USS Cepheus ( AKA - 18 ) USS " Cepheus " ( AKA - 18 ) was an named after the constellation " Cepheus " . She was one of a handful of United States Navy AKAs that were manned by Coast Guard officers and crew during World War II . She served as a commissioned ship for 2 years and 5 months . " Cepheus " ( AKA - 18 ) was launched 23 October 1943 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co . , Kearny , N . J . , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Miss J . Sharpe ; transferred to the Navy 15 December 1943 ; and commissioned the next day , Captain R . B . Hall , USCG , in command . Service history . Mediterranean , 1944 . " Cepheus " put to sea from Staten Island 27 February 1944 , bound in convoy for Liverpool . Although several submarine contacts were reported in the convoy , effective work by the escorts prevented any attacks , and the convoy arrived safely 9 March , with its cargo destined for the Normandy invasion . Joining her assigned division in Scottish waters , " Cepheus " sailed for Oran , where she arrived 6 April to report to the Eighth Amphibious Force . After training exercises along the Algerian coast , she loaded vehicles and troops for the passage to Naples , where she unloaded 19 June to 23 June . After training at Palermo and Salerno , she returned to Naples to offload combat vehicles , then cleared for Castellammare near Palermo to combat load for the invasion of Southern France . " Cepheus " put to sea with the Camel Beach Attack Group 13 August 1944 , and after a safe passage along a route designed to camouflage the convoy ' s destination , arrived off the beaches east of Saint Raphael just before dawn of 15 August . Her swift and competent unloading was a significant contribution to the successful passage over those beaches , and although the latter stages of unloading were accomplished under enemy air attack and through defensive smoke screen , " Cepheus " was empty before midnight , and moved out to await orders for her return to Naples , where she arrived on 18 August . Between 23 August and 7 October 1944 , " Cepheus " supported the rapid advance of forces ashore by four more voyages , two from Naples to the assault area , and two from Oran to Marseilles , captured at the end of August after heavy naval bombardment of its defenses . Clearing Oran in convoy 25 October , she arrived at Norfolk , Va . , 8 November . Here she prepared for duty in the Pacific , and on 18 December was underway for Pearl Harbor with cargo . Pacific , 1945 – 1946 . Arriving 10 January 1945 , she joined in training exercises until 26 February , when she put to sea combat loaded for the Okinawa assault . " Cepheus " arrived in the transport area off Okinawa on 1 April 1945 , and since her cargo was destined for use after the initial assault , sent her boats for use in unloading three other transports . She retired seaward for the night , and came under enemy air attack while returning to the island next morning . During that raid , she fired upon seven Japanese aircraft , and aided in downing three . She remained off the island , unloading and aiding other ships to unload , firing on enemy aircraft , until 16 April , when she cleared for replenishment at Saipan . Through May and June , she made a voyage from the Marianas to New Zealand to load cargo , and on 12 July , returned to Ulithi to join an Okinawa - bound convoy . At Hagushi anchorage , she underwent several air attacks , then moved to Kerama Retto to unload . She returned to New Caledonia and the New Hebrides to load construction equipment , which she carried to the Philippines , arriving at Lingayen 16 September . Four days later , she put to sea for the first of two voyages from the Philippines to Japan with occupation supplies , and on 28 October , she cleared for Portland , Oregon , from Hiro Wan . One more voyage was made from the west coast to the Far East , during which " Cepheus " carried cargo to Tientsin , China , before 15 February 1946 , when the cargo transport left San Francisco astern , bound for New York City . Here she was decommissioned 22 May 1946 , and returned to the Maritime Commission . MARAD records show she was given back to the Navy on 21 November 1946 and a " reconversion " contract was awarded to Maryland Drydock Company on 2 May 1947 . " Cepheus " received two battle stars for World War II service