USS Ariel ( AF - 22 ) USS " Ariel " ( AF - 22 ) was United Fruit Company cargo and passenger liner that served as a United States Navy in World War II . The US Navy renamed her after the " airy and playful spirit " Ariel in William Shakespeare ' s play " The Tempest " . Building and pre - war service . The Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company of Newport News , Virginia built the ship as SS " Peten " for United Fruit Company ' s United Mail Steamship Co subsidiary in 1933 . She was one of six UFC sister ships with General Electric turbo - electric transmission . In 1937 she was transferred to United Fruit ' s direct ownership and renamed " Jamaica " . The ship ' s peacetime service was in carrying fruit , passengers and mail on regular liner services between Central America and the USA . US Navy service . The US Navy bareboat chartered her through the Maritime Commission on 24 March 1942 . Todd Pacific Shipyards of Galveston , Texas converted her for Navy use . She was renamed USS " Ariel " and commissioned at Galveston on 14 May 1942 , commanded by Captain E . P . Hylant . On 25 May " Ariel " sailed for Norfolk , Virginia . On arrival she assumed duty with Service Squadron 7 , Service Force , Atlantic Fleet . In the next 18 months " Ariel " operated along the east coast and made numerous voyages to ports in the Caribbean . Among her stops were Bermuda ; Trinidad ; San Juan , Puerto Rico ; and Havana and Guantánamo Bay , Cuba . This routine was interrupted by a voyage to Iceland in 1943 . She left New York City on the 15 August and sailed to NS Argentia , Newfoundland before continuing on to Iceland and reaching Reykjavík on 24 August . After unloading her cargo she returned to the east coast , arrived back at New York City on 7 September , and resumed her supply service to the Caribbean . On 4 January 1944 the store ship left Norfolk , with a convoy bound for the Mediterranean Sea . She called at Algiers , Algeria on 24 January and soon sailed for Naples , Italy , where she unloaded supplies . She then sailed east and called at Oran , Algeria , in early February before sailing back to the United States . The ship arrived at New York City on 13 February . " Ariel " sailed for the Caribbean on 20 February and called at St . Thomas , Virgin Islands , and San Juan , Puerto Rico , to unload . She then returned to New York . In late March , she commenced another voyage to Iceland and arrived back at New York on 10 April . After a few weeks of upkeep , " Ariel " sailed for the United Kingdom . On arrival she provided food and supplies to ships preparing for the cross - channel Invasion of Normandy . She operated from the ports of Clyde , Scotland ; Belfast , Northern Ireland ; and Plymouth and Portland Harbour , England . She left England on D - Day , 6 June , and returned to the United States . " Ariel " reached New York on 16 June . After a fortnight of leave and upkeep she sailed to Norfolk . On 1 July she set out across the Atlantic to resupply Mediterranean ports . She unloaded stores and equipment at Oran and Naples before returning to the United States " via " a stop in the Azores , reaching New York on 3 August . After a week in New York , " Ariel " made a round trip to supply Guantanamo Bay and Trinidad . In September she made a round trip from New York to Bermuda . On 20 September she sailed from Norfolk , VA to Oran and Naples . Her return voyage was to New York , where she arrived on 23 October . From there she took supplies to San Juan and Guantanamo Bay . In early November she returned to Norfolk for servicing . She returned to duty on 10 December , sailing laden for Oran and Naples . She returned to Norfolk on 6 February 1945 . Later that month she made another round trip to Oran . In March " Ariel " left New York for San Juan , Puerto Rico . She returned to the east coast and put into Boston , Massachusetts on 12 April . From there she took a cargo to Argentia and arrived back at Boston in late April . She then took a cargo to Bermuda . She continued her supply runs to Caribbean ports from New York , Norfolk , and Boston until 1946 . On 12 May 1946 " Ariel " left New York for a final voyage " via " Argentia , Newfoundland to Reykjavík , where she docked on 29 May and unloaded . She left for New York on 1 June , arrived a week later , and entered New York Naval Shipyard for decommissioning . On 21 June 1946 " Ariel " was decommissioned at New York and transferred to the War Shipping Administration . Her name was struck from the Navy list on 3 July 1946 . She was returned to the United Fruit Company , who reinstated her pre - war name " Jamaica " . Post - war service . " Jamaica " returned to liner work for United Fruit , but later was sold to new owners who renamed her " Peten " . They later sold her to Union - Partenreederei T / S of Bremen , Germany , which also acquired her United Fruit sister ship " Chiriqui " . Union - Partenreederei changed " Peten " s name to D / S " Blumenthal " . She was scrapped in 1969 in Kaohsiung , Taiwan .