USS Ostara ( AKA - 33 ) USS " Ostara " ( AKA - 33 ) was an named after the asteroid " 343 Ostara , " which in turn was named after the Teutonic goddess of spring , described by Jacob Grimm in his " Deutsche Mythologie " as equivalent to the Anglo - Saxon " Eostre . " USS " Ostara " served as a commissioned ship for 13 months . " Ostara " ( AKA - 33 ) was laid down 13 October 1944 by Walsh - Kaiser Co . , Inc . , Providence , R . I . under a Maritime Commission Contract ; launched 21 December 1944 ; sponsored by Ensign Rene Vandersloot , Navy Nurse ; commissioned 31 January 1945 , Lt . Comdr . Alfred St . Martin , USNR , in command . Service history . On 3 February " Ostara " was underway for the Boston Navy Yard with a pre - commissioning crew from her sister ship aboard for training . After a shakedown cruise in the Chesapeake Bay she left the Norfolk area and proceeded , via the Panama Canal , to Pearl Harbor , where she arrived 23 March . After discharging cargo she left Pearl Harbor for San Francisco , steaming independently . On 15 April the ship left San Francisco and returned to Hawaii . Unloading and loading completed , she left Pearl Harbor 27 May for Eniwetok , Marshall Islands , arriving 4 June . The next day " Ostara " was underway for Saipan , Marianas Islands . Upon arrival 9 June , troops were discharged and unloading of cargo commenced . The ship then returned to the United States reaching San Diego 3 July . Loading cargo once more , " Ostara " left San Diego for Pearl Harbor 17 July . On 28 July she was once more underway for Eniwetok , where she arrived 6 August , fueled , and was underway for Guam 7 August . Upon arrival at Guam passengers and cargo were discharged and the ship proceeded to Saipan , where she underwent emergency hull repairs . " Ostara " next touched at the Philippine Islands , arriving at San Pedro Bay , Leyte , 24 August , and at Manila , Luzon , 31 August where cargo was taken on , as well as a portion of the 43rd Army Division for transportation to Japan . On 13 September " Ostara " moored at Yokohama Docks . While at Yokohama she safely rode out a typhoon which caused great damage in other areas . Returning to Guam 23 September " Ostara " moved to Saipan and then departed , with units of the 6th Marine Division aboard , for Tsingtao , China . On 11 October the ship arrived at Tsingtao , where details of Chinese coolies commenced unloading operations . " Ostara " arrived Manila Bay 23 October . On 1 November she left Manila for Haiphong , French Indochina , and after arriving embarked 928 enlisted men and 54 officers of the 52nd Chinese army for transportation to Chinwangtao , China . Three Chinese enlisted men died aboard of disease during the trip , despite all sanitary precautions . On 27 November " Ostara " anchored in Buckner Bay , Okinawa . Two days later she departed for San Diego , " ( Editor ' s note : the DANFS entry seems to be missing something here ) " the Panama Canal , and arrived Norfolk , Va . , 23 January 1946 . Here preparations for the decommissioning of the ship were begun . Decommissioning was completed 1 March 1946 . " Ostara " was stricken from the list of naval vessels 17 April 1946 . On 26 June 1946 " Ostara " was transferred to the War Shipping Administration for disposal at Norfolk . Assigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet , " Ostara " was scrapped in 1965 .