USS Thuban

USS Thuban (AKA-19/LKA-19) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1967. The ship was scrapped in 1984.

The ship was named after Thuban, the primary star in the constellation Draco, which was at one time the pole star and important in ancient Egyptian religion. USS Thuban served as a commissioned ship for 21 years and 3 months.

Thuban was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 203) on 2 February 1943 at Kearny, N.J., by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.; launched on 26 April 1943; sponsored by Miss Madeleine Carroll; acquired by the Navy on 9 June 1943; and commissioned on 10 June 1943 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

On 23 June 1943, Thuban got underway from Gravesend Bay and anchored the next day in Hampton Roads. Following a week of tests and exercises, the new attack cargo ship, escorted by the destroyer Griswold (DE-7), departed Norfolk and steamed southward conducting intensive drills and exercises en route to the Panama Canal Zone. After transiting the Panama Canal on 5 July and 6 July, Thuban continued on independently to the California coast and arrived at San Diego on the 13th.

In the days that followed, she conducted landing craft exercises; and, on the 22nd, she arrived at Oakland to load cargo for the assault on Japanese-occupied islands in the Aleutian chain. On 5 August, she commenced exercises at Adak and on the 15th anchored off Quisling Cove, Kiska, to take part in what was expected to be an assault on a Japanese stronghold. However, the landing turned out to be unopposed. Thuban remained in the Aleutians until late in the month while American forces reoccupied the islands. She then steamed south, touched at San Francisco, and arrived at San Diego on 6 September.

On the 16th, the ship set her course for the Hawaiian Islands and arrived at Pearl Harbor on the 22nd. After loading cargo, she departed on 2 October, escorted by the destroyer Gamble (DM-15) and bound for the Ellice Islands. On the 8th, the attack cargo ship arrived at Funafuti to discharge her cargo; then continued on to anchor at Wellington Bay, New Zealand, on the 19th. There, she embarked elements of the 2nd Marine Division and participated in exercises in preparation for the coming assault on Tarawa. On 1 November, she got underway and on the 8th arrived at Efate, where, for two days, she conducted landing craft exercises in Meli Bay. On the 13th, she departed the New Hebrides to take part in "Operation Galvanic" – the conquest of the Gilbert Islands.

Before dawn on "D-Day," 20 November 1943, Thuban arrived at her assigned position in the transport area off Betio Island and began lowering boats and "amph-tracs" for the initial assault on Tarawa. All of her boats were in the water by 0435, and Thuban prepared to unload cargo. At 0551, as she maneuvered to maintain her station in the transport area, enemy shore batteries found the range of the transports, and a shell landed between Thuban and attack transport Doyen (APA-1). The transports quickly headed out to sea, beyond range of the shore batteries, but not before additional shells landed among them, providing many anxious moments.

Nightly air raids on the island, a reported periscope sighting, and bomb explosions on Betio marked the tense days that followed. Thuban continued unloading cargo and supplied fuel and repairs for her own boats and those of other ships. Thuban lost three men to enemy action during this operation, and four of her landing craft were sunk as they moved toward the beach. Shore parties sent her a number of casualties which taxed her limited medical facilities. Discharging cargo on call, Thuban remained off Betio until 27 November, when she departed the Gilberts in company with Task Group (TG) 53.8 and headed for the Hawaiian Islands.