“The motto of the USS Hector was, Can Do Easy, which meant she never turned down a job anywhere, no matter the risks, conditions, or difficulties.
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Charles Atkins, Hull Technician 2nd Class, United States Navy. Historian for the USS Hector Association
Pictured right, USS Hector on its first war cruise, off of Ulithi, during World War Two.
The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the September 2024 story of the month has been selected to recognize the Crew of the USS Hector AR-7. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to visit the USS Hector Reunion in the Fall of 2022.
The USS Hector’s story was forged in 1944, as World War Two was raging on two fronts. The dedication of her crew and leadership of her officers would solidify the USS Hector’s place in history. The following words, shared by HT2 Atkins, illustrates the life and legacy of an extraordinary ship.
The USS Hector AR-7, was built in the Los Angeles Todd Ship yards and commissioned in 1944, Along with sister ships the USS Ajax, USS Jason and USS Vulcan. These four Vulcan class fleet auxiliary repair ships were to be a mobile floating repair facility for the US Navy fleet. Hector was sent during WW2 along with sister ships to be deployed for mobile repair in places like Saipan, Ulithi, Luzon, and many other far eastern places.
The motto of the USS Hector was, “Can Do Easy”, which meant she never turned down a job anywhere, no matter the risks, conditions, or difficulties.
After her proud service in World War Two, she participated in post-war fleet repair in Tsingtao, China and Japan. She was at the invasion of Inchon Korea, firing her 5/ 38” guns to support the Marines and then retiring to Japan to do fleet repair during the battle. She rotated duties with her sister ships, coming back stateside periodically for replenishment and repair.
Hector also shared rotational duties in Vietnam, providing repair services to the US and South Vietnamese fleets. When those conflicts were over, she continued to serve. Having her guns removed in the mid- 70’s, Hector deployed on humanitarian missions. She was one time used as a decoy during the cold war to cause some confusion with rival countries. This was the first time Hector deployed with a missile mounted to her fore decks.
The USS Hector, after 43 years of continuous service, and many crew members, final saw retirement and decommissioning in San Diego, California in 1987. She was transferred to the reserve fleet and then loaned to the Pakistani navy for many years.
At the request of the USS Hector Association, the United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program has archived each of the published 16 digitized cruise books from the USS Hector’s history.
Below is an introduction to the USS Hector Veterans Interview Archive
USNM Interview of Cletus Harris The Mission of the USS Hector and Saving the USS Houston CL 81
USNM Interview of Keith Seckel First Impressions and Life on the USS Hector from 1972 to 1974
USNM Interview of James Gear Life on the USS Hector and Reflections of Two WestPac Cruises
USNM Interview of Glenn Hahn Vietnam War Operations of the USS Hector and WestPac in 1972
USNM Interview of Stephen McMillan Part Five Role and Responsibilities on the USS Hector from 1976 to 1980
USNM Interview of Charles Atkins The Role of the USS Hector and Vietnam War Assignments
USNM Interview of Donald Muffley First WestPac Cruise on the USS Hector in 1956 and Encountering Rough Seas
The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, the Crew of the USS Hector AR-7, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at http://navylog.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service.