USS Betelgeuse (AK 260) circa the 1960s.
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Class: ALCOR (AK 259) (VC2-S-AP3)
Design: MC VC2-S-AP3 (SCB 86)
Displacement (tons): 4,660 light, 11,540 full
Dimensions (feet): 455' oa x 437' pp x 62' e/wl x 27' max nav
Armament: (AK 259-260: 1955) 4-40mmT
Accommodations: 9-11 officers, 136-155 enlisted
Speed (kts.): 17
Propulsion (HP): 8,500
Machinery: Geared steam turbines, 2 boilers (465psi/750deg), 1 screw
Construction:
| AK | Name | Acq | Builder | Keel | Launch | Comm |
| 257 | ALTAIR | 7 Jul 1951 | Oregon SB | 20 Apr 1944 | 30 May 1944 | 31 Jan 1952 |
| 258 | ANTARES | 23 Jul 1951 | Oregon SB | 6 Apr 1944 | 19 May 1944 | 12 Feb 1952 |
| 259 | ALCOR | 16 Jul 1951 | Oregon SB | 28 Feb 1944 | 29 Apr 1944 | 1 Mar 1952 |
| 260 | BETELGEUSE | 31 Jul 1951 | California SB | 11 Feb 1944 | 10 Apr 1944 | 15 Apr 1952 |
Disposition:
| AK | Name | T | Decomm | Strike | Disposal | Fate | MA Sale |
| 257 | ALTAIR | -- | -- | 12 Aug 1952 | To AKS 32 | -- | |
| 258 | ANTARES | -- | -- | 1 Apr 1959 | To AKS 33 | -- | |
| 259 | ALCOR | 30 Dec 1968 | 31 Dec 1968 | 7 Jan 1970 | MA/S | -- | |
| 260 | BETELGEUSE | 15 Jan 1971 | 1 Feb 1974 | 2 Dec 1975 | MA/S | -- |
Class Notes:
On 7 February 1951 SECNAV informed the Secretary of Commerce that the Navy had a requirement for six additional AKAs and six additional AKs, all for commissioned service rather than for MSTS, and asked for the transfer for reactivation of AKA 3, 4, 96, 97, 99, and 103 and the transfer of six VC2-S-AP3 Victory ships, ABERDEEN VICTORY, ELMIRA VICTORY, NAMPA VICTORY, ROCKLAND VICTORY, COLUMBIA VICTORY, and PIERRE VICTORY. The Commerce Department agreed on 14 March 1951 but noted that ELMIRA VICTORY was then under charter. Subsequently the Navy deleted her and PIERRE VICTORY from its request, reducing the number of AKs to four. On 26 July 1951 Navy names and the designation AK 257-260 were approved for four MA cargo ships recently acquired by the Navy.
On 6 June 1951 the Ship Characteristics Board met to decide on "characteristics for re-activation of six Maritime Administration hulls (VC2-S-AP3) to AK, Project no. 86." Following the meeting, approved characteristics for MA hulls (VC-S-AP3), AK alterations, SCB Project No. 86, were promulgated on 15 June 1951. According to the characteristics the primary task of the ships was to provide point-to-point transportation for large quantities of general cargo and their secondary task was to provide limited self defense capabilities. Subject to limitation of funds available, as many of the capabilities and features of the World War II AK 227 class were to be incorporated as practicable. Their cargo handling facilities were to include one 50 ton boom forward and one 30 ton boom aft. The armament was to consist of one 5"/38 DP single manual-drive mount, four 40mm twin mounts, and four class 5 gun fire constrol systems. Communications, electronics, and visual signal facilities were to be in accordance with approved AK type standards, and an emergency diesel generator outside the main engine room and a distilling plant were to be provided. Splinter protection was to be provided for all principal ship and fire control stations. Berthing was to be provided for nine officers and 136 enlisted, including eight chief petty officers. These specifications were reissued with a revised electronics plan on 10 September 1953 which specified that the surface search radar called for in 1951 was to be an AN/SPS-5 if available or currently approved similar equipment if not. A final change was promulgated on 25 September 1957 that replaced the AN/SPS-5 with an AN/SPS-21.
Of these four ships, AK 257 and 258 became stores issue ships (AKS 32-33) in 1952 and 1959 respectively (see the ALTAIR (AKS 32) class), and AK 259 and 260 were converted in 1960 to fleet ballistic missile cargo ships (informally called AK-FBM) after nearly a decade of service as commissioned cargo ships. ALCOR (AK 259) underwent two restricted availabilities at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard between August and November 1960 in which she was altered to transport, monitor, and handle POLARIS missiles and their parts. BETELGEUSE (AK 260) was first modified to carry POLARIS missiles and components in the summer of 1960 and was further modified between 1 June and 7 September 1962 with the installation of vertical stowage for POLARIS missiles in No. 3 hold. With this conversion she normally carried GSK and dry stores in No. 1 hold, chilled and frozen provisions in No. 2 hold, fourteen POLARIS missiles in the vertical stowage in No. 3 hold, torpedoes, technical provisions, and living space in No. 4 hold, and GSK stores in No. 5 hold. She could increase her missile capacity to a maximum of twenty-three missiles by loading in addition to the fourteen in No. 3 hold five more (in containers) in No. 4 hold and four more (also in containers) on the main deck, one on each side of both No. 4 and No. 5 hatches. It has not been confirmed that AK 259 also received this second conversion. In October and November 1961 ANTARES (AKS 33) was modified to help resupply the FBM submarine base at Holy Loch, Scotland, but she probably did not carry missiles as did AK 259-260. AK 260 became the prototype for AK 279-282 (q.v.), converted between 1962 and 1970.
BETELGEUSE (AK 260) was laid up 1971 at NSY Philadelphia using an experimental preservation method in which the ship was completely covered from bow to stern by a single air-supported, plastic structure within which dehumidified air was circulated. When this covering was torn open during a storm ca. 1973-74 after power was lost and the backup diesel failed to start, it was decided to sell the ship for scrapping. The ship broke free from her tow on 17 January 1976 while enroute to Luria Brothers at Brownsville, Tex., and washed onto the beach at Rodanthe, North Carolina. After nearly two months of round-the-clock work she was refloated and completed the trip to the breakers.
Ship Notes:
| AK | Name | MCV | Notes |
| 257 | ALTAIR | 110 | Ex merc. ABERDEEN VICTORY, completed 22 Jun 1944. Made one Mediterranean deployment as an AK. To AKS 32 12 Aug 1952. For her AKS service and disposal see the ALTAIR (AKS 32) class. |
| 258 | ANTARES | 107 | Ex merc. NAMPA VICTORY, completed 10 Jun 1944. Title from MA to Navy 31 May 1956. To AKS 33 1 Apr 1959. For her AKS service and disposal see the ALTAIR (AKS 32) class. |
| 259 | ALCOR | 101 | Ex merc. ROCKLAND VICTORY, completed 19 May 1944. To Navy custody 16 Jul 1951. Title to Navy 31 May 1956. To buyer 2 Feb 1970. |
| 260 | BETELGEUSE | 10 | Ex merc. COLOMBIA VICTORY, completed 31 May 1944. To USN custody 31 Jul 1951. Title to Navy 31 May 1956. To buyer ca. Jan 1976. |
Page Notes:
Compiled: 7 Aug 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Special sources: NARA: RG 19 Entry P 62 Box 25 (SCB-86), RG 19 Entry UD 1024-A Box 1, RG 19 Entry P 62 Box 95 (AK 260 test with AS 31).