USS Stokes ( AKA - 68 ) USS " Stokes " ( AKA - 68 ) was a of the United States Navy , named after Stokes County , North Carolina . " Stokes " was designed to carry military cargo and landing craft , and to use the latter to land weapons , supplies , and Marines on enemy shores during amphibious operations . She served as a commissioned ship for 20 months . " Stokes " , ex - MC hull 1394 , was laid down as a Type C2 - S - AJ3 ship on 26 June 1944 by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company , Wilmington , North Carolina ; launched on 31 August 1944 , sponsored by Mrs . W . D . Woodall ; acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission on a loan - charter basis ; and commissioned on 12 October 1944 , Lt . Comdr . G . W . Graber in command . Service history . World War II , 1944 – 1945 . After a brief shakedown and yard availability period , " Stokes " loaded general cargo at Norfolk and sailed for the Pacific on 11 December . She transited the Panama Canal on 21 December 1944 and arrived at Pearl Harbor early in January 1945 . The attack cargo ship was then assigned to Transport Division 48 which was preparing to participate in the assault against Iwo Jima . She moved to Hilo , Hawaii ; loaded troops and equipment ; and sailed with the division to the staging area in the Marianas . The ships stood out of Saipan on 16 February for Iwo Jima . " Stokes " arrived off Iwo Jima on 19 February as the assault waves of U . S . Marines landed on the beaches and , for the next two weeks , supplied them with rockets , ammunition , and gasoline . She then loaded combat casualties for evacuation to the base hospital at Saipan . After disembarking the wounded there , the ship moved to Guam to replace many of her small boats that had been lost or disabled at Iwo Jima . " Stokes " then sailed to Espiritu Santo and loaded troops and equipment for the upcoming assault on the Ryūkyūs . Since her passengers were part of the floating reserve , the ship did not arrive at Okinawa until 10 April . On the 19th " Stokes " proceeded , via Ulithi , Guam , and Pearl Harbor , to the West Coast of the United States . She called at San Francisco before moving up the coast to Seattle for loading . " Stokes " sailed for Iwo Jima and on to Okinawa . Post - war activities , 1945 – 1946 . After the war ended , the ship then operated between the Philippine Islands , Guam , and Japan until routed back to the West Coast . She returned to Seattle in January 1946 and was routed to the East Coast for inactivation and disposal . Decommissioning and Civilian Service . She arrived at Norfolk on 29 May and was decommissioned on 9 July . Her name was struck from the Navy List on 19 July 1946 and she was returned to the War Shipping Administration . Ex - " USS Stokes " had a tumultuous civilian career , being sold , re - sold , and re - possessed numerous times over the next 25 years . Initially purchased from the Maratime Commission by the Oceanic Steamship Company , she was renamed SS " Sierra " on 9 May 1947 . She operated under that name until 3 March 1961 when Oceanic sold the vessel to Matson Navigation Co , who renamed her SS " Hawaiian Banker " . Later that year ( September 8 ) Matson renamed the ship SS " Fanwood " . Matson sold the ship to Sea - Land Services , Inc . on 15 September 1961 . Sea - Land Sold her to Georgelis Mid - America Lines , Inc . on 20 April 1964 where she served under the name SS " A & J Doctor Max " until being repossessed by Sea - Land on 10 July 1964 and named back to SS " Fanwood " . On 13 May 1965 Sea - Land transferred the title on the ship to the Maratime Administration under the excahnge program ; MARAD propmtly leased the ship back to Sea - Land the same day . The lease expired about a year later ( 22 April 1966 ) and the ship was returned to MARAD who sold her to Waterman Industries Corp the same day . Waterman sold the vessel to Gatx / Boothe Corp on 15 May 1969 . Gatx / Boothe maintained the ship for a little over two years until selling her one last time to Kenematsu - Gosho , Ltd . of Japan on 4 September 1971 . The old ship was broken up in Taiwan shortly thereafter . Awards . " Stokes " received two battle stars for her service in World War II .