USS Cepheus (AKA-18)

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For other ships with the same name, see USS Cepheus.
History
United States
NameUSS Cepheus
NamesakeThe constellation Cepheus
BuilderFederal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey
Launched23 October 1943
Commissioned16 December 1943
Decommissioned22 May 1946
Honors and
awards		2
battle stars
FateSunk, 1968
General characteristics
Class and type
attack cargo ship
Displacement6,556 long tons (6,661 t)
Length459 ft 3 in (139.98 m)
Beam63 ft (19 m)
Draft26 ft (7.9 m)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement404
Armament
  • 1 ×
    dual purpose gun
  • 4 ×
    3 in (76 mm)
    guns

USS Cepheus (AKA-18) was an

attack cargo ship of the United States Navy that was manned by United States Coast Guard
. She was in service from 1943 to 1946 and was subsequently sold into commercial service. She ran aground on a reef and became a constructive total loss in 1968.

History

Cepheus (AKA-18) was named after the constellation

Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Miss J. Sharpe; transferred to the Navy 15 December 1943; and commissioned
the next day.

Mediterranean, 1944

Cepheus put to sea from

Normandy invasion. Joining her assigned division in Scottish waters, Cepheus sailed for Oran, where she arrived 6 April to report to the Eighth Amphibious Force. After training exercises along the Algerian coast, she loaded vehicles and troops for the passage to Naples, where she unloaded 19 June to 23 June. After training at Palermo and Salerno, she returned to Naples to offload combat vehicles, then cleared for Castellammare near Palermo to combat load for the invasion of Southern France
.

Cepheus put to sea with the Camel Beach Attack Group 13 August 1944, and after a safe passage along a route designed to camouflage the convoy's destination, arrived off the beaches east of Saint Raphael just before dawn of 15 August. Her swift and competent unloading was a significant contribution to the successful passage over those beaches, and although the latter stages of unloading were accomplished under enemy air attack and through defensive smoke screen, Cepheus was empty before midnight, and moved out to await orders for her return to Naples, where she arrived on 18 August.

Between 23 August and 7 October 1944, Cepheus supported the rapid advance of forces ashore by four more voyages, two from Naples to the assault area, and two from Oran to

Marseilles, captured at the end of August after heavy naval bombardment of its defenses. Clearing Oran in convoy 25 October, she arrived at Norfolk, Va., 8 November. Here she prepared for duty in the Pacific, and on 18 December was underway for Pearl Harbor
with cargo.

Pacific, 1945–1946

LCVPs from Cepheus bringing troops ashore during an exee in Algeria, April 1944

Arriving 10 January 1945, she joined in training exercises until 26 February, when she put to sea combat loaded for the

MARAD records show she was given back to the Navy on 21 November 1946 and a "reconversion" contract was awarded to Maryland Drydock Company on 2 May 1947.[1]

Cepheus received two battle stars for World War II service

Commercial service

Cepheus was sold into commercial service in 1947. In 1968, while being on a ballast voyage home from

Sattahip, Thailand to Tampa, Florida, she ran aground at full speed on a reef off Honduras
and was heavily damaged. Refloating proved to be impossible and she was finally abandoned as a constructive total loss in June 1968.

References
  1. ^ "RESERVE FLEET DIVISION - VESSEL DATA - CEPHEUS". Retrieved 2006-09-30.[dead link]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Cepheus (AKA-18).
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