USS Arctic, a 12,600-ton (displacement) store ship, was built at Oakland, California, in 1918 as the civilian refrigerated cargo ship Yamhill. She was acquired by the Navy, renamed and placed in commission in November 1921. During the 1920s and 1930s Arctic operated in the Pacific as a unit of the U.S. Fleet Train, providing provisions and other supplies to operating units and bases. In the summer of 1925 she accompanied the Fleet on its trans-Pacific voyage. As tensions rose with Japan in 1940 and 1941 the store ship made regular trips from the West Coast to Pearl Harbor in support of greatly increased Navy activity in Hawaiian waters.
Arctic's voyages to Hawaii continued after the beginning of the Pacific War in December 1941. She shifted her destination to Alaska in mid-1942, then began carrying supplies to the south Pacific, work that occupied her for the rest of 1942 and nearly all of 1943. In 1944 and 1945 Arctic supported the Navy's advance across the central Pacific and into islands on the approaches to Japan. After the fighting ended in August 1945 she provided provisions to assist the occupation of the former enemy nation. Returning to the West Coast in January 1946, in March she was sent via the Panama Canal to New Orleans, Louisiana. USS Arctic was decommissioned there in early April 1946 and transferred to the U.S. Maritime Commission in July of that year. She was sold for scrapping in August 1947.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Arctic (AF-7).
For pictorial coverage of this ship prior to her acquisition
by the Navy, see:
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 753 USS Arctic (AF-7) At anchor, March 1922. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 1223 USS Arctic (AF-7) In harbor, circa the 1920s. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 565 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 75664 USS Arctic (AF-7) In port, during the 1920s. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 480 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 67560 USS Arctic (AF-7) In harbor, during the 1920s or 1930s. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
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Photo #: 19-N-25858 USS Arctic (AF-7) Underway off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 29 October 1941. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 590 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-64746 USS Arctic (AF-7) Arriving deeply laden at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in April 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-25853 USS Arctic (AF-7) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 27 October 1941, showing splinter protection recently installed around her forward gun positions. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 95KB; 595 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-25857 USS Arctic (AF-7) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 25 October 1941, showing splinter protection recently installed around her after 5"/51 and .50 caliber gun positions. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 135KB; 595 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-25856 USS Arctic (AF-7) View on board, looking forward from the bridge, showing splinter protection recently installed around the ship's forward 3"/50 guns. Taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 25 October 1941. Note cargo handling booms, bell mounted on the foremast, and paravanes on deck. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 144KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-25855 USS Arctic (AF-7) View on board, showing the ship's new bridge structure. Taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 25 October 1941. Note voice tubes and life ring. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 19-N-25854 USS Arctic (AF-7) View on board, looking aft from the midships superstructure, showing splinter protection recently installed around her after 3"/50 guns. Taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 25 October 1941. Note ventilation cowls. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 123KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other view of USS Arctic (AF-7). The following list features this image:
The image listed below is NOT in the
Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".
USS Arctic (AF-7), probably photographed off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 29 October 1941. Starboard bow surface view. The ship is at rest, or underway at very low speed on what appears to be a rather grey day.
Reproductions of this image should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The image listed in this box is NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions". |
For pictorial coverage of this ship prior to her acquisition
by the Navy, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 21 May 2004
Text corrected 28 July 2004