USS Caelum (AK-106)
Encyclopedia
USS Caelum (AK-106) was a Crater-class
cargo ship
commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II
, named after constellation Caelum
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
Caelum was launched 25 July 1943 as SS Wyatt Earp by California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. H. N. MacKusick; transferred to the Navy 10 August 1943; commissioned 22 October 1943, Lieutenant Commander E. Johnson in command; and reported to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
and Tarawa, Majuro
, Eniwetok, Kwajalein
, and Ulithi
, in her first year of service. Her tireless operations included participation in the occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro in February 1944, and from June through October 1944 she was assigned to famed Service Squadron 10.
. At these bases she controlled and issued cargo and provisions to the ships which carried out the massive operations in the Palaus, Philippines
, Iwo Jima
, and Okinawa, and the task forces which pounded Japanese
bases from the air.
in September, and to provide logistic services to ships at Shanghai
in early October. From 9 November, when she arrived at Samar
, Philippine Islands, the cargo ship sailed from this and various Chinese
ports until clearing for the United States
15 April 1946.
on 30 July 1946, Caelum was returned to the Maritime Commission the next day.
service.
Crater class cargo ship
Crater-class cargo ship is a category of freighter that was constructed for use by the United States Navy during World War II under Maritime Commission EC2-S-C1 type....
cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, named after constellation Caelum
Caelum
Caelum is a faint constellation in the southern sky, introduced in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. Its name means "the chisel" in Latin, and it was formerly known as Cæla Sculptoris, "the sculptor's chisel"...
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
Caelum was launched 25 July 1943 as SS Wyatt Earp by California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. H. N. MacKusick; transferred to the Navy 10 August 1943; commissioned 22 October 1943, Lieutenant Commander E. Johnson in command; and reported to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
World War II Pacific Ocean operations
Shouldering her share of the Navy's great task of building up Pacific bases, Caelum carried cargo between Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
and Tarawa, Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
, Eniwetok, Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, and Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
, in her first year of service. Her tireless operations included participation in the occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro in February 1944, and from June through October 1944 she was assigned to famed Service Squadron 10.
Supporting invasion forces
A San Francisco overhaul late in 1944 was followed by Caelum's assignment from 20 January 1945 as station ship at Ulithi, and from 8 May, at GuamGuam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. At these bases she controlled and issued cargo and provisions to the ships which carried out the massive operations in the Palaus, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, and Okinawa, and the task forces which pounded Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
bases from the air.
End-of-war activity
Returning to the States for overhaul in June and July 1945, Caelum towed YF-741 to Ulithi in August, and sailed on to support the occupation of KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
in September, and to provide logistic services to ships at Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in early October. From 9 November, when she arrived at Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
, Philippine Islands, the cargo ship sailed from this and various Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
ports until clearing for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
15 April 1946.
Post-war decommissioning
Decommissioned at Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
on 30 July 1946, Caelum was returned to the Maritime Commission the next day.
Military awards and honors
Caelum received one battle star for World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service.