USS Castor ( AKS - 1 ) USS " Castor " ( AKS - 1 ) was a " Castor " - class general stores issue ship commissioned by the U . S . Navy for service in World War II . She was responsible for delivering and disbursing goods and equipment to locations in the war zone . " Castor " ( AKS - 1 ) was launched as SS " Challenger " on 20 May 1939 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co . , Kearny , New Jersey , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Mrs . T . M . Woodward ; acquired by the Navy 23 October 1940 and renamed " Castor " six days later ; and commissioned 12 March 1941 , Commander F . Johnson in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . Clearing Norfolk , Virginia , 6 May 1941 , " Castor " arrived at San Diego , California , 20 May to begin a series of cargo voyages to Pearl Harbor . In October , she carried U . S . Marine reinforcements to Johnston Island and Wake Island . Strafed at Pearl Harbor . Returning to San Francisco , California , to load explosives , " Castor " arrived in Pearl Harbor three days before the Japanese attack of 7 December 1941 . Her guns were quickly brought into action , and while she was repeatedly strafed by enemy planes , she suffered little damage and no casualties in the attack . Transporting emergency material after start of war . Until 7 February 1942 , " Castor " carried cargo from the U . S . West Coast to aid in the buildup of Pearl Harbor as the nerve center for the Pacific Ocean , then aided in the opening of operations in the critical South Pacific area with cargo runs from San Francisco to bases in New Caledonia , the New Hebrides , the Fijis , and New Zealand . A cargo voyage to Funafuti and Espiritu Santo in November and December 1943 found her carrying essential supplies for the Gilbert Islands invasion . Invasion forces support . From January 1944 , her voyages from the west coast were to bases in the Marshall Islands , and after a brief overhaul at Seattle , Washington , " Castor " reported at Manus 18 September for duty with famed task force TF 58 . Operating primarily from Manus and Ulithi , she replenished the fast carrier task force at sea thus helping to expedite the smashing series of raids which pushed the Japanese ever westward . The final phase of these operations found the cargo ship acting in support of the assault on Okinawa , off which she operated through May and June 1945 . Unscathed by the inferno which kamikaze attacks made of duty off Okinawa , " Castor " sailed for overhaul at San Francisco on 10 July . End - of - war activity . Between December 1945 and February 1947 , " Castor " supplied occupation forces in the Far East , calling at Guam , Saipan , Tsingtao , Hong Kong , and Japanese ports . She was decommissioned and placed in reserve at San Francisco 30 June 1947 . Reactivated during Korean War . With the outbreak of war in Korea , " Castor " was recommissioned 24 November 1950 , and cleared San Francisco 11 March 1951 for training at Pearl Harbor . She arrived at Sasebo 14 May and from this base supplied ships in the harbors of Inchon and Pusan , Korea , as well as replenishing ships of task force TF 77 at sea . Dead in the water during a bad storm . Leaving Yokosuka astern 18 March 1952 , " Castor " ran into a fierce storm which damaged her engines and left her dead in the water for 22 hours until she could be towed back to Japan for emergency repairs . She arrived at San Francisco 25 April for overhaul and permanent repairs . Home port at Yokosuka . On 9 September 1952 , " Castor " returned to Yokosuka , now to be her home port . Since that date and through 1962 she has operated from Yokosuka and occasionally from Subic Bay , Philippine Islands , supporting the ever more important operations of U . S . 7th Fleet , as it carries out its assignment to keep the Taiwan Patrol Force at sea , and in September 1954 took part in the Vietnamese evacuation , Operation Passage to Freedom , off Indo - China . An overhaul at San Francisco early in 1955 fitted her to carry both technical and general stores . Rescuing typhoon survivors . While bound for Subic Bay on 19 October 1956 , " Castor " fought her way unscathed through a furious typhoon , and next day received a distress message from the Philippine merchantman SS " Lepus " . With the aid of search planes , " Castor " located and rescued 11 survivors of the stricken ship . This rescue won a citation and plaque for " Castor " from Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay . Vietnam War operations . Castor was homeported in Sasebo , Japan during the mid sixties . She made runs to Vietnam , picking up stores in Sasebo , the Philippines and Kaoshung , Taiwan . She and were the only supply ships serving the Vietnam units until " Castor " s decommissioning . Military awards and honors . " Castor " received three battle stars for World War II service : She received two for Korean War service : During the Vietnam War she earned the following campaign stars : Her crew was eligible for the following medals and campaign ribbons :