USS Diphda ( AKA - 59 ) USS " Diphda " ( AKA - 59 ) was an named after a star in the constellation " Cetus " . She served as a commissioned ship for 11 years and 10 months . " Diphda " ( AKA - 59 ) was launched 11 May 1944 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company , Kearny , New Jersey , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Mrs . Anna Rosenberg ; transferred to the Navy on 7 July 1944 ; and commissioned the next day , Lieutenant Commander R . C . Willson , USNR , in command . Service history . 1944 – 1945 . " Diphda " sailed from Norfolk on 15 August 1944 , loaded cargo at Pearl Harbor from 4 to 21 September , then sailed to New Guinea for practice landings . On 4 January 1945 she departed Noemfoor Island for the invasion of Lingayen Gulf . Returning to Manus on 24 January , she loaded landing craft to replace those transferred at Lingayen Gulf , then loaded cargo at Wakde Island for San Pedro Bay , Leyte , where she arrived on 10 February . After training exercises in the Philippines until 27 March 1945 , " Diphda " sortied for the invasion of Okinawa , discharging her cargo in the transport area from 1 to 10 April . She returned to Pearl Harbor on 25 April for voyage repairs and alterations , then continued to the west coast , arriving at San Francisco on 18 June . She voyaged to Pearl Harbor carrying ammunition from 8 July to 5 August , then sailed from San Francisco on 13 August with cargo for Manus and Samar . She carried Army cargo to Wakanoura Wan , Honshū , in support of the occupation of Japan , then embarked homeward bound servicemen at Okinawa , returning with them to Portland , Oregon , on 29 November . 1946 – 1956 . Between 11 January and 22 May 1946 and again between 28 November 1946 and 17 May 1947 , " Diphda " served in the Far East , carrying cargo to Guam , Okinawa , and Chinese ports . She transported cargo for the Second Arctic Expedition to Point Barrow , Alaska between 9 July and 11 October 1947 , then performed similar service between west coast ports occasionally cruising as far west as Guam , Pearl Harbor , and Saipan . In both 1949 and 1950 , her cargo duty took her to the east coast and between 26 May and 20 June 1950 , she called at Whittier and Kodiak , Alaska . With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea " Diphda " was assigned to Service Force , Pacific ( ServPac ) , for duty as an ammunition ship . She made an emergency delivery of ammunition at Pusan , Korea , and offloaded the remainder of her cargo at Yokosuka before returning to San Francisco on 12 September 1950 . Six days later she got underway for an extended tour in Korean waters during which she carried ammunition between depots in Japan and Korea and to combat units and ships . On 26 December she replenished heavy cruiser at sea . " Diphda " returned to San Francisco on 29 October 1951 for overhaul . From 5 February to 11 November 1952 " Diphda " served with the Military Sea Transportation Service making shuttle runs from the west coast to the western Pacific , shuttling between Oakland , California , and Japanese ports . Except for service as station fleet issue ship at Sasebo from 12 May to 27 October 1954 , " Diphda " continued this duty until 2 December 1955 . " Diphda " was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego on 11 May 1956 . Awards . " Diphda " received one battle star for World War II service and six battle stars for Korean War service .