USS Taganak ( AG - 45 ) USS " Taganak " ( AG - 45 ) – also known as USS " Lake Shore " ( ID - 1792 ) – was a commercial cargo ship acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War I as " Lake Shore " . She was again reacquired during World War II as " Taganak " . During both wars she carried a variety of cargo for the Navy , including coal , ammunition , and general cargo . She survived both wars and was returned to civilian service after each war . Constructed in Ohio . " Taganak " ( AG - 45 ) was built in 1917 as " War Shell " at Toledo , Ohio , by the Toledo Shipbuilding Company . Acquired by the United States Shipping Board and delivered to the United States Navy for use as a mine carrier , the ship was renamed " Lake Shore " , commissioned at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , on 11 January 1918 , and assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service ( NOTS ) . World War I service as " Lake Shore " . " Lake Shore " was refitted at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , armed with one 5 - inch gun and one six - pounder , manned with a complement of 64 , and got underway for Hampton Roads , Virginia , on 7 February . The ship loaded a cargo of coal there and sailed for Boston , Massachusetts , arriving on the 17th . After discharging her cargo , " Lake Shore " returned to Norfolk , Virginia , on the 27th . She then loaded coal and mines for the North Sea barrage , sailed for Scotland on 7 March , and arrived at Lamlash on the 29th . The steamer returned to Norfolk , Virginia , on 5 May and sailed on the 18th for Boston where she received an extensive overhaul . On 17 June , she proceeded , via New York City , to Norfolk where she loaded mines and general cargo . Her convoy sailed on 27 June for Scotland and reached Corpach on 15 July . " Lake Shore " returned to Norfolk on 18 August . She made two more trips from Hampton Roads to Europe — one back to the British Isles and one to France — before returning home on 6 February 1919 . She was decommissioned on 5 March 1919 and returned to the Shipping Board the next day . Post - war decommissioning . In 1923 , " Lake Shore " was sold to the E . K . Wood Lumber Company , Inc . , of San Francisco , California , and renamed " Olympic " . The steamer was operated by the lumber company along the Pacific coast until it was withdrawn from service in 1940 . World War II service as " Taganak " . Early in World War II , to relieve its acute shortage of cargo ships , the Navy reacquired " Olympic " on 23 May 1942 . Following repairs , alterations , and refitting at Mare Island , the ship was commissioned as " Taganak " ( AG - 45 ) on 23 July 1942 , Lt . Comdr . 0 . H . Pitts , USNR , in command . " Taganak " , formally purchased on 28 September 1942 , sailed for the South Pacific , via Pearl Harbor , in late October . Upon her arrival at Nouméa , New Caledonia , she was sent to New Zealand to return with a load of lumber . The ship then shuttled cargo between New Zealand , New Caledonia , New Hebrides , and the Solomon Islands for the next year . Attacked by a Japanese submarine . On 19 August 1943 , " Taganak " was a few hours out of Nouméa en route to Espiritu Santo with a cargo of ammunition when she was attacked by a Japanese submarine . attacked the enemy with depth charge s and forced it to the surface . American dive bomber s of Scouting Squadron VS - 57 came to the assistance of the New Zealand corvette and aided in the kill of the . Rescue efforts succeeded in saving a few survivors . On 26 October , " Taganak " stood out of Tutuila , Samoa , and headed for the United States laden with copra . The ship arrived at San Pedro , California , on 19 November ; discharged her cargo , and moved to Oakland , California , for an overhaul . On 11 February 1944 , " Taganak " sailed for the South Pacific to resume shuttling inter - island cargo . She put into Auckland , New Zealand , on 6 February 1945 for repairs and then plied the waters of the South Pacific Ocean carrying cargo until after hostilities with Japan ended . The old steamer departed Tutuila on 30 September and headed for the United States . Post - war decommissioning . She arrived at San Francisco on 26 October 1945 ; was decommissioned at Vallejo , California , on 25 March 1946 ; was struck from the Navy List on 12 April ; and was sold on 15 November 1946 to the Pillsbury and Martignoni Co . , San Francisco , for scrap .