USS Grumium ( AK - 112 ) The USS " Grumium " ( AK - 112 / AVS - 3 / IX - 174 ) was a " Crater " - class cargo and aviation supply ship in the service of the United States Navy in World War II . Named after the star Grumium in the constellation Draco , it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name . " Grumium " was laid down on 12 November 1942 as liberty ship SS " William G . McAdoo " ( MCE hull 443 ) by the Permanente Metals Corporation , Yard No . 2 , in Richmond , California , under a Maritime Commission contract . She was launched on 20 December 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . T . Y . Sturtevant . " Grumium " was acquired by the Navy on 5 October 1943 . The ship was converted for Navy use by the Todd Shipyards in Seattle , Washington and commissioned on 20 October 1943 , with Lieutenant Commander B . J . Parylak in command . " Grumium " loaded supplies at San Francisco 9 November and got underway from San Pedro 19 November 1943 bound for Pago Pago . The ship unloaded drum gas there and at Funafuti 8 to 11 December , after which she proceeded to Kwajalein 6 March and Eniwetok 15 March delivering oil and aviation fuel . After another stop at Kwajalein 26 to 28 April " Grumium " returned to San Francisco via Pearl Harbor , arriving in California 27 May 1944 . At San Francisco " Grumium " was transferred to the direct control of Commander , Naval Air Forces , Pacific Fleet , and underwent conversion to an aviation support ship . She was redesignated IX - 174 , 20 June 1944 and 2 days later was underway for Pearl Harbor once more , to supply American fast carrier aircraft , then increasing greatly in numbers . " Grumium " arrived Pearl Harbor 30 June and 10 July continued to Roi Island . Arriving 19 July the ship transferred supplies to aircraft groups until early September , then returned to Pearl Harbor . She sailed with another load of aviation supplies 28 September , calling at Ulithi and Eniwetok before arriving at Manus on 17 November . There she supplied carrier forces making the supporting strikes for the Philippine campaign , as America ’ s great island offensive gained momentum . Remaining at Manus until 5 December 1944 , " Grumium " sailed to a closer advance base , Ulithi , arriving four days later . From Ulithi the ship supported the far reaching air raids on the Philippines , Okinawa , and Formosa in the months to come . As US forces moved ever north and west , supplies had to be moved into new advance bases , and " Grumium " sailed 14 January 1945 to bring up aviation supplies from Manus to Ulithi . Then she made a similar voyage to Roi Island before moving her supply base to Guam 16 March 1945 . The ship was soon to carry her support activities to the assault area itself , however , and rendezvoused with an Okinawa - bound convey at Saipan 23 March . As American forces went ashore at Okinawa 1 April and began that campaign , " Grumium " made preparations to supply the cruising carrier groups from Kerama Retto , near Okinawa . Arriving 2 April , she serviced the escort carrier groups protecting the landing and providing group support . Japanese forces were determined to defeat the assault and quickly expanded suicide attacks against the assembled ships . " Grumium " came under air attack at Kerama Retto 6 and 7 April ; of the many planes destroyed she helped shoot down one . She also rescued survivors from a suicide crash on " Pinkney " ( APH - 2 ) 28 April and a bomb hit on " Terror " ( CM - 5 ) 30 April . While " Grumium " was at Kerama Retto , a special designation for aviation supply ships was established ; and she became AVS - 3 on 25 May 1945 . She departed the Okinawa area 6 June , arrived Guam 14 June , and arrived Eniwetok to supply the carrier forces 1 July 1945 . " Grumium " remained there during and after the final operations of the war providing vital supplies until departing for the Hawaiian Islands 12 October . Stopping briefly at Pearl Harbor , she arrived Norfolk via the Panama Canal 25 November for deactivation . Decommissioned 20 December 1945 , she was redelivered to the Maritime Commission 27 December 1945 . Subsequently she joined Maritime Commission ' s National Defense Reserve Fleet , James River , Virginia . " Grumium " was scrapped in 1970 . " Grumium " received one battle star for World War II service .