USS Betelgeuse ( AK - 260 ) USS " Betelgeuse " ( AK - ( FBM ) - 260 ) was the last of the cargo ships in service in the United States Navy . Ship ' s history . Construction and early career . " Betelgeuse " was constructed by the California Shipbuilding Company , Los Angeles , California and commissioned in the merchant service as SS " Columbia Victory " in May , 1944 . From 1944 through 1948 , she was operated by the Grace Steamship Company , the Waterman Steamship Corporation and the Isthmian Steamship Company . In 1948 , she was placed in Maritime Reserve Fleet until 1951 when she was purchased by the U . S . Government and converted for Navy use . As A U . S . Merchant Marine ship the Columbia Victory was very active during World War II in the Pacific Operations . Her Naval Armed Guard crews earned " Battle Stars " for participating in the Assault - Occupation of Iwo Jima 25 Feb - 6 March 1945 and the Assault - Occupation of Okinawa Gunto 27 May - 4 June 1945 . On 15 April 1952 at Savannah , Georgia , she was commissioned by the Navy as the USS " Betelgeuse " ( AK - 260 ) and placed under operational control of the Service Force , U . S . Atlantic Fleet , with Commander L . A . Parker , U . S . Navy , commanding . Cargo ships , like " Betelgeuse " , were named after heavenly bodies ; Betelgeuse being a large star in the constellation Orion . From her commissioning in 1952 through 1960 , " " Goose " " made resupply missions to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean with occasional trips to base in the West Indies , Bermuda , and the Azores . While performing her mission as a Navy Cargo ship , " Betelgeuse " transferred practically every kind of cargo to ships , barges , and piers using every known transfer method . 1960s . Conversion for Polaris support . In the summer of 1960 , a significant modification was accomplished when " Betelgeuse " was modified to carry Polaris missiles and components in support of the Fleet Ballistic Missile program . This modification changed the mission of " Betelgeuse " from a fleet resupply ship to a link in the Polaris program . After two years of operation as a Polaris resupply ship , " Betelgeuse " entered the shipyard for further modifications keyed to a more efficient stowage and transfer of Polaris missiles and their components . The major undertaking of this modification was the installation of vertical stowage of the Polaris missiles in Number Three hold . During the period 1 June through 7 September 1962 , " Betelgeuse " , along with a normal overhaul , was again converted . Number Three hold received another major conversion , this time to the new concept of vertical stowage and transport of missiles . With this conversion , " Betelgeuse " could now transport fourteen ( 14 ) missiles in Number Three hold , five ( 5 ) missiles ( in containers ) , in Number Four hold , and four ( 4 ) missiles ( in containers ) on the main deck , one on each side of both Number Four and Five hatch , for a total capacity of twenty - three ( 23 ) missiles . 1962 operations . Commencing in 1962 , " Betelgeuse " ( AK - ( FBM ) - 260 ) made resupply runs to Holy Loch , Scotland and Naval Station Rota , Spain . She not only carried Polaris missiles and their components , but she also carried food , repair parts , clothing , fuel and many other items which enabled the Polaris submarines to operate from a mobile base . 1965 – 1966 operations . From December 1965 through March 1966 , " Betelgeuse " underwent a regular overhaul at Detyen ' s Shipyard , Mount Pleasant , South Carolina . " Betelgeuse " was the first major ship to be overhauled at this shipyard and the largest ship ever to navigate the Wando River to the shipyard site . During the overhaul , two men earned the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking their lives in a successful rescue of two shipyard workers from a fume filled tank of an aviation gas barge . " Betelgeuse " underwent refresher training in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba in June 1966 following an FBM ( Fleet Ballistic Missile ) resupply voyage to Rota , Spain in May with a four day operational visit to Barcelona , Spain . Two FBM resupply voyages were made to Holy Loch , Scotland in July and September and an operational visit to Portsmouth , England . Two more FBM resupply voyages were made to Rota , Spain in October and November prior to going into upkeep and leave period in Charleston , South Carolina for the month of December . 1967 operations . " Betelgeuse " ( AK - ( FBM ) - 260 ) was a unit of Service Squadron Eight until 1 July 1967 and then was transferred to Commander Submarine Force , US Atlantic Fleet and placed under the operational control of Commander Submarine Flotilla Six at Charleston , South Carolina . From 1 January 1967 until 30 August 1967 , " Betelgeuse " operated with the U . S . Atlantic Submarine Force providing services as required from retrieving torpedoes during target services to replenishment of the Polaris sit at Charleston , SC , with the exception of the period 4 – 22 June 1967 when " Betelgeuse " participated in Operation " New Look " . While on Operation " New Look " , " Betelgeuse " was granted a port visit to New York City . Collision with " Simon Bolivar " . While conducting submarine services in August 1967 , " Betelgeuse " was involved in a collision with the submarine which was submerged . Extensive damage to the underwater hull caused immediate flooding in Number Three hold with resultant leaks into Number Two hold and the engine room . There were no personnel injuries and " Betelgeuse " was able to return to Charleston under her own power and entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard for repairs during the period of 1 September through 8 October 1967 . On 9 October , " Betelgeuse " conducted sea trials with outstanding results . 