USS Albireo ( AK - 90 ) The USS " Albireo " ( AK - 90 ) was a " Crater " - class cargo ship in the service of the United States Navy in World War II . It was the only ship of the Navy to have borne this name . It is named after Albireo , a star in the constellation of Cygnus . " Albireo " was laid down 17 January 1943 as liberty ship SS " John G . Nicolay " ( MCE hull 525 ) by Permanente Metals Corporation , Richmond , California , under a Maritime Commission contract ; launched on 25 February 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Donald W . Day ; acquired by the Navy under a bareboat charter on 9 March 1943 ; converted for naval service by the Matson Navigation Co . ; renamed " Albireo " on 17 March 1943 and simultaneously designated AK - 90 ; and commissioned at San Francisco , California , on 29 March 1943 , Lt . Comdr . Edward M . Benton , USCGR , in command . World War II service . Assigned to the Naval Transport Service , the cargo ship conducted shakedown training in San Francisco Bay before getting underway on 9 April for a cargo run to Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . The ship arrived back at San Francisco on 5 May and operated along the west coast through late August , towing barges and delivering cargo to Seattle , Washington ; Eureka and San Francisco , California ; and Astoria , Oreg . " Albireo " departed San Francisco on 26 August in a convoy bound for Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides , and Wellington , New Zealand ; arrived back at San Francisco on 20 November ; discharged her cargo at Oakland , California ; and entered the United Engineering Co . shipyard for repairs . The ship got underway for Espiritu Santo on 27 December . She arrived there on 1 February 1944 and unloaded her cargo and passengers . On 22 February , she shifted to Guadalcanal to discharge more cargo . " Albireo " touched at Espiritu Santo once again on 20 March ; then sailed three days later for the west coast . The ship reached San Francisco on 19 April . After taking on another load of supplies and equipment , the cargo vessel set sail on 2 May for Seeadler Harbor , Manus Island . She arrived there on 22 June and remained in port for approximately six weeks while discharging cargo ashore . " Albireo " weighed anchor on 1 August and touched at Milne Bay , New Guinea , three days later . She debarked elements of a Navy construction battalion and their equipment before getting underway again on 26 August . The vessel reached San Francisco on 21 September and entered a brief period of upkeep . She made a voyage to Pearl Harbor in October , returned to San Francisco on 1 November , and underwent voyage repairs and alterations at the United Engineering Co . The ship resumed operations on 26 November , and she joined a convoy bound for Espiritu Santo . She paused en route at Pearl Harbor for minor repairs and to take on personnel and arrived at Espiritu Santo on 25 December . The vessel remained in port there through the Christmas holidays . On 3 January 1945 , the ship reversed her course back to the west coast . She arrived in San Francisco Bay on 6 February and began a period of voyage repairs and alterations . The cargo vesselmade another voyage to Manus during late February , March , and April . After a three - day in - port period at Pearl Harbor , the ship arrived back at San Francisco on 19 May . After a leave and upkeep period , " Albireo " set sail on 13 June for the Philippines . She arrived in San Pedro Bay on 14 July . In early August , she began her voyage to San Francisco and , while sailing to the west coast , received word of the Japan ese capitulation ending World War II . On the first day of September , the vessel moored in San Francisco Bay and entered upkeep . Later that month , she sailed to San Pedro , California , to take on cargo . The ship got underway on 5 October and reached Eniwetok on the 23d . She continued on to Samar and Manila , Philippines . " Albireo " left the latter port on 26 November and sailed to Yokosuka , Japan . Upon her arrival there on 3 December , the ship began providing supplies and equipment to American occupation forces ashore . She remained in Japanese waters until late March 1946 . " Albireo " left Japan and shaped a course for the United States . She paused at Eniwetok in late March through early April ; then pressed on to the Panama Canal Zone . The cargo ship transited the canal on 29 May and headed on toward the east coast . Decommissioning . " Albireo " arrived at Norfolk , Virginia , on 18 June , and was decommissioned there on 5 July 1946 . She was turned over to the War Shipping Administration for disposal on 18 July 1946 , and her name was struck from the Navy list on 31 July 1946 . She was sold later that same year and was refitted for merchant service . Commercial service . " Albireo " was sold to Southern Steamships Pty Ltd of Johannesburg in August 1947 , renamed SS " President Steyn " , and re - flagged as a South African ship . In 1949 she was sold to Northern Steamships of South Africa . In 1951 the ship was sold to Cia Nav Hidalgo SA , Panama RP , renamed SS " Hidalgo " and re - flagged in Liberia . She was sold again in 1954 , to Blue Bay Steamship Corporation , and renamed SS " Ocean Sailor " . The ship was finally sold to Japanese breakers , and scrapped following her arrival at Kure on 10 April 1967 .