USS Hyades ( AF - 28 ) USS " Hyades " ( AF - 28 ) was the lead ship of her class of stores ships acquired by the U . S . Navy for service in World War II . Her task was to carry stores , refrigerated items , and equipment to ships in the fleet and to remote stations and staging areas . " Hyades " , ex . - " SS Iberville " , was launched under Maritime Commission contract by Gulf Shipbuilding Co . , Chickasaw , Alabama , 12 June 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . L . R . Sanford ; and commissioned at Bethlehem Steel , Baltimore , Maryland , after conversion , 1 August 1944 ; Comdr . M . C . Wheyland in command . World War II service . " Hyades " got underway 11 September 1944 for Trinidad and the Panama Canal , escorted by destroyer " Warrington " ( DD - 30 ) . Rescuing survivors in a hurricane . In the Caribbean the ships encountered a severe hurricane . By 13 September " Warrington " was foundering . The heavy weather had separated the two ships . When the destroyer went down , " Hyades " proceeded to her last known position to pick up survivors . She rescued 61 before proceeding to Panama , where she arrived 19 September . Transfer to the Pacific Fleet . The refrigerator ship steamed to Majuro to supply the fleet with foodstuffs 10 October , touching at Kwajalein , Eniwetok , and other bases before returning to San Francisco , California . Underway again 1 December 1944 , the ship made two more voyages to the advance bases and the Philippines with stores , returning to Seattle , Washington , from the second cruise 13 April 1945 . She continued on this duty , so vital to the support of the huge U . S . Pacific Fleet , until well after the surrender of Japan . In addition to supplying ships she brought food and supplies to many shore bases . Post - war operations . In 1946 " Hyades " brought supplies to American ground troops in China , spending March at Tsingtao and April at Hong Kong . In 1947 she continued to support the efforts to protect American interests and establish democracy in that troubled country , spending several months at Shanghai . Thereafter operating out of San Francisco , " Hyades " became a familiar sight to the various occupation groups and island outposts in the Pacific Ocean . Return to the Atlantic Ocean . The ship sailed through the Panama Canal to Norfolk , Virginia , to join the Atlantic Fleet , arriving 14 June 1948 . She departed for her first cruise to the Mediterranean 12 July 1948 , during which she operated with the fast Carrier forces serving as a mobile replenishment ship . During this troubled period , 1948 – 1955 , U . S . fleet units did much to protect freedom in the area , notably in Greece and Turkey ; " Hyades " brought supplies and showed the flag in many Mediterranean ports , including Piraeus , Greece , Naples , Italy , Valencia , Spain , and Gibraltar . Suez crisis operations . As tension mounted in the Mediterranean in early 1956 , " Hyades " replenished destroyers patrolling the eastern Mediterranean , returning to Norfolk 28 February . She later rendezvoused with powerful fleet units in July , including " Iowa " ( BB - 53 ) , " New Jersey " ( BB - 62 ) , " Des Moines " ( CA - 134 ) , and " Macon " ( CA - 132 ) , as American naval power moved in to prevent the widening of the Suez crisis . In April 1957 the ship replenished carrier " Lake Champlain " ( CV - 39 ) during moves to support the threatened government of Jordan and took part in an important NATO fleet exercise during September – October in northern European waters . Visiting Crete and Turkey . In the years that followed , " Hyades " continued to support the U . S . 6th Fleet in its cold war operations , keeping the peace in the Mediterranean . During August – September 1958 , she visited Crete and Turkey when the latter country was threatened . In 1959 , she sailed 11 May for fleet replenishment in response to the heightened Berlin crisis , effectively showing American might and determination . The veteran stores ship returned twice more to the Mediterranean in 1959 , and again in 1960 and 1961 . Cuban missile crisis operations . " Hyades " responded quickly in the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 , arriving at Guantanamo Bay 22 October to evacuate dependents as the introduction of offensive missiles forced a naval quarantine of the island . After the safe evacuation , the ship returned to the quarantine line for underway replenishment of the ships patrolling off Cuba . After the easing of the situation in December , " Hyades " entered Home Bros . Shipyard in Newport News , Virginia , for the installation of a helicopter deck aft to increase her versatility and replenishment capabilities . Participating in Operation Springboard . During 1963 the ship cruised with the 6th Fleet in July and August . In 1964 she took part in Operation Springboard in the Caribbean , returning to Norfolk 1 February 1964 . " Hyades " continued to serve the Fleet through the mid - 1960s and in late 1967 was based at Norfolk , Virginia . In May 1968 , the Hyades was near the Azores when they received word of the disappearance of the USS Scorpion , a Navy submarine . While the ship was heading for the Med , they were ordered to search the area for the doomed sub , and became the first to do so . Nothing was found , and when other ships arrived to continue the search , the Hyades moved on to the Med . A lookout aboard the Hyades had earlier reported spotting an orange distress buoy in the water , but it did not get reported to the captain , and as a result of the lieutenant ' s inaction , he was later court - martialed . Decommissioning . " Hyades " was decommissioned in late 1968 and struck from the Naval Register , 1 October 1976 . After being laid up in the Reserve Fleet , she was transferred to the Maritime Administration ( MARAD ) for disposal , 13 October 1983 . Final Disposition : disposed of by MARAD exchange , 13 October 1983 . Military awards and honors . " Hyades ’ " crew was eligible for the following medals and ribbons :