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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Virgo (AKA-20, later AE-30), 1943-1973

USS Virgo, a 13,910-ton Andromeda class attack cargo ship, was built at Kearney, New Jersey. Commissioned in July 1943, she went to the Pacific combat zone later in the year and took part in the Tarawa landings in November. During 1944, Virgo participated in amphibious operations targeting Kwajalein, New Guinea, Saipan, Guam, and Peleliu. Following a west coast overhaul, she returned to the western Pacific, where she served as a logistics support ship, transporting cargo and replenishing other ships at sea. This duty lasted for the rest of World War II and extended into the Post-War years.

Virgo operated in the Pacific to the end of the 1940s. In the Spring of 1950, she briefly visited the Atlantic area, but had returned to the U.S. west coast when the Korean War began in June 1950. During that conflict, she made four combat tours in Asiatic waters, carrying passengers, supplies and ammunition to keep the operating forces in action. After the July 1953 Korean Armistice, Virgo continued her trans-Pacific logistics tasks for nearly five more years, until she decommissioned in April 1958. She was transferred to the Maritime Administration in July 1961.

In September 1965, the needs of the Vietnam conflict caused the Navy to recall Virgo to active duty. Redesignated AE-30, she was converted to an ammunition ship over the next year and recommissioned in August 1966. She made annual deployments to the western Pacific in 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970. Following the last of these, Virgo decommissioned in February 1971. She was sold for scrapping in November 1973.

This page features all our views of USS Virgo.

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 97301

USS Virgo (AKA-20)


Transferring special weapons to USS Lake Champlain (CVA-39) while en route to Japan, 8 June 1953.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97300

USS Virgo (AE-30)


Underway in Subic Bay, Philippines, on 26 August 1970.
Photographed by PH2 Leroy Palmer.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 515 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 76172-KN (Color)

Insignia of USS Virgo (AE-30)

Plaque received in 1972. It features an insignia design adopted in 1966.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 93KB; 670 x 765 pixels

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Virgo, taken during the 1940s and 1950s, when she was designated AKA-20. 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".


  • Photo #: 80-G-204799
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) in harbor, 1 August 1943.
    Starboard bow aerial view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-204800
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) in harbor, 1 August 1943.
    Starboard stern aerial view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-204802
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) in harbor, 1 August 1943.
    Starboard broadside aerial view.


  • Photo #: 80-G-632829
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) anchored off Yokosuka, Japan, 15 December 1953.
    Starboard broadside surface view, taken from somewhat toward the stern.

  • Photo #: 80-G-641607
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) anchored off Yokosuka, Japan, 15 December 1953.
    Starboard bow surface view.


  • Photo #: 80-G-1015747
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) in a harbor, May 1957.
    Port stern surface view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-1015748
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) in a harbor, May 1957.
    Port broadside surface view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-1015749
    USS Virgo (AKA-20) in a harbor, May 1957.
    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."


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    30 June 2000