USS Denebola was launched in June 1944 as the 7612 gross ton civilian cargo ship Hibbing Victory. Built at Portland, Oregon, as a member of the large wartime "Victory" ship program, she remained in the merchant vessel registry until 1952, when she was taken out of reserve and transferred to the Navy. Hibbing Victory was converted to a refrigerated store ship, renamed Denebola, and placed in commission in January 1954. During the next year she shook down on a voyage to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, made a Midshipman training cruise to Ireland, and participated in an Atlantic Fleet exercise.
In January 1955 Denebola began an operational routine that continued for some two decades: between two and four annual trips to the Mediterranean Sea to provide provisions and supplies to the ships of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, interspersed with fleet support service in the Atlantic and the Caribbean and occasional shipyard repair and overhaul sessions. In 1963 her capabilities were enhanced by the addition of a helicopter landing platform aft, permitting the use of vertical replenishment techniques in addition to the normal at-sea transfer of cargo by high-line as she steamed alongside her "customers". USS Denebola left active service at the end of April 1976, a few months after the conclusion of her final Mediterrean cruise. She was sold for scrapping in December of that year.
This page features all the views we have related to USS Denebola (AF-56).
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 98382 USS Denebola (AF-56) Comes alongside USS Forrestal to transfer stores, during operations in the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1962. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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Photo #: K-88516 USS Denebola (AF-56) Steaming in Hampton Roads, Virginia, March 1971. Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-K-88516. Though reproductions of this photo from the Naval Historical Center's collections are available in black & white only, those from the National Archives should be available in color. |
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Photo #: USN 1140684 USS Denebola (AF-56) Highlines food and supplies to USS Shangri-La (CVA-38) during underway replenishment operations in February 1969. USS Manley (DD-940) is in the distance. Photographed by PH3 J. Giardina. Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Online Image: 105KB; 740 x 530 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-N-1140684. |
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Photo #: K-88830 U.S. Navy ships moored in Naples harbor, Italy Photographed on 13 March 1971 by PHC B.M. Anderson. Ships present are (from left to right): Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 515 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-K-88830. Though reproductions of this photo from the Naval Historical Center's collections are available in black & white only, those from the National Archives should be available in color. |
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Photo #: NH 98412 USS Denebola (AF-56) (foreground), and USS Boulder (LST-1190) "STATION KEEPING (Dec)-- Two Tidewater based ships, USS Boulder (lf) and the refrigerator ship, USS Denebola, maintain formation station enroute to Norfolk recently. The SECOND Fleet ships participated in national and NATO exercises in northern Europe this Fall and returned home on Dec. 10." (quoted from the original caption). The year of the photograph is not given, but was probably 1975. Photographed by PH1 M.J. Browne, USN. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 525 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 98424-KN (color) Insignia: USS Denebola (AF-56) Photograph of an embroidered jacket patch of the ship's emblem, received in May 1959. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 167KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Denebola (AF-56). The following list features some of these images:
The images listed below are NOT in
the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".
USS Denebola (AF-56) underway, 5 September 1962. Photographed from USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) by Airman Lickel. Port bow surface view. USS Denebola (AF-56) underway at sea, 27 January 1964. Photographed by J Stead. Starboard bow high aerial view.
USS Denebola (AF-56) in stormy seas in the Mediterranean, 15 March 1971. Photographed by PHC B.M. Anderson. Port bow surface view. USS Denebola (AF-56) underway in the Mediterranean Sea, 15 March 1971. Photographed by PHC B.M. Anderson. Low aerial view, taken from almost directly off the ship's stern. USS Denebola (AF-56) at sea in the Mediterranean, 26 December 1971. Photographed by PH2 Ronald R. Foley. Port bow surface view.
Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions". |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 27 March 2003