>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1970) Vol. 5, p.392.





PROCYON





	A first-magnitude star in the constellation Canis 

Minor.





AF-61

Displacement:  14,180 t.

Length:  460’

Beam:  63’

Draft:  26’7”

Speed:  16 k.

Complement:  292

Armament:  1 3”

Class:  ALSTEDE

Maritime Commission Standard Type:  C2-S-B1





	PROCYON (AF-61) was laid down 15 April 1942 as MC hull 

No. 188 by the Moore DD Co., Oakland, Calif.; launched 

1 July 1942 as SS FLYING SCUD; sponsored by Mrs. Carl W. 

Flesher; operated by the United Fruit Co. (18 August 1943—

4 September 1946) under a General Agency Agreement with the 

Maritime Commission; acquired by the Pacific Far East Lines, 

Inc., under bare boat charter (5 September 1946—19 October 

1948); transferred to the General Steamship Corp., 

19 October 1948 under a General Agency Agreement; returned 

to MARAD 26 October 1948 and laid up at Suisun Bay, Calif.; 

re-chartered by Pacific Far East Lines 10 December 1948; 

placed in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay 

24 February 1956; acquired by the Navy 8 August 1961 and 

converted to Navy use at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard; 

renamed PROCYON (AF—61), 13 October 1961; and commissioned 

24 November 1961, Capt. N.I. Lee, Jr., in command.



	After shakedown, PROCYON engaged in the testing of Fast 

at Sea Transfer equipment (FAST) with other replenishment 

ships of the Pacific Fleet, before deploying to the Western 

Pacific 2 June 1962.  She remained in and around Sasebo, 

Japan, for three months, returning to the U.S. 26 September.  

She made her second WestPac deployment in support of 7th 

Fleet carrier task groups 23 February 1963, returning 7 July 

to conduct Fleet exercises and night replenishment 

operations until 6 October.  PROCYON was ordered back to 

WestPac in late October returning 7 March 1964 for coastal 

operations.  She was employed in the Gulf of Tonkin with the 

7th Fleet (1 August—7 December) during the Vietnam crises. 



	PROCYON has since operated in support of the 7th Fleet, 

in the struggle against communist aggression in Southeast 

Asia, off the coast of Vietnam, returning periodically to 

the U.S. for rest upkeep and training.  She provides 

logistic support to Task Force 77 units on Yankee Station, 

as well as to Market Time Patrol craft along the coast and 

harbor facilities from Da Nang to Vung Tau.  Into 1970, 

PROCYON continues a vital service to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.



	[Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 

1976, PICTOR was “disposed of by MarAd sale” on 25 November 

1981.  As of June 1999, she remained a part of the National 

Defense Reserve Fleet.]



Internet Web Site:

	Naval Vessel Register

		www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/AF61.htm





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com