1967 operations . In October 1967 " Betelgeuse " made an FBM resupply trip to Rota , Spain . Upon returning to Charleston " Betelgeuse " commenced loading for a replenishment trip to Bangor , Washington via the Panama Canal for the first WESTLANT / EASTPAC replenishment , transiting the Panama Canal 17 November and arriving in Bangor , Washington 27 November . While in Washington , a visit to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard had to be made to repair a leaky economizer tube in Number One boiler . On the return trip to Charleston , a one day port visit was made of Balboa , Panama . 1968 operations . From January 1968 through April 1968 , " Betelgeuse " provided target services and retrieved torpedoes for submarines , performed site replenishment of the Polaris site at Charleston , made a liberty port visit to Miami , Florida and an FBM resupply to Holy Loch , Scotland . A dependent ' s cruise was conducted on 26 July 1968 and a liberty port visit was made to Fort Lauderdale , Florida in August and another FBM resupply was made to Holy Loch , Scotland at the end of August 1968 . " Betelgeuse " participated in the first operational test of the fleet Ballistic missile system for Commander Submarine Force , U . S . Atlantic Fleet in October and November 1968 . Rescue of " Spirit of Love " crew . Departing Charleston on 15 November 1968 for Holy Loch , Scotland , " Betelgeuse " came in contact with a 35 foot sailboat " " The Sprit of Love " " foundering off course approximately 300 miles northeast of Bermuda on 18 November . " " The Spirit of Love " " had departed New York for St . Thomas , Virgin Islands on 2 November . The three crewmen were taken on board and the sailboat taken in tow . The Master had advised that the boat ' s engine was inoperative , sails gone , water and cooking fuel depleted and only about two days food remained on board and the crew had been bailing for the past five days . While in tow in heavy seas and taking on water , " " The Spirit of Love " " sank . The three crewmen were transferred via helicopter to the and then flown to Bermuda . " Betelgeuse " resumed her track to Holy Loch , Scotland , arriving 0n 26 November . On 8 December 1968 , " Betelgeuse " entered dry - dock in the at Holy Loch . After undocking on 20 December , " Betelgeuse " departed for Charleston and arrived 1 January 1969 . 1969 operations . During 1969 , " Betelgeuse " twice provided target services and retrieved torpedoes for submarines and participated in two operational tests of the fleet ballistic missile system as down range support ship and once again a liberty port visit was made to Miami , Florida . " Betelgeuse " went through a shipyard overhaul in Charleston Naval Shipyard from May through August 1969 in which $ 1 , 543 , 704 were spent in repairs and preservation of the ship . In December 1969 , " Betelgeuse " went through refresher training at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . 1970s . From 1 January through 31 March 1970 , " Betelgeuse " made one FBM site replenishment to Rota , Spain and two FBM site replenishments to Holy Loch , Scotland . While underway on the second trip to Holy Loch on 28 February , after experiencing heavy seas for several days , the weather appeared to be clearing and the seas calming when the ship rode up on an unusually large wave of about 60 feet and pounded heavily , resulting in the rupture of a fuel tank under Number One hold . Arriving on 4 March , temporary repairs were made at Holy Loch . The ship then returned to Charleston arriving 21 March for dry - docking and permanent repairs . During the months of April , May , August and September , " Betelgeuse " was downrange support ship for operational tests of the fleet ballistic system for Commander Submarine Force , U . S . Atlantic Fleet . An operational visit was made to Ponta Delgada , San Miguel , Azores during the first test . Deactivation and decommissioning . The Sub - Board of Inspection and Survey , Atlantic conducted a pre - inactivation inspection during the period 21 – 23 September 1970 and found " Betelgeuse " fit for further service provided three deficiencies were corrected . On 15 October 1970 , operational control of " Betelgeuse " shifted to Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility Portsmouth , Charleston Detachment and became inactive to prepare to enter the mothball fleet . " Betelgeuse " was formally decommissioned on 15 January 1971 . LCDR Robert L . Jerns , as Commanding Officer , received the commissioning pennant . BM1 Stephen J . Meader received the ensign for having been on board the longest . " Betelgeuse " was towed to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 16 January 1971 and used in an experiment for encapsulation of mothballed ships . She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 February 1974 . Destruction . Sold for scrapping to Luria Brothers & Co . in December 1975 , while being towed to Texas in January 1976 , the tug boat had to cut the tow cable due to high seas and " Betelgeuse " ran aground at Rodanthe , NC .