USS Mizar (AF-12)
| 300px | |
| Career (US) | 100x35px |
|---|---|
| Laid down: | 1932 as SS Quiriqua |
| Launched: | 1932 |
| Acquired: | 2 June 1941 |
| Commissioned: |
USS Mizar (AF-12), 14 June 1941 |
| Decommissioned: | 1 April 1946 |
| Struck: | 17 April 1946 |
| Fate: | returned to United Fruit Co. |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 6,982 t.(lt) 11,880 t.(fl) |
| Length: | 447 ft 10 in (136.50 m) |
| Beam: | 60 ft (18 m) |
| Draft: | 25 ft 2 in (7.67 m) |
| Propulsion: | Turbo-electric, twin screws, 11,000shp. |
| Speed: | 18 kts. (max) |
| Capacity: | 2,615 long tons deadweight (DWT) |
| Complement: | 238 |
| Armament: | one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four 3"/50 guns |
USS Mizar (AF-12) was a Mizar-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy for use during World War II. With modification to the ship, she was able to also carry a small number of troops. She served in the Pacific War and came back home with four battle stars to her credit. Her last operation before decommissioning was delivering bananas to the United Fruit Company.
The first Mizar (AP 12) was built in 1932 as SS Quirigua by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Massachusetts, for United Fruit Co.; acquired by the Navy on bareboat charter 2 June 1941; and commissioned 14 June 1941, Comdr. E. D. Walbridge in command.
Contents
Conversion to a multi-use vessel
Formerly a fast refrigerated mail steamer, Mizar underwent conversion at Brewer’s Drydock, Staten Island, New York, to a Navy stores ship. For the next year Mizar sailed the western Atlantic provisioning bases and ships from Iceland to the Virgin Islands while operating from a number of U.S. East Coast ports. Adding additional berthing she departed Norfolk, Virginia, 10 June 1942 in company with task force TF 39 on a month long voyage to Wellington, New Zealand. This time she also transported 1st Division Marines who were soon to take part in the invasion of the Solomon Islands.
Serving the South Pacific
Continuing in the southwest Pacific as part of Service Force, U.S. 7th Fleet, she operated initially from Australian ports supporting the successful Australian and American struggle to halt the Japanese on New Guinea. Mizar made seven voyages to San Francisco, California, between 12 October 1942 and 9 February 1945 to provide fresh meat and eggs for advanced bases and combatant ships. When not making these unescorted crossings she normally operated between Brisbane and Milne, New Guinea.
Supporting the Philippine invasion troops
Following the advance of American Forces in the Pacific she extended her Australian based activities to the Admiralty Islands in May 1944 and dropped anchor in Leyte Gulf, Philippines, 18 February 1945. She continued distributing men and supplies throughout these areas until 4 January 1946.
Steaming eastward she arrived San Francisco 25 January but soon received orders to proceed to the U.S. East Coast. Previewing a return to civilian status, en route at Quepos, Costa Rica, bananas were loaded for delivery to the United Fruit Co. at Charleston, South Carolina.
Post-war decommissioning
Mizar, having averaged over 5,000 miles a month during World War II, decommissioned at Baltimore, Maryland, 1 April 1946 for return to her owner, and was struck from the Navy list on the 17th.
Mizar received four battle stars for World War II service.
References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
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