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Named after the star of the first magnitude in the constellation Orion, the USNS RIGEL was the Navy's last active store ship and the second ship to bear the name. Commissioned as a "United States Ship", the RIGEL was designed to primarily carry refrigerated goods. Refitted with a helo platform in 1967, the ship transfered to the Military Sealift Command in 1975. Finally decommissioned in 1992, and stricken from the Navy list on May 16, 1994, the RIGEL was transfered to the Maritime Administration on April 1, 1998. The ship is currently berthed at the James River Reserve Fleet, Fort Eustis, Va., and is scheduled to be scrapped.
General Characteristics: | Awarded: August 13, 1953 |
Keel laid: March 15, 1954 | |
Launched: March 15, 1955 | |
Commissioned: September 2, 1955 | |
Decommissioned: June 23, 1975 | |
MSC "in service": June 23, 1975 | |
Decommissioned: 1992 | |
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Miss. | |
Propulsion system: two boilers | |
Propellers: one | |
Length: 502 feet (153 meters) | |
Beam: 72 feet (22 meters) | |
Draft: 28.8 feet (8.8 meters) | |
Displacement: approx. 15,500 tons | |
Speed: 20 knots | |
Capacity: approx. 4,650 tons of cargo | |
Aircraft: helo platform only | |
Armament: none | |
Crew: 98 civilians and 17 Navy personnel |
Crew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS / USNS RIGEL. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
USS / USNS RIGEL Image Gallery: