USS Caledonia (AK-167)
Encyclopedia
USS Caledonia (AK-167) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship
commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
The second ship to be named Caledonia by the Navy, AK-167 was launched 1 January 1945 by Kaiser Cargo, Inc., Richmond, California
, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. V. Brown; acquired by the Navy 13 March 1945; commissioned the same day, Lieutenant F. G. Stelte in command; and reported to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
warfare, Caledonia sailed from San Francisco, California
, 1 May 1945, laden with cargo for the base at Manus
, where she began discharging 23 May. The cargo ship completed offloading at Samar
, Philippine Islands, on 22 June, then steamed to Darwin, Australia, and Milne Bay
, New Guinea
, to reload supplies essentially needed in the Philippines. After offloading at Samar
and Subic Bay
in August and September, Caledonia made another voyage to Noumea
, New Caledonia
, for cargo, returning to Samar, from which she cleared 30 December for Baltimore, Maryland.
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...
. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
The second ship to be named Caledonia by the Navy, AK-167 was launched 1 January 1945 by Kaiser Cargo, Inc., Richmond, California
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. V. Brown; acquired by the Navy 13 March 1945; commissioned the same day, Lieutenant F. G. Stelte in command; and reported to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations
Assigned to a role in the Navy's gigantic logistic task of supplying military forces in the Pacific while still carrying out naval, air, and amphibiousAmphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
warfare, Caledonia sailed from San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, 1 May 1945, laden with cargo for the base at Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
, where she began discharging 23 May. The cargo ship completed offloading 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, on 22 June, then steamed to Darwin, Australia, and Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, to reload supplies essentially needed in the Philippines. After offloading 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...
and Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
in August and September, Caledonia made another voyage to Noumea
Nouméa
Nouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
, New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, for cargo, returning to Samar, from which she cleared 30 December for Baltimore, Maryland.