USS Centaurus ( AKA - 17 ) USS " Centaurus " ( AKA - 17 ) was an named after the constellation " Centaurus . " She was one of a handful of World War II AKAs manned by officers and crew from the United States Coast Guard . She served as a commissioned ship for 2 years and 6 months . " Centaurus " was launched on 3 September 1943 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company , Kearny , New Jersey , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Mrs . J . L . Wilson ; acquired by the Navy 20 October 1943 ; and commissioned the next day , Captain G . E . McCabe , USCG , in command . Service history . 1943 – 1944 . " Centaurus " put to sea from Norfolk , Virginia on 11 December 1943 with cargo for Pearl Harbor , where she arrived 30 December . On 22 January 1944 , she cleared with the Southern Attack Force , bound for Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands , off which she arrived 31 January . During the initial assault , she landed four waves of cargo - laden craft under the protective fire of with a smoothness belying her newness at amphibious warfare , and until 5 February she remained off the atoll landing combat cargo to support troops ashore as they encountered stiffening opposition . She returned to Noumea for training and cargo duty until 31 March , when she sailed from Tulagi to carry men and cargo to Manus and proceeded to Langemak Bay , New Guinea . Here she loaded for the landings on northern New Guinea , and on 15 April put to sea in the second assault echelon for Aitape . While her landings here on 23 April were unopposed , difficult surf and beach conditions challenged her skill . After several brief voyages to other New Guinea ports to transport reinforcements to the Hollandia area , " Centaurus " sailed for amphibious exercises in the Solomon Islands . From 3 June to 30 June 1944 , she was at sea as part of the reserve force standing by during the invasion of the Marianas , and then returned to Eniwetok to prepare for the return of U . S . forces to Guam . She sailed on 17 July in the Southern Attack Force for this assault , and on 21 July , the day of the initial attack , began landing combat cargo on the difficult beaches near Agat , where the Japanese army offered stiff resistance . She completed offloading cargo and vehicles , and embarking casualties , a week later , when she cleared for Eniwetok . After a brief overhaul at Espiritu Santo , " Centaurus " sailed to Guadalcanal to embark cargo and vehicles for the assault on the Palau Islands , for which she cleared 8 September . At Peleliu on 15 September 1944 she began landing her cargo as heavy opposition developed from the Japanese defenses , cleverly concealed . A fierce fight developed ashore for the Marines , and " Centaurus " remained off the island pouring ashore the equipment essential to the maintenance of the offensive . Taking on board casualties and prisoners of war , she also carried Marines when she cleared on 4 October for the Russell Islands , where all passengers were disembarked . She continued on to San Francisco , where from 25 October to 22 December she was in overhaul . 1945 – 1946 . " Centaurus " returned to the Pacific by way of Guam , and after rehearsal landings in the Solomons , joined the Northern Attack Force for the invasion of Okinawa , with which she sailed from Ulithi 27 March 1945 . Arriving off the island for the assault on 1 April , she began to discharge cargo at an ever - quickening pace , as she supported the first rapid advances of the 6th Marines across the island . Operations went smoothly despite heavy kamikaze attacks ; her guns helped splash two . She cleared Okinawa 9 April for Pearl Harbor , where she loaded additional cargo for the Okinawa operation . Returning to Okinawa 3 June , she offloaded , and on 14 June sailed for mainland United States via Pearl Harbor , and between 19 July and 23 August was in after overhaul at Seattle . She returned to the Far East and operated in the redeployment of troops . On 31 January 1946 she returned to Seattle and thence to New York City , where she arrived on 23 March and was decommissioned 30 April 1946 . She returned to the Maritime Commission 11 September 1946 . On 24 February 1947 she was withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and transferred to United States Lines . " Centaurus " received six battle stars for World War II service