- USS Jupiter (AK-43)
USS Jupiter (AK-43) was an "Aldebaran"-class
cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service inWorld War II . She was responsible for delivering necessary goods and equipment to ships and stations in the war zone."Jupiter" (AK-43) was built in
1939 as "SS Flying Cloud" byFederal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.,Kearny, New Jersey ; she was later renamed "SS Santa Catalina", She was acquired by the Navy19 June 1941 ; the next day renamed "Jupiter"; and commissioned22 August 1942 , Lt. Comdr. D. S. Baker in command.World War II Pacific Theatre operations
"Jupiter" departed
San Diego, California ,1 September for operations in the Pacific as the American campaign in theSolomon Islands was getting under way. From September through December she carried supplies and troops to staging areas for the Navy's first great offensive in thePacific Ocean . She continued to discharge cargo in the Solomon Islands through the early part of1943 , bringing invaluable support to the closing phases of theGuadalcanal Campaign .Transporting Japanese war items Stateside
"Jupiter" departed
Espiritu Santo 1 February , commencing a series of three cruises to San Francisco for supplies and personnel. On the first of these voyages she returned captured Japanese equipment, including a "Betty" bomber, a "Tony" fighter, and several "long lance" torpedoes.Supporting island invasions
The cargo ship returned to battle during the Gilbert Islands invasion late November, landing equipment to aid in the successful assault on Tarawa. "Jupiter" then continued cargo operations until she was assigned to the 5th Amphibious Forces in April
1944 for the Marianas campaign. She departedPearl Harbor 30 May and arrived in the Saipan assault area15 June . She discharged her cargo despite constant enemy air attack and 10 days later proceeded towardEniwetok .Supporting the invasion of the Philippines
Following a summer of amphibious rehearsals, "Jupiter", under Comdr. J. M. Bristol, departed
Guadalcanal 8 September to support the invasion of the Palau Islands. She unloaded her cargo without incident and returned to Manus to prepare for the important Philippine invasion. DepartingHollandia 16 October , she arrived atLeyte and commenced unloading cargo 22 October. As other units of the fleet were engaging the Japanese in the famed "Battle of Leyte Gulf ", "Jupiter" returned to the Marianas to pick up additional material. She continued reinforcing units in thePhilippines until she steamed intoUlithi 23 January 1945 to prepare for the next Campaign. When continued progress along the "road to Japan" required a stop-over base for B-29 raids onTokyo ,Iwo Jima was selected. "Jupiter" got underway16 February with cargo and units of the 3rd Marine Division to secure this fortifiedatoll . After unloading her cargo under most difficult conditions, she remained in the area until Japanese resistance had ceased16 March .Supplying troops on Okinawa
After repairs at
Pearl Harbor , "Jupiter" departedHawaii on1 May with supplies for American troops fighting for Okinawa.End-of-war activity
She returned to San Francisco
27 July for conversion to an aviation supply ship and was redesignated AVS-8,31 July 1945 . Following replenishment-at-sea exercises the following year, she supported outlying bases and ships until decommissioning at San Diego23 May 1947 and joining thereserve fleet .Reactivated during the Korean crisis
In June
1950 a new threat to world peace exploded inAsia -Communist aggression inSouth Korea . TheUnited States answered this challenge by dispatching troops and supplies to the war-tornpeninsula . "Jupiter" recommissioned10 October 1950 , Comdr. H. R. McKibben in command, and sailed forYokosuka, Japan ,8 January 1951 . Arriving29 January , she operated out ofJapan , replenishing units fighting ashore until returning to San Francisco11 August 1952 . After operations along the U.S. West Coast, the supply ship returned to the war zone in March1953 to supply troops and replenish carriers engaged in air strikes on the Korean peninsula. Following the cessation of hostilities, "Jupiter" returned to the West Coast3 October .Supplying operations in the Formosa Straits
This active ship was again deployed to the Pacific in
1954 to replenish ships in the tense Formosa area. The U.S. 7th Fleet prevented any major crisis from developing, and "Jupiter" steamed into San Francisco20 October 1954 . She resumed her operations in theFar East March1955 ; this time for an extended period. For the next 9 years (1955-63) she operated out ofYokosuka , replenishing units of the 7th Fleet, as it took on greater roles in "keeping the peace". During "Jupiter's" service in the Far Pacific, the 7th Fleet averted major crises in Formosa,Indonesia , andLaos ; and played an important part in the [Vietnam struggle.Post-Korean War decommissioning
She continued to carry vital supplies to the
Far East until struck from theNavy List on1 August 1965 . "Jupiter" was then transferred to the Maritime Administration and joined theNational Defense Reserve Fleet atOlympia, Washington , where she remained. She was struck from the Naval Register,1 August 1965 . Final disposition: sold for scrapping in March1971 .Military awards and honors
"Jupiter" received six
battle stars forWorld War II :: Capture and defense of Guadalcanal: Gilbert Islands operation: Marianas operation: Leyte operation: Iwo Jima operation: Okinawa Gunto operation"Jupiter" received seven battle stars forKorean War service:: First UN Counter Offensive: Communist China Spring Offensive: UN Summer-Fall Offensive: Second Korean Winter: Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952: Third Korean Winter: Korean Summer-Fall 1953Her crew members were eligible for the following medals::American Campaign Medal :Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (6):World War II Victory Medal :Navy Occupation Service Medal (withAsia clasp):National Defense Service Medal (2):Korean Service Medal (5):Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Congo 3-Vietnam ):Philippines Liberation Medal (1):United Nations Service Medal :Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/j5/jupiter-ii.htm
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/50/5008.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-43 / AVS-8 Jupiter]
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