USS Monadnock ( ACM - 10 ) USS " Monadnock " ( ACM - 10 ) was named after Mount Monadnock , a solitary mountain ( monadnock ) of more than 3 , 100 feet in southern New Hampshire close to the border of Massachusetts . " Monadnock " , launched as SS " Cavalier " in 1938 by Pusey and Jones Corp . , Wilmington , Delaware , was acquired by the U . S . Navy through purchase from the Philadelphia and Norfolk Steamship Company , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , on 9 June 1941 ; converted at the Bethlehem Steel Co . , Atlantic Works , East Boston , Massachusetts ; and commissioned as the Coastal Minelayer " Monadnock " ( CMc - 4 ) , 2 December 1941 , Lt . Comdr . Frederick O . Goldsmith in command . Service history . Invasion of Europe operations . Following shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay area , " Monadnock " operated in the 5th Naval District until 25 March , when she sailed for the British West Indies . While in the Caribbean , 1 May 1942 , she was redesignated Minelayer CM - 9 . Returning to Virginia , 20 May , she resumed operations in the 5th Naval District . In late October she joined a convoy bound for North Africa . Arriving off Casablanca on 8 November , she remained in the assault area through the 11th , when she got underway for her return voyage across the $ 3 , arriving at Yorktown , Virginia , on the 30th . Reassigned to Pacific Fleet operations . In the spring of 1943 , " Monadnock " operated off the southern New England coast , first for the Minecraft Training Command and then under ComServFor , Atlantic Fleet , before resuming maneuvers in Chesapeake Bay . Reassigned to the Pacific Fleet in late fall , the minelayer departed Norfolk , Virginia , with TG 29 . 18 , transited the Panama Canal and arrived at San Diego 28 December . Routed on to Pearl Harbor , she reported to Commander , Minecraft , Pacific Fleet , 7 January 1944 , and by the 13th was underway for the $ 3 . Arriving at Nouméa on the 29th , she joined ServRon 6 and until 15 April carried out exercises and duty assignments in the New Hebrides . From the end of April until July , she worked in the Solomons and then moved on to New Guinea , where she was briefly employed off Finschhafen . Operating again in the New Hebrides , based at Espiritu Santo , by October , she sailed , with passengers , to Brisbane , and upon her return replenished her stores and departed , 13 November , for Manus , Admiralty Islands , to join the 7th Fleet . Supporting the Leyte Landings . " Monadnock " conducted training exercises at Manus until 23 December , when she departed for Leyte . Arriving on the 30th , she soon sailed for Mangarin Bay , on the southwest coast of Mindoro , where she remained from 3 January to 6 February 1945 . She then shifted , with TU 78 . 3 . 19 , to Subic Bay , Luzon , returning at the end of the month to Leyte . Thence , she steamed to Ulithi to stage for the forthcoming Okinawa campaign . On 5 April , she departed in convoy for Nansei Shoto , as a unit of TF 52 . Operating as a unit of TG 52 . 2 , she conducted minelaying operations at Kerama Retto and off the Hagushi anchorage during May . Then , in convoy with TU 51 . 29 . 18 , she departed for the United States , arriving at San Francisco , 24 June , for overhaul and conversion to Auxiliary Mine Layer ACM - 10 ( effective 10 July 1945 ) . Occupation duties . Conversion completed , she departed for Japan 6 September , transporting troops to Eniwetok , Guam , and Okinawa while en route . Arriving at Sasebo , 22 October , for occupation duty , she remained until 9 March 1946 , when , with military passengers again embarked , she sailed for San Francisco . Arriving 7 April , she decommissioned 3 June , was struck from the Navy List 3 July 1946 , and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 20 June 1947 . " Monadnock " earned three battle stars for her service in World War II . Later career . " Monadnock " was sold to a Panamanian company in 1949 , and renamed SS " Karukara " . Sold again in 1952 and renamed SS " Monte de la Esperanza " she operated for more than 20 years transporting bananas from the Canary Islands to the United Kingdom . Sold to the Marine Institute of Spain and renamed " Esperanza del Mar " , she was equipped as a hospital ship and operated out of the Canary Islands assisting fishing boats for more than 10 years . The Monadnock was deliberately sunk as an Artificial reef in 2000 off the coast of Spain .