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USS Cygnus (AF-23)
Encyclopedia
USS Cygnus (AF-23) was an Cygnus-class cargo ship
acquired by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II, named after the constellation Cygnus
. She was responsible for delivering necessary goods and equipment to ships and stations in the war zone.
Cygnus (AF-23) was built as in 1925 by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
, England; acquired by the Navy 12 August 1942; and commissioned 11 August 1942, Lieutenant Commander W. W. Williamson, USNR, in command.
and back between 4 September and 24 September 1942, Cygnus cleared San Francisco, California
, 10 October and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, 3 November. Until 5 January 1944 she operated on a regular run carrying chilled meats and vegetables from Auckland to the American bases at Tongatapu
, Tonga Islands; Pago Pago, American Samoa
; Bora Bora
, Society Islands
; Cook Island
; and Funafuti
, Ellice Islands. Between 18 January 1944 and 9 September 1945 she sailed on similar duty from Auckland and Napier, New Zealand
, to Espiritu Santo
and Efate
, New Hebrides
, the Solomon Islands
; and Nouméa
, New Caledonia
.
to discharge cargo at Okinawa in December 1945. Arriving at Manus
, Admiralty Islands
, 3 January 1946, she operated out of this port on cargo duty to Nouméa
, Espiritu Santo
, and American Samoa
until 13 March when she returned to the U.S. West Coast and then sailed for New York, arriving 2 July.
for disposal the same day.
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...
acquired by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II, named after the constellation Cygnus
Cygnus (constellation)
Cygnus is a northern constellation lying on the plane of the Milky Way. Its name is the Latinized Hellenic word for swan. One of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, it features a prominent asterism known as the Northern Cross...
. She was responsible for delivering necessary goods and equipment to ships and stations in the war zone.
Cygnus (AF-23) was built as in 1925 by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, England; acquired by the Navy 12 August 1942; and commissioned 11 August 1942, Lieutenant Commander W. W. Williamson, USNR, in command.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations
After sailing in convoy to 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 back between 4 September and 24 September 1942, Cygnus cleared 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...
, 10 October and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, 3 November. Until 5 January 1944 she operated on a regular run carrying chilled meats and vegetables from Auckland to the American bases at Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
, Tonga Islands; Pago Pago, American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
; Bora Bora
Bora Bora
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with its surrounding islets emerging from the coral reef, 29.3 km² in total, and of the atoll of Tupai , located north of Bora Bora...
, Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
; Cook Island
Cook Island
Cook Island may refer to* Cook Island, South Sandwich Islands, central island in Southern Thule* Cook Island of Kiritimati, Kiribati* Cook Islands, self governing democracy in the Pacific, in free association with New Zealand, of which "Cook Island" is the adjectival demonym* Cook Island Aquatic...
; and Funafuti
Funafuti
Funafuti is an atoll that forms the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 4,492 , making it the most populated atoll in the country. It is a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres wide, encircling a large lagoon 18 km long and 14 km wide, with a surface of...
, Ellice Islands. Between 18 January 1944 and 9 September 1945 she sailed on similar duty from Auckland and Napier, New Zealand
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
, to Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
and Efate
Éfaté
Efate is an island in the Agean Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in The Republic of Maliki. It is also known as Île Vate. It is the most populous island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanuatu's third largest island. Most inhabitants of Efate live in Port Vila, the national...
, New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
, the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
; and Nouméa
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...
.
End-of-war activity
After a west coast overhaul, Cygnus sailed via 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...
to discharge cargo at Okinawa in December 1945. Arriving 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...
, Admiralty Islands
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
, 3 January 1946, she operated out of this port on cargo duty to Nouméa
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,...
, Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
, and American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
until 13 March when she returned to the U.S. West Coast and then sailed for New York, arriving 2 July.
Post-war decommissioning
Cygnus was decommissioned 18 July 1946 and transferred to the War Shipping AdministrationWar Shipping Administration
The War Shipping Administration was a World War II emergency war agency of the US Government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the US needed for fighting the war....
for disposal the same day.