USS Keokuk ( CMc - 6 ) USS " Keokuk " ( AN - 5 / CM - 8 / CMc - 6 / AKN - 4 ) was a mine and net laying ship of the United States Navy during World War II . Laid down in 1914 as the by William Cramp & Sons , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , and renamed in 1940 , she was acquired by the U . S . Navy on 28 July 1941 for conversion to a Coastal Minelayer , CMc - 6 . Reclassified as a Net Layer , AN - 5 , and named USS " Keokuk " on 15 August 1941 , she was commissioned on 28 February 1942 . Reclassified as a Minelayer , CM - 8 , on 18 May 1942 , and again as a Net Cargo Ship , AKN - 4 , in November 1943 . Service history . Atlantic Coast operations . " Keokuk " cleared Delaware Bay on 7 March 1942 and arrived Norfolk , Virginia , the same day to commence service as a net layer . She operated out of Norfolk and Key West , Florida , for two months before she was reclassified as Minelayer CM - 8 on 18 May 1942 . Based at Yorktown , Virginia , mine depot that summer , " Keokuk " engaged in high priority mine laying along the Atlantic coast . World War II North Africa operations . As the war in Europe intensified , the mine layer made preparations for service in the Mediterranean . Departing Brooklyn , New York on 13 November , " Keokuk " crossed the submarine - infested Atlantic and arrived at Casablanca on 1 December . She remained in North Africa n waters for seven weeks laying mines off the harbor of Casablanca . She sailed on 20 January 1943 with convoy GUS - 8 , arriving New York on 7 February . Following repairs at Hoboken , New Jersey , " Keokuk " sailed on 1 March to commence net - laying exercises out of Melville , Rhode Island . Invasion of Sicily . During April and May , the minelayer operated with the mine warfare school at Yorktown , Virginia ; then sailed to Brooklyn , New York , to join a convoy bound for Algeria . " Keokuk " departed Brooklyn on 13 June , arriving Oran , Algeria , 4 July . Two days later she steamed toward Gela , Sicily , to lay antisubmarine minefields prior to the landing there . During these operations , on 11 July , " Keokuk " was attacked by six enemy planes ; but anti - aircraft fire drove the raiders off . After the successful conclusion of the Sicilian campaign , she operated out of Algeria until sailing for Norfolk , Virginia , 7 October . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . Upon completion of a short overhaul , " Keokuk " was converted to a net layer and , reclassified AKN - 4 , departed Norfolk , Virginia , on 23 November for the $ 3 . She arrived at Tarawa on 3 February 1944 after a month ' s stay at Pearl Harbor , and immediately commenced net laying operations in the Marshall Islands . She continued this service until 12 April when she cleared Eniwetok to load new net at San Francisco , California . " Keokuk " returned to Kwajalein on 9 June , and departed two days later to engage in the amphibious assault on Saipan . She arrived in Saipan waters on 19 June and began laying antisubmarine net off Tanapag Harbor . Following the Saipan campaign the net - cargo ship operated out of Eniwetok until 17 July when she once again sailed for San Francisco , California . Upon her return to Guadalcanal on 1 September , " Keokuk " readied herself for the assault on Peleliu which was needed as a base for the subsequent invasion in the Philippines . She arrived off Kossol Passage on 17 September and continued net laying operations for a month before arriving at Manus on 17 October . The next day " Keokuk " sailed for San Francisco , California , to undergo repair and overhaul . The net - cargo ship returned to Eniwetok on 6 February 1945 as the war was approaching its climax . " Keokuk " departed Guam on 16 February , bound for the Japanese - held volcano fortress , Iwo Jima . She commenced net laying operations four days later , as she played her key role in this courageous undertaking . Struck by a kamikaze . On 21 February just prior to sunset while cruising in formation with a group of LST s , an enemy " Jill " dived out of the clouds and hit " Keokuk " on the starboard side , knocking out most of the starboard 20 mm battery . The fires were extinguished by 18 : 50 ; the ship had 17 killed and 44 wounded in the action . Upon completion of repairs at Leyte , the net - cargo ship sailed on 19 March toward the last great hurdle - Okinawa . " Keokuk " arrived off Kerama Retto on 26 March to lay antisubmarine nets prior to the invasion . With the invasion well under way , she cleared the battle area 4 April , arriving Saipan 10 April . Then after a two - month overhaul at Pearl Harbor , " Keokuk " returned to Eniwetok on 2 July to unload net material . As the war entered its final month she sailed from Ulithi on 25 July , and , after a stop at Pearl Harbor , arrived San Francisco , California , 10 September . The veteran ship remained there until she decommissioned on 5 December 1945 at San Francisco , California . She was transferred to the War Shipping Administration on 1 July 1946 for disposal ; and sold on 7 March 1947 to the West India Fruit and Steamship Company of Florida . " Keokuk " received five battle star s for World War II service .