Ensign in 1940, he was ordered to the USS SMITH (DD-378) in the South Pacific. It was aboard the SMITH that Captain Zimmerman won the Silver Star for an engagement with enemy Japanese forces in the battle to the northward of the Santa Cruz Islands on October 26, 1942. He was next ordered to San Francis- co, California for duty in connection with fitting out the USS OWEN (DD-536). He served aboard that destroyer until May 1944, participating in the occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, the attacks on Truk the Satawan and Ponape raids, and the Hollandia Operation. He was then ordered to Kearney, New Jersey to assist in fitting out the USS GAINARD (DD-706). He was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V for heroic achievement as Gunnery Officer of the USS GAINARD dur- ing operations against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Okinawa, Nansei Shoto from 20 April to 23 June 1945. At the end of World War II, he was serving in the Pacific on board the USS HEY- WOOD L. EDWARDS (DD-663) as Executive Officer. After the War, Captain Zimmerman served aboard the USS WHETSTONE (LSD-27) as both Commanding Officer and Executive Officer. In 1950 he took command of the USS LUDLOW (DD- 438) until 1951 when he was ordered to take command of the USS CORRY (DD-817). From 1956 to 1958 he had command of the USS DENEBOLA (AF-56) followed with a tour of duty as Operations Officer on the Staff of Commander, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet. Captain Zimmerman assumed command of the USS ANTARES (AKS-33) in March 1960 while underway in the Mediterranean Sea. Captain Zimmerman is married to the former Miss Leona Graff of Brooklyn, New York, and has one son, Scott.