- USS Cassiopeia (AK-75)
USS "Cassiopeia" (AK-75) was a "Crater"-class
cargo ship in the service of theUnited States Navy inWorld War II . It was the only ship of the to bear this name. It is named after thenorthern hemisphere constellation Cassiopeia."Cassiopeia" was launched
15 November 1942 asliberty ship SS "Melville W. Fuller" (MCE hull 504) byPermanente Metals Corporation ,Richmond, California , under aMaritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. C. F. Calhoun; acquired by the Navy27 November 1942; and commissioned8 December 1942,Lieutenant Commander W. E. Carlson in command."Cassiopeia" sailed from San Francisco
21 December 1942 with cargo forNouméa , where she arrived12 January 1943 . From this base, she offered essential support to the operations in the consolidation of the northern Solomons, carrying the varied necessities of war throughout the South Pacific. Between19 June and11 July , the cargo ship voyaged toAuckland ,New Zealand , to reload, then returned with voyages from Nouméa toGuadalcanal until9 August . Another resupply mission and a brief repair period in New Zealand preceded her resumption of South Pacific operations in November.This pattern of ferrying vital supplies in the South Pacific alternating with voyages to New Zealand to reload continued until
6 June 1945 , when "Cassiopeia" cleared Auckland for San Francisco, thePanama Canal Zone , and Norfolk, where she arrived25 October . The cargo ship was decommissioned21 November 1945, and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal the same day."Cassiopeia" received one
battle star for World War II service.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c4/cassiopeia.htm
External links
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