USS Allioth ( AK - 109 ) USS Allioth ( AK - 109 ) was a commissioned by the U . S . Navy for service in World War II , named after Alioth , the star in constellation Ursa Major . She was responsible for delivering troops , goods and equipment to locations in the war zone . " SS James Rowan " was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract ( MCE hull 1730 ) on 30 July 1943 by the Permanente Metals Corp . , Richmond , California ; launched on 20 August 1943 ; sponsored by Miss Cora Clonts ; acquired by the Navy on 3 October 1943 ; renamed " Allioth " and designated AK - 109 on 6 October 1943 ; and commissioned at Portland , Oregon , on 25 October 1943 , Comdr . George F . Prestwich in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . Upon her arrival at Pearl Harbor on 5 December 1943 , the cargo ship was assigned to Service Squadron 8 . During the next 11 months , she operated as a mobile supply source for the U . S . Army . Her duties consisted of loading cargo and dispensing it to troops as needed . Among the ports from which she operated were Funafuti , Ellice Islands ; Makin and Tarawa , Gilbert Islands ; Kwajalein and Eniwetok , Marshall Islands ; and Peleliu and Angaur , Palau Islands . Under attack by Japanese aircraft . " Allioth " sailed from Peleliu on 14 November 1944 , bound for Pearl Harbor . On the afternoon of the 20th , two Japanese airplanes attacked her , dropping several bombs but scoring no hits . Later that evening , one aircraft returned and dropped a bomb which exploded near the ship . Ten crewmen were slightly wounded , and the ship suffered minor structural damage from shrapnel . She continued her journey and arrived safely in Hawaiian waters on 11 December 1944 . Conversion to aviation supply issue ship . Two days later , the ship resumed her voyage toward the U . S . West Coast of the United States , and she entered a shipyard at Alameda , California , on the 24th for overhaul and conversion to an aviation supply issue ship . The alterations were completed in early March 1945 , and " Allioth " received the new designation IX - 204 . Servicing aircraft at Ulithi . On 10 March , the vessel got underway for Pearl Harbor . After taking on more cargo there , she resumed her westward voyage , dropped anchor at Ulithi on 8 April , and began supplying various units with airplane parts . On 3 May , her designation was changed to AVS - 4 . Supporting aircraft in the Philippines . When the fleet moved from Ulithi , " Allioth " headed for the Philippine Islands , arriving at Leyte Gulf on 27 May . In early June , the ship sailed to Seeadler Harbor , Manus Island , to load more spare part s . She returned to Leyte on 29 June and resumed her supply duties . Supporting aircraft in the Ryukyu Islands . " Allioth " moved to Okinawa in mid - September 1945 and remained there into the next year , supporting various airplane squadrons operating in the Ryukyu Islands . On 18 January 1946 , the ship got underway to return to the United States . " Allioth " arrived back at Alameda , California , on 16 February and began discharging cargo . Her crew also began stripping the ship of excess equipment in preparation for her deactivation . Post - war decommissioning . " Allioth " returned to Pearl Harbor on 15 April and was placed out of commission there on 18 May 1946 . She was transferred to the Maritime Commission on 13 May 1947 , and her name was struck from the Navy List on 22 May 1947 . Under the Maritime Commission , the ship resumed her first name , , and carried it until she disappeared from merchant ship registers in 1956 . Final Disposition : she was scrapped in 1965 . Military awards and honors . " Allioth ' s " crew was eligible for the following medals :