USS Cassiopeia (AK-75)

USS Cassiopeia (AK-75) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the United States Navy in World War II. It was the only ship of to bear this name. It is named after the northern hemisphere constellation Cassiopeia.

Cassiopeia was launched 15 November 1942 as liberty ship SS Melville W. Fuller (MCE hull 504) by Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. C. F. Calhoun; acquired by the Navy 27 November 1942; and commissioned 8 December 1942, Lieutenant Commander W. E. Carlson in command.

Cassiopeia sailed from San Francisco 21 December 1942 with cargo for Nouméa, where she arrived 12 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. Between 19 June and 11 July, the cargo ship voyaged to Auckland, New Zealand, to reload, then returned with voyages from Nouméa to Guadalcanal until 9 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, the Panama Canal Zone, and Norfolk, where she arrived 25 October. The cargo ship was decommissioned 21 November 1945, and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal the same day.

Cassiopeia received one battle star for World War II service.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of Cassiopeia at NavSource Naval History