USS Pyro ( AE - 1 ) The first USS " Pyro " ( AE – 1 ) , an ammunition ship , was laid down 9 August 1918 at the Navy Yard , Puget Sound , Wash . ; launched 16 December 1919 ; sponsored by Mrs . G . A . Bissett , wife of Comdr . Bissett , the Construction Officer at Puget Sound Navy Yard ; and commissioned 10 August 1920 , Comdr . John Sisson Graham in command . After shakedown " Pyro " was assigned to the Naval Transportation Service . She departed Puget Sound 18 September 1920 on her first voyage to the east coast , arriving New York one month later . Her principal operations were conducted between ports which extended from Puget Sound on the west coast to as far north as Boston on the east coast . Her most frequent ports of call included Mare Island , San Francisco , San Pedro , San Diego , Balboa , Guantanamo Bay , Norfolk , Philadelphia , and New York . Besides ammunition and explosives , she also carried general cargo and some passengers . By April 1924 " Pyro " completed five additional runs to the east coast from California ports . Her Pacific operations took her as far as the Philippine Islands . Upon return from the east coast 22 April 1924 she put in at Bremerton and decommissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard 10 September . " Pyro " , recommissioned 1 July 1939 , Comdr . Robert Stevenson Haggart in command . Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service , she resumed transport of ammunition , general cargo , and passengers , making five voyages to the east coast and five to Pearl Harbor by August 1941 . She was assigned to Commander , Base Force , Train Squadron 8 , Pacific Fleet 22 August 1941 . Departing Mare Island I October , she arrived Pearl Harbor one week later to commence operations in the Hawaiian area . " Pyro " was moored at West Loch in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked 7 December 1941 . She suffered no serious damage and was credited with damaging one Japanese plane . Four days later she departed Pearl Harbor for San Francisco , and carried ammunition from the west coast to Pearl Harbor until 30 September 1942 . On 17 October she departed San Francisco for Alaskan waters where she issued a load of mines to smaller ships to be planted as a defense for the base at Adak . She returned to San Francisco 19 November . She departed San Francisco 8 December 1942 , and upon arrival Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides Islands 2 January 1943 , became primary ammunition ship for various fleet units that were operating in the area . " Pyro " steamed for San Francisco 2 August , arriving 7 September . Departing San Francisco 11 November 1943 for Brisbane , Australia , she reported to Commander , Service Force , 7th Fleet 7 December 1943 . From that date until 8 April 1944 , " Pyro " transported ammunition from Australia , New Caledonia and the New Hebrides to Milne Bay , New Guinea . From 13 ' April through 12 July 1944 she replenished combatants engaged in the Admiralty Islands and Hollandia , campaigns at various New Guinea harbors . " Pyro " arrived Sydney , Australia 18 July 1944 for six weeks of repairs , returning 9 September to the new base of operations at Hollandia , where units of the fleet assembled for the invasion of Leyte . The ammunition ship remained at Hollandia . until 3 November when she steamed to Seeadler Bay , Manus Island , Admiralty Islands for emergency repairs and reloading , returning to Hollandia 1 December 1944 . She steamed for Leyte Gulf 19 December , arriving one week later and remaining in the Philippine area replenishing combatants until 4 August 1945 . " Pyro " then steamed for the Admiralty Islands for repair and overhaul . She departed the Admiralty Islands 17 October with a load of serviceable ammunition for transfer to the United States . After embarking troops en route at Eniwetok , Marshall Islands , she arrived Seattle 21 November 1945 . She remained there until 17 February 1946 and then steamed for San Francisco Bay , arriving the next day . After discharging her ammunition , she returned to Seattle 2 April . " Pyro " decommissioned at Seattle 12 June and was struck from the Navy List 3 July . She was turned over to the War Shipping Administration 14 July 1946 , and in March 1950 she was sold to the National Metal and Steel Co . Terminal Island , California for scrapping . Awards and honors . " Pyro " earned one battle star for World War II service